Opposition lobbies government to establish mental health mobile crisis team for Island

The Opposition on P.E.I. is pressuring the government to improve services for those with mental health and addictions issues.

The Progressive Conservativestabled a petition in the legislature on Friday that calls on the government to establish a mobile crisis team to help Islanders with mental illness and addictions.

It currently has nearly 400 signatures and recommends the mobile unit be made up of social workers, law enforcement officers, nurses and youth workers.

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James Aylward, PC MLA for District 6, Stratford-Kinlock, introduced the petition on the floor of the legislature. He said the petition is a sign that more needs to be done when it comes to the province's delivery of mental health services.

"We're hearing essentially on a daily basis from people that are experiencing issues around mental health, the crisis of mental health. They're asking for more resources to be put in place," said Aylward.

Aylward added that a mobile crisis team would help those experiencing a mental health crisis get to a hospital without the necessity of an arrest being made.

"An individual say they're in their home and they're having an extreme crisis related to mental health, right now the resource we have for transporting an individual in most cases is to phone the police." said Aylward.

"Unfortunately, the only way that they can transport them right now is to put them in handcuffs and take them in the police cruiser to the hospital. And that has happened on several occasions that I've heard of."

In an email sent to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said itwill be looking into the possibility of a mobile crisis response unit for the Island.

"Enhancing access to mental health and addictions services is an important part of our efforts to improving care for Islanders," wrote a government spokesperson on behalf of Health P.E.I.

"We are always seeking new opportunities to offer services closer to home, in communities across the province, so that Islanders can get the support they need, when they need it."

P.E.I. is the only province in Atlantic Canada without a mobile mental health crisis unit.

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