Reduce high demand for mental health crisis team with more help beforehand, advocate says

Every night across Halifax Regional Municipality, a mobile mental health team responds to dozens of people in acute distress, adding up to more than 2,000 calls each month.

"I think that's an overwhelming number," said Bev Cadham, co-manager of the Halifax-Dartmouth branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association. 

For people who are suicidal, anxious, depressed or experiencing a psychotic episode, the mobile team is an alternative to police for non-violent incidents. 

But the demand for the Mobile Mental Health Crisis Team — made up of mental health professionals and a non-uniformed police officer — should be reduced, Cadham said.

She said they need more backup in the form of improved mental health services in the province. That could prevent people from reaching a state where they need to call the provincial mental health and addictions crisis line in the first place.

Nova Scotians are currently not able to access the proper mental health services in a timely manner, she said, and when they do, there's no guarantee anyone will follow up with them. There's a need for more psychiatrists to reduce long wait times.  And when someone is admitted to hospital for psychiatric care, they need to get a followup after discharge.

Approximately six to seven per cent of the province's health budget has been directed toward mental health services in recent years.

"That's a very small percentage when the world average is like 12 per cent," Cadham said.

What's missing

An unfulfilled promise by the federal government would go a long way to improving mental health services in Nova Scotia, Cadham said.

The Liberals made an election campaign promise in 2021 to launch a Canada Mental Health Transfer that would have sent a total of $4.5 billion to provinces and territories over five years.

Cadham said that money would help fill in the gaps in Nova Scotia and move closer to a continuum of care for people who need treatment. That could include helping people with the underlying issues that worsen psychological problems, including lack of housing and poor nutrition.

The Canadian Mental Health Association's Halifax office focuses on offering programs that address social isolation, which has been identified as a prominent local issue, Cadham said.

'Would love to be out of a job'

Nova Scotia Health acknowledges there is a significant demand on the Mobile Mental Health Crisis Team, but it's prepared for it.

"We're always watching that to make sure we match our resources to that demand," said Matt White, director of Mental Health and Addictions for the central zone.

White, who used to be a clinician on the mobile crisis team, said the team responds to a variety of calls such as mental health emergencies or something less urgent like helping someone find a food bank.

The health authority also offers other services like free counselling and online appointments to make it easier to get adequate care, he said. 

White says when more services like this are available, there will be less pressure on the Mobile Mental Health Crisis Team. 

"The more we do that, you know, potentially down the road there may be a reduced demand," he said. "I think anyone who works in crisis mental health crisis support would always love to be worked out of a job."