[ÉCHINOPS Project: Collaborating with Law Enforcement to Help the Escapees of the Healthcare System]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health Services Research
• Criminology

Background:

• Deinstitutionalization of psychiatric services has increased police contact with individuals with mental health disorders.
• Law enforcement encounters with mentally ill persons present complex challenges in community settings.
• There is a growing need for specialized training and interdisciplinary collaboration between police and healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on issues surrounding police interventions with individuals with mental health disorders.
• To present the ÉCHINOPS Project as a model for hybrid community intervention teams.
• To highlight the importance of intersectoral collaboration in mental healthcare delivery.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive bibliographic search was conducted across multiple databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL).
• Keywords included terms related to policing, crisis intervention, mental health services, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• A snowballing technique was used to supplement the initial search, resulting in approximately 110 articles for analysis.

Main Results:

• Over 40 years, increased deinstitutionalization has led to more police-mental health patient interactions.
• Global initiatives show a need for enhanced police training on mental illness and greater healthcare system integration.
• Partnerships and novel collaborative models are essential for effective community-based interventions.

Conclusions:

• The ÉCHINOPS Project in Montreal exemplifies a collaborative approach with mental health nurses and psychiatrists working alongside police.
• This initiative is inspired by successful "Co-response" or "Street Triage" models used internationally.
• A pilot project for a mixed intervention team has been implemented in Montreal's East-end since January 2022.