Equipping campus police with the training to manage mental health crises could help save lives and ensure individuals get the treatment best suited to their needs.

Launched by the University of Guelph and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) of Waterloo-Wellington, a new program is matching a CMHA mental health worker with campus safety officers four days a week to help respond to campus mental health calls. The program, called the Integrated Mobile Police and Crisis Team (IMPACT) program, aims to improve individual clinical interventions and outcomes.

All distress calls are taken by a Campus Safety Office Dispatcher who will then notify officers and the IMPACT worker. Together, the team will leverage their knowledge and expertise to determine the best course of action based on the individual’s unique needs.

For more information, visit the University of Guelph.