Member Portal

The Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Panel (MHAAP)

The Board, at its meeting of February 21, 2019, approved the establishment of the Board’s Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Panel (MHAAP) (Min. No. P36/19 refers) which superseded its current Mental Health Sub-Committee.

As noted at that time, MHAAP is comprised of members of the Board, members of the Service and members of the community, ensuring that this includes representatives from organizations run by and for people with lived experiences. It is important that the membership reflect the diversity of Toronto with representatives from major as well as more locally-based groups or organizations serving youth and marginalized and racialized groups. An emphasis was placed on including individuals with both client-focused and direct lived experience of mental health and addictions issues (includes lived experience in addictions or substance use, including harm reduction and service delivery) as well as those with expertise in the areas of law and human rights, accountability and data.

In particular, it was stated that there must be at least two members with direct lived experience of mental health and addictions issues or who are connected to an organization representing people with lived experience of mental health and addictions issues as part of the membership of the MHAAP.

As the report states, MHAAP will also have a number of representatives from the Toronto Police Service.

Community Engagement

Objective & Terms of Reference

The main objective of the Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Panel (MHAAP) is to review the implementation of the Mental Health and Addictions Strategy and to provide ongoing advice to the Board with respect to this important work.

The terms of reference of the MHAAP are as follows:

  1. To review, provide advice and make recommendations to the Board on an annual basis, at a minimum, related to monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, and other matters related to policy involving mental health and addictions issues, including but not limited to the areas of:
    1. Joint initiatives, partnerships, and collaborations such as the Mobile Crisis Intervention Team (MCIT) program, including enhancements and expansion.
    2. The training and education of Service members in the area of mental health and addictions.
    3. The use of weapons, tools and equipment, such as Conducted Energy Weapons (CEWs).
    4. Data collection and analysis, including the collection, sharing and release of information related to mental health and addictions.
    5. Mechanisms related to accountability and oversight.

2020 Board Recommendations for MHAAP

The Board, at its meeting of August 18, 2020, approved 81 recommendations, putting into place a roadmap for comprehensive policing reform. These significant recommendations include building new community safety response models, initiatives to address systemic racism and concrete steps to improve trust with our communities.  They followed robust public engagement that occurred over the months of June, July and into August 2020, following thousands of messages that the Board received from members of the public on police reform, accountability, and community safety priorities.

As part of these recommendations, the following was approved:

Make MHAAP permanent and require MHAAP to:

  • review its terms of reference in consultation with the Board at least every 3 years or when otherwise required;
  • review its membership at least every 3 years or when otherwise required;
  • meet on a quarterly basis, at a minimum;
  • meet with ARAP annually; and
  • share its minutes with ARAP and convene a joint meeting when there are issues of mutual interest and significance.

Mental Health & Addictions Strategy

As recommended by MHAAP, the Service has developed a Mental Health Strategy. The Strategy recognizes the significant priority the Board and Service place on responding to individuals who appear to be experiencing mental health and/or addictions issues, both in the community, and within our organization. It also creates a ‘roadmap’ to developing and implementing effective, comprehensive, compassionate and respectful responses to these complex issues.

The Strategy outlines the following eight key areas of commitment:

  • Preserving Life
  • Leadership
  • Cultural Competence, Equity, and Anti-racism
  • Stigma-free Environment
  • Continuous Learning
  • Advocacy and Partnerships
  • Evaluation
  • Transparency, Accountability, Oversight, and Reporting

 

For each area, the Strategy includes a set of Initial Action Items that will assist the Service in fulfilling its commitment. The Service will be evaluating the progress of the implementation of this Strategy and will work to address additional action items that follow.

To help inform the public and stakeholders of progress achieved in relation to each action item, details relating to each action item are reported in a publicly available dashboard.

The dashboard provides the status for each action item and other pertinent information including the lead unit(s), progress details, the area of commitment, and other relevant links. This dashboard will be updated on an annual basis. 

Launch the Dashboard

The Toronto Police Service also provides access to annual statistics on Persons in Crisis Calls for Service and Mental Health Act Apprehensions.

Please note the report consists of several pages. Navigate through the pages in the report using the arrows located at the bottom center of the report.

To learn more about the Service’s approach to mental health and addictions and person in crisis situation, please visit the Service’s dedicated Mental Health page.