Prince George city council to discuss expanding Car 60 program

Prince George city councillor Kyle Sampson wants to expand the Car 60 program.

Car 60 is a mobile crisis response unit that responds to calls received involving emotional and mental health issues, consisting of a uniform RCMP member and clinical nurse, specializing in mental health, and working together to offer on-site emotional and mental health assessments, crisis intervention and referrals to appropriate services.

It’s a partnership program between the Northern Health Authority and the Prince George RCMP detachment.

Sampson said Wednesday (July 8) he's bringing forward a notice of motion, which includes three recommendations regarding the expansion of the program, at Monday night’s city council meeting (July 13).

The motion itself will be discussed during the July 27th regular council meeting.

“My goal is to provide the residents of our City with greater access and coverage of a service which provides help to those who are struggling with mental health, addiction, and other social or health barriers. The Car 60 program has been proven to be successful since its inception in 2015,” says Sampson, in a social media post of the upcoming motion.

“Its expansion would see that those who are in emergent need of aid from mental health or health professionals receive it, and that our RCMP are better equipped with qualified support who can help assess the needs and proper next steps of those who come in contact with RCMP day to day.”

In the notice of motion, Sampson says statistics show an increase of more than 100 per cent in calls associated with mental health over the past five years in Prince George.

He says implementation of Car 60 in 2015 has provided the RCMP with a much more versatile toolkit to address the mental health needs of citizens and community, but believes more can be done.

“Hours of operation for the Car 60 program are limited by resources, including further access to mental health professionals from Northern Health. The expansion of the program would ideally see additional staffing resources of mental health professionals partnered with PG RCMP members to provide greater coverage of service,” reads the motion.

“It would be in the best interest of all residents that Council directs Administration to further develop the partnership between the City of Prince George, the RCMP, and Northern Health to expand on the already successful Car 60 Program.”

The motion includes the following three recommendations:

1. That Council directs Administration to explore the opportunity of growth and expansion of the Prince George RCMP Car 60 Program by engaging with the program’s partners, the RCMP and the Northern Health Authority in an effort to meet Councils strategic priorities of improving the safety and security, health, and quality of life of residents in the City of Prince George.
2. That Council directs Administration to bring back a report to Council outlining the recommendations and/or budget implications associated with the expansion of the program.
3. That Council directs the Intergovernmental Resolutions Committee to bring back appropriate correspondence/resolutions to Council that requests further aid from the Provincial and Federal levels of government towards supplying additional mental health support services that are supplemental to policing and public safety in our community

“I look forward to engaging in a productive discussion with my Council colleagues on this motion at the July 27th Regular Council Meeting, where it is my intent that we will take leading action to bring greater service to the Residents of the City of Prince George,” says Sampson.

Monday's meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. from city hall's council chambers.