The Mental Illness Caregivers Association (MICA) hosted a workshop at Humber College, Lakeshore Campus, Toronto, on September 10, 2022 attended by caregivers of those living with a mental illness. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss strategies to ensure a positive outcome when a 911 call is made and to ultimately develop a Tips and Strategies guidance document of actions for caregivers that might result in a positive outcome for all.

The decision to host the workshop was the result of a project that got underway early this year. Last January MICA developed an 8-step model that provided a summary of thoughts, feelings, experiences, and expectations of caregivers supporting a loved one living with mental illness while in crisis: from making the 911 call straight through to discharge and on-going mental health care. MICA shared the model with caregivers and organizations in the Ottawa area and beyond and asked them to provide comments on how we might improve the model.

Among the many comments we received it became apparent that more needed to be done to better understand the needs of caregivers when making the 911 call involving the police, including reducing the risk of violence when police interact with people living with mental illness. Although several jurisdictions, including Ottawa were looking at ways to reduce these risks, it was thought that without caregivers’ perspectives in the design of new mental health crisis response models, new responses could be slightly better, but may miss the mark. The workshop was an attempt to obtain caregivers’ perspectives as background and content for the Tips and Strategies guidance document.

This was done from 2 perspectives: from the perspective of first responders/police services/mental health service providers who respond to a 911 call and caregivers who make the 911 call. The intent was to focus the discussion on what caregivers could do to support first responders and police in avoiding escalation in tension and potential violence and in turn, for first responders to share their perspective on the best strategies to de-escalate tensions.

The workshop began with a panel of police, crisis intervention specialists and caregivers, who shared their perspectives and experiences on the mental health crisis response call. The discussions that followed focused on the experience of caregivers when making a 911 call and on strategies that can be put into action to influence a 911 call in the direction of a positive outcome.

A report on what we learned and heard has been prepared and is presented as a “work-in-progress" as we seek comments from caregivers and others going forward. Stay tuned – we will be posting an action plan in the weeks ahead.