Redfern Legal Centre welcomes the announcement by NSW Minister for Police, Yasmin Catley, and Minister for Mental Health, Rose Jackson, regarding a new health-led response model for individuals facing mental health emergencies.
Grace Cameron-Lee, a senior solicitor in the police accountability practice at Redfern Legal Centre, says:
"This is a welcome step toward ensuring that individuals experiencing a mental health crisis receive the health-led response they need.
This change is urgently needed to prevent further deaths and serious harm.
Redfern Legal Centre, alongside advocates, community organisations, and the families of those injured or killed by NSW Police while experiencing a mental health crisis, have long called for a change to first responders to mental health crises.
We were pleased to consult and provide input on the new model.
Redfern Legal Centre welcomes the move away from police as the default first responders, and the significant resources that the NSW Government is committing to the new model.
The inclusion of a Virtual Mental Health Hub to assist First Responders to make safer and more informed decisions is also welcome.
However, given the statement that NSW Police will still respond to mental health emergencies when appropriate, Redfern Legal Centre considers training and clear operational changes for NSW Police remains critical.
Risk assessments or decisions about whether it is appropriate for police to respond should be undertaken by appropriately qualified health professionals wherever practicable.
NSW Police should not respond to mental health related incidents, unless there is a genuine risk to the safety of the health responder or the public and in these cases, police responses should still be led by health professionals wherever possible.
To ensure the safety of everyone in the community, immediate updates to NSW Police training protocols and standard operating procedures, especially regarding the use of force, must be made a priority.
De-escalation techniques should be at the forefront of every interaction between NSW Police and individuals in mental health crises.
Improvements to NSW Police training and procedures are critical to ensure everyone in the NSW community, including those experiencing mental health crises, remains safe."
