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Government of Yukon and Yukon RCMP team up to launch new Mobile Crisis Response Team
November 1, 2022 By Blue Line Staff / Government of Yukon / Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Nov. 1, 2022, Yukon – The Government of Yukon and the Yukon Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have launched a new Mobile Crisis Response Team in Whitehorse. The new unit, named Car 867, will respond to calls for service related to mental health issues and suicide risks.
Car 867’s team will be staffed with a police officer and a mental health nurse from the Yukon government’s Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services unit. They will provide a specialized joint response including on-site mental health assessments and referrals to community agencies.
The objective of this new partnership is to provide trauma-informed, client-centered responses to mental health emergencies. This joint initiative will help early intervention with underlying mental health issues and may also help divert people away from the criminal justice and hospital systems. This new unit is a key action to respond to the Substance Use Health Emergency.
While Yukon RCMP will continue to respond to calls of any nature 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Mobile Crisis Response Team will have specific hours of operation during the initial launch.
Requests for police assistance will continue to go through police dispatch, and dispatch will determine if Car 867 is appropriate to respond. When dispatched, Car 867 will travel to the individual’s location to provide on-scene support, providing the unit is available and the call relates to a mental health issue or suicide risk.
People experiencing mental health or substance use challenges can receive support by calling Mental Health and Substance Use Services (MWSUS) at 867-456-3838.
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