The mental health of Quebecers has taken a hit since the start of the pandemic, which translates into additional work for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) in Mauricie.
Data obtained by TVA Nouvelles through access to information show that the number of cases requiring intervention for a disturbed mental state has reached a peak in four years.
Between the 1is April 2020 and March 31, 2021, the number of cases with intervention for a disturbed mental state experienced an overall jump of 11% in the Mauricie, Nicolet-Yamaska and Bécancour stations, compared to the same period one year more early. Police officers handled 1,262 cases, compared to 1,127 in 2019-2020.
Not only are the authorities intervening more often, but cases are becoming more complex and the duration of interventions is lengthening. An observation shared by the president of the Association of provincial police officers of Quebec, Dominic Ricard.
“We see it, it goes up every year. Over the past four years, 20,000 interventions directly related to mental health have been carried out in SQ stations in Quebec. And almost every case is unique, which makes it more difficult for access to care. ”
The increase hits the MRCs of Nicolet-Yamaska, Mékinac and La Tuque the hardest with respective increases of 60%, 40% and 20%, while the MRCs of Bécancour, Shawinigan and Maskinongé note a growth of 3%. at 7%. The only territory to see its balance sheet weaken is the MRC des Chenaux.
The fact remains that in four years, the figures have jumped 21%.
This reality forces police forces to adjust their methods. At the Trois-Rivières police station, a social worker from the CIUSSS de la Mauricie-et-du-Center-du-Québec (CIUSSS-MCQ) is assigned full time to advise the patrollers before, during and after the interventions. In office since September 2019, Marylène Ménard has become an essential resource for police officers.
“The agents come to be validated to see what is the best intervention or the best practice for each case. I also make sure that I am the conduit between the health system and the police. I am like a tool for them. A safety net that takes care of complex cases, ”she detailed.
For the SQ territory in Mauricie and Center-du-Québec, only the Drummondville post can count on a full-time social worker.
A sign that the problem is growing, the 911 service is now assisted by a team of social workers from the region. The idea, according to the Deputy Director of Social Services and Addiction of the CIUSSS-MCQ, Jovany Raymond, is to target the needs as soon as the call is received in order to provide the assistance of mental health professionals on the spot. field instead of rushing the police.
“People have the reflex to call 911 immediately, but we must not forget that teams are in place on the 811 line for mental health issues. So we take charge of the calls and that takes the pressure off the police, ”said Mr. Raymond.
According to the data obtained, the files related to suicide attempts fell by 15%. The case of Shawinigan is however worrying since the city alone counts the same number of suicide attempts as the six other RCMs combined, despite a population two and a half times smaller.
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