No solid timeline for 'game-changer' mental health and public safety program in Penticton

Photo: Contributed

A program pairing nurses with police officers for mental health-related calls has no concrete timeline for implementation in Penticton, but when it does arrive, the local top cop thinks it will make a huge difference.

Car 40, as the program is known, was expanded by Interior Health in Kelowna and Kamloops recently, leaving Penticton politicians feeling left in the lurch.

Local politicians and police alike have been pressing for the program for some time.

At Tuesday's city council meeting, staff and elected officials discussed the matter of community safety and what steps to take in 2023, re-expressing an interest in Car 40 or a similar program.

But Interior Health does not have a date for when such a program will arrive in Penticton, and could not confirm, when asked, whether it would roll out in 2023.

"The timeline is not in stone at this time. It's continuing," said Jason Giesbrecht, an executive director with Interior Health specializing in mental health and substance use.

"But what I can say is that the work is happening quickly, and this is a priority for Interior Health. And we will continue with our partnership [with RCMP]."

Interior Health currently offers crisis response teams in Penticton which are the main contact for RCMP to request assistance with mental health-related calls, operating 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, with two mental health nurses on overlapping shifts.

"Interior Health senior leaders meet monthly with the superintendent of the RCMP in Penticton and participate in ongoing open discussions with the RCMP, the City of Penticton and Penticton Indian Band at the community liaison meeting every two months," Giesbrecht said.

RCMP Supt. Brian Hunter told council at Tuesday's meeting that he will be seeking funding during the upcoming 2023 municipal budget deliberations for two more members, specifically dedicated to working with community and bylaw services to reduce calls to police for mental health and addiction issues.

Hunter is also excited for the Car 40 program through Interior Health, and thanked council for their efforts lobbying for it.

"The effort that you folks have put in in lobbying in support of getting a health care professional working alongside the police in assisting our most vulnerable clients out there ... I feel we're getting very close. And the reason we're getting very close is because of the efforts of everyone in this room, it's greatly appreciated. I'm confident we're going to get that program," Hunter said, adding it should have a "positive effect" and bring down crime statistics.

"It's going to be a game-changer in our community."