Yet another death has just been added to a string of fatalities involving Toronto Police response to mental illness-related incidents.
Mental health advocate Pat Capponi told the Toronto Star she understands the obstacles police face, with reduction in hospital care and lack of around-the-clock availability of health professionals trained to deal with such situations. Nevertheless, she feels police can do a better job themselves, without rushing in and resorting to lethal violence.
Clearly our mental health systems are broken, but police and others can find safe, compassionate and constructive ways to deal with these situations if they are open to the latest research and approaches.
Tell Toronto that mental illness is not a crime.
We, the undersigned, believe Toronto needs a new approach to help the city respond safely, effectively and compassionately to people in crisis or diagnosed with mental illness.
Clearly the current mental health system in Canada, as well as the U.S. is not meeting the needs of these populations, and is putting more stress on local agencies and police departments.
Though we do understand that the situation creates an enormous challenge for a police department without a full-time staff of health professionals, we also believe that there is training easily available in new, compassionate, respectful and more effective approaches to this problem.
We suggest that the city of Toronto and its Police Department consider training sessions like those offered by Dr. Peter Breggin's Empathic Therapy Conference, or the Open Dialogue program which has had enormous success in Finland and is making its way to the U.S. Another resource is ISEPP or psychintegrity.org. The newly-created Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care may also be able to provide other training options. These all offer new and more effective approaches.
Latest research by Stanford University and independents like Robert B. Whitaker is revealing that the current drug-based standard of care is actually increasing mental health problems due to brain damage and serious drug reactions resulting from this out-dated treatment. Often it's the prescribed drugs, themselves, that are creating behavior problems, even violent and bizarre reactions, often misdiagnosed as crime or mental illness.
By considering new research on causes of the problem and training in innovative methods to effectively deal with these situations - without violence or unnecessary drugging -Toronto could lead the way in creating a win-win situation for all involved.
Please consider these suggestions, and whatever path you choose, please make sure you understand that mental illness is not a crime, and the killing of those suffering from such distress cannot be tolerated.
Thank you for your immediate attention to these serious concerns.
Update: Office Federico at Toronto Police Dept. contacted me today (Feb.14), saying he is very willing to look at options suggested in this letter. I sent him more information and hope it will be of help.
Susan V.
