INITIATIVES

24/7 CRISIS DIVERSION

The 24/7 Crisis Diversion program helps people experiencing nonemergency crisis get to a safe place, freeing up police and emergency medical services to respond to more critical events. 24/7 Crisis Diversion program contributes to the decriminalization of poverty, mental health and addiction by supporting people to connect with appropriate resources versus engagement with police, justice and corrections.

INITIATIVE IMPACT

The 211 press 3 - 24/7 Crisis Diversion line received over 29,000 calls in 2021. Approximately 11,000 resulted in a dispatch to the mobile teams. The information and referral staff at 211 play an important role in triaging calls for the program but also ensure that Edmontonians are referred to appropriate services and information.

As a part of the City’s infrastructure for Crisis Response, the program provides city wide data about non-emergency crisis events, needs of clients and gaps in the services to multiple stakeholders including Edmonton Police Commission, Social Service Agencies, and Business Improvement Areas.

In 2018, REACH worked with external evaluation to assess the Social Return of Investment of the 24/7 Crisis Diversion program.

The analysis calculated the average first three-year social return of the 24/7 Crisis Diversion Team was determined to be $1.91 for every $1 invested.

The 24/7 Crisis Diversion Teams were the primary means for transportation for COVID-19 symptomatic, asymptomatic, and close contacts for the vulnerable population of Edmonton from March 2020 until January 2022.

OUTCOMES

“Crisis Diversion reduces stigma by shifting the conversation about social issues so that the safety of marginalized people is paramount. Instead of public intoxication being a moral failure, for instance, or mental health symptoms being something frightening, they are now regarded as expressions of vulnerability. Crucially, with “Just Call 211” the community feels empowered to respond.”

- Jared Tkachuk, Manager,

24/7 Outreach & Support Services