Health Centre team smooths situations on the street

Sending in police officers is not always the best way to deal with situations involving mental health and substance abuse crises.

For over a year, a specialized Alternative Neighbourhood Crisis Response (ANCHOR) team has been active in Centretown and Somerset West to deal with such calls. Instead of calling Ottawa police, people in that area are encouraged to call 2-1-1 to dispatch trained workers who intervene and provide appropriate follow-up support when required. In June, the program will expand east to an area that includes Sandy Hill. Watch for more news in future issues of IMAGE.  —Editor