“Expect the unexpected.”
Three words Avi Unger, Mental Health Nurse at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) and Police Constable (PC) Scott Walker have learned to live by as members of one of the Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams (MCIT) serving the City of Toronto. The MCIT program is the result of a partnership between participating hospitals and the Toronto Police Service (TPS). Sarah Downey, President and CEO of MGH co-chairs the City of Toronto MCIT Steering Committee with Deputy Chief Peter Yuen.
A TPS ceremony hosted last month recognized Avi and Scott for going above and beyond the call of duty when they responded to a life-threatening call last fall.
MCITs consist of a specially trained police officer and a mental health nurse who respond to 911 emergency and dispatch calls for assistance involving individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. TPS receive an average of 70 mental health crisis calls each day or approximately 25,000 calls each year.
Saving a life
One afternoon last fall, Avi and PC Walker arrived on scene and were met by the mother of a distraught 25-year-old female with a history of anxiety and depression. Threatening to harm herself, she barricaded herself in a room, declining to open the locked door.
MCIT quickly intervened, forced the door and saw the woman swallowing a handful of pills. After working quickly to de-escalate the situation, the team was able to safely apprehend the female, prevent her from taking more pills and get her speedy medical attention. Avi and Scott's quick thinking and teamwork contributed to supporting the client during a mental health crisis, resolving the situation within less than two minutes and effectively saving her life.
“This is an important achievement and recognition of Avi and Scott's work and commitment to caring for individuals requiring mental health support,” says Leah Dunbar, Project Manager, MCIT.
“Both professions work to serve people and though they come from different areas of expertise in assessing and responding to a crisis or difficult situation, they both have a goal of keeping clients and team members safe. Situations such as this one highlight that the partnership between the officer and nurse is working.”
When two worlds collide: frontline providers and first responders
Leah adds that police officers and nurses continue to learn from each other and debrief after each call to better understand areas of success and identify opportunities to serve clients more effectively.
“I believe in what MCIT does, which is why I chose to work here and make a difference,” says Avi. “To stand on the podium and be recognized with your family looking at you with pride on their faces is a moment of glory for me in my career.”
MCIT is also a point of pride for Toronto Police, especially for Scott.
“I love what I do and strongly believe in the MCIT partnership. Not only do we have the ability to help those who may not be able to help themselves but I feel as though we truly make a difference in the lives of those struggling with their mental health,” says Scott.
“All of the MCIT teams across the service do amazing things on a daily basis so this award is for all of them, too. I was shocked and incredibly honoured when I found out our team was receiving this commendation. It was truly humbling. I'm glad we were able to prevent a potentially deadly situation and provide service and care to someone who really needed it.”
To date, the Toronto Police Service is currently partnered with the following hospitals to form MCIT teams: St Joseph's Health Centre, Humber River Hospital, North York General Hospital, Scarborough and Rouge Hospital (formerly The Scarborough Hospital), St. Michael's Hospital and Michael Garron Hospital.