New St. Paul’s mental health centre to help those in need, free up resources
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Vancouver Police are hopeful a new mental health and addictions centre at St. Paul’s Hospital will not only help those in need, but free up valuable VPD resources.
The police chief says the new beds could help officers get back in the community faster after taking someone to the hospital.
The new Emergency Department HUB includes 10 new beds, representing a 15 per cent jump in space dedicated exclusively to quickly assessing, stabilizing and treating mental health patients in a culturally sensitive way.
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Right now, every time police take someone to the hospital, they have to wait with them until they’re admitted. Police Chief Adam Palmer says the average wait is an hour and 15 minutes and usually it’s two officers at a time.
“The HUB is expected to reduce that wait time significantly so front line police officers can get back on the road faster to keep our city safe,” he says, adding they typically get 46,000 calls regarding a mental health crisis each year.
“I’ve witnessed the impact of mental health issues and addiction when the right systems are not in place. Now that we’re getting on the right track, this will make a huge difference in our communities.”
The Vancouver Police Foundation has also helped fund a three bed transitional space to help patients transition from the hospital back into the community.
