w w w .insidehalton.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, O ctober 2 7 , 2 0 1 7 | 1 0 M u lti-secto r co llabo ratio n is key = T Q V 0 .C Q FLYERS COUPONS SHOPPING LISTS continued from p.9 The results of this approach have been significant. According to Halton police, before the creation of the MCRRT and COAST, officers dealing with a mental health-related call would spend an average 100 minutes tied up at hospitals before the patient was admitted. That wait time has since been cut in half, which police attribute to assessment at the scene. Through the efforts of COAST and others, the number of repeat mental health-related calls involving the same individuals has also dropped. Feedback from the people these programs help has also been positive. "I would like to extend my deepest gratitude for how you handled my situation," reads one MCRRT client testimonial. "Mostly, I remember the respect you showed me at a moment I believed my life would never be normal again. I want to let you know although I have a ways to go, I was released from the hospital and am well enough to return to work on a part-time basis. Just saying thank you sounds a bit trite, but it comes from my heart." Another initiative, dubbed Project Lifesaver, saw police work with a variety of community partners to tackle the problem of individuals who go missing due to cognitive disorders. The solution this working group came up with saw police collaborate with the non-profit, private sector organization, Project Lifesaver International, to develop a local program to SHOP SM ART S ave m ore on your w e e k ly s h o p p in g . which residents with a wandering loved one could apply. Participating community members wear personalized wristbands that emit FM radio signals every second, 24 hours a day. If a person wearing this wristband goes missing, Halton police can track it and pinpoint the individual' s location. Other multi-sector collaborative initiatives conducted include the Situation Table, where police and a key group of community partners meet to address local issues with a goal of mitigating the risk involved. Members of this group include, but are not limited to, health, social services, housing, diversity and faith-based partners. Another initiative is the Regional Diversity Engagement Forum, which connects police with diverse regional partners and religious centres. Duraiappah noted that in the wake of events, like the 2016 shooting in Orlando and that at a Quebec mosque, some communities felt very unsafe. Police have worked with faith-based groups to catalogue schematics and floor plans of buildings where people may gather and assemble so police will have something to work with in the event of an incident. Police have also talked with these partners to help them develop joint emergency response plans for these facilities and discussed how best the individuals can react in the early stages. Health®Sense kS'iieproof Coupons The Home Depot O pumpkin H U D S O N 'S B A Y 5 Deals 9 Deals 2 Deals G e t y o u r flu s h o t a t H e a lth S e n s e M e d ic a l & s t a y h e a lt h y th is w in te r! Flu shots are now available. Appointments not necessary. Walk-in anytime. Short wait times. Free with Ontario Health Card. =r DOWNLOAD THE FREE Save.ca MOBILE APP D o w n lo a d on the G E T IT O N A p p S to re > Google Play 2983 Westoak Trails Blvd 905-825-DOCS Health@Sense M E D I C A L Pharma-Sense M-F: 830am to 8pm Sat: 9am to 2pm www.healthsensemedical.ca M B