Clinicians and specially trained police officers are working side by side in a mobile emergency mental health unit launched in Melbourne’s west last week.
The state government committed $15 million to establish police and clinician emergency response units across Victoria in May’s state budget.
The Mid-West Police and Clinician Emergency Response (MW PACER) unit is a partnership of Brimbank and Melton police, Macedon Ranges and North Western Medicare Local, Western Health, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health and Ambulance Victoria. The partnership streamlines responses to emergencies involving people with mental health problems, with the aim of reducing demand on hospital emergency departments.
Each unit consists of a specially trained police officer and mental health clinician. They will act as a secondary police resource following a request by operational police attending an incident involving a psychiatric crisis.
Superintendent Glenn Weir said the unit would provide a quick and specialised response. “A key benefit of the MW PACER unit is the ability for people experiencing a mental health crisis to be linked to the support service that’s most able to meet their needs,” he said.
Anyone experiencing mental health problems should call their GP or Lifeline, 13 11 14.
Lexi Cottee
