Integrated Officer Pilot Program launching at UHN’s Toronto Western and partner hospitals

​​​(Toronto, Sept. 18, 2024) — The Toronto Police Service (TPS) is launching a one-year pilot project in collaboration with University Health Network, Unity Health Toronto and Humber River Health, to expedite the transfer of care of patients and reduce wait times for frontline police officers, getting them back to their core policing duties.

Currently, sworn police officers who apprehend someone under the Mental Health Act must remain at the hospital with the apprehended person, often for several hours.

Beginning Sept. 16, two TPS District Special Constables will be embedded in the Emergency Departments of each partner hospital as Integrated Hospital Officers (IHOs). The pilot will operate 18 hours a day, seven days a week.

Participating hospitals include Humber River Health in 31 Division, UHN's Toronto Western Hospital in 14 Division, and Unity Health Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital in 51 Division. Each hospital has allocated a designated space near the triage area to facilitate the work of the IHOs.

District Special Constable IHOs will assume the safe transfer of apprehended persons from police officers upon their arrival at the participating hospitals. This program will operate in the respective Emergency Departments and will be specific to mental health apprehensions.

"I'm pleased to collaborate with our hospital partners on this pilot project. We know the community wants police officers where they are needed most and this pilot supports our commitment to improving call response times to better serve our communities," said Chief of Police Myron Demkiw. "This pilot aims to return our frontline members to their core policing responsibilities faster, and reduce the time it takes to transition those experiencing mental health issues to the hospital's care."

"We look forward to working with our partners at the Toronto Police Service on this important initiative," said Marnie Escaf, Clinical Vice President, UHN. "This project will allow for a better transition to hospital care in our Emergency Department, while also helping destigmatize the experience of patients living with mental illness."

"As an organization dedicated to continuous improvement, we are deeply committed to strengthening our collaboration with TPS to address both the stigmatization and criminalization of mental health," explains Dr. Peter Voros, Vice President of Clinical Programs at Humber River Health. "Taking part in this initiative allows us to further our commitment to using innovative practices to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone who walks through our doors."

"People experiencing mental health crises deserve compassion and care. We look forward to working with TPS on this initiative, and others, to reduce stress for members of our community who are in need of urgent mental health care," said Irfan Dhalla, VP of Clinical Programs, Quality, Equity and Medical Affairs at Unity Health Toronto.

About University Health Network (UHN)

UHN is Canada's No. 1 hospital and the world's No. 1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 20,000 members of TeamUHN, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre.

As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. It has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. University Health Network is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. www.uhn.ca

About Humber River Health (Humber)

Humber River Health is one of Canada's largest community acute care hospitals, serving a population of more than 850,000 people in the northwest Greater Toronto Area. The multi-site hospital currently operates out of its Wilson Avenue acute care site, Finch, and Church Campus' with over 4,000 employees, approximately 700 physicians, and over 500 volunteers.

Humber River Health uses a custom combination of technology and clinical expertise to rebuild elements of care, making technology work for staff and physicians, giving them more time to spend with patients. With the support of its incredible teams, a strong will, and determination, Humber River Health is committed to Lighting New Ways in Healthcare. For more information, please visit www.hrh.ca.

About Unity Health Toronto

Unity Health Toronto is one of the largest academic health sciences networks in Ontario with a wingspan across Toronto's core. The breadth of services we provide, strengthened by community partnerships and our global profile in health research, education and innovation, positions us as a model for collaborative, integrated, high quality care as we work to build a stronger, resilient and equitable health system for all. Our mission and values, instilled over 130 years ago by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, drive our commitment to equity and social justice, as we seek to understand the challenges of disadvantaged populations and find new ways to eliminate the barriers they face.

This mission is part of our legacy and ingrained in our culture. We know if we can get it right for those who need our help the most, we can have life changing impacts for all in society. Our motto – Caring hearts. Leading minds – captures our dual commitment to compassionate patient care and excellence in teaching, research and innovation. As a leading Canadian health research institution and learning destination of choice for top health professionals, we are advancing healthcare for all united by one vision: The best care experiences, created together.