HealthIM expansion builds on Prince George success

According to data released by the Province, apprehensions fell from 494 to 288 during the first 11 months after the program was introduced. Officials attribute the decline to enhanced assessments that support evidence-based decision-making and allow more people in crisis to be directed toward hospital care and community supports instead of being taken into police custody.

Superintendent Darin Rappel of the Prince George RCMP said the application acts as a valuable support tool for front-line officers faced with difficult decisions.

“When you use that and you enter the data in there, it will help you draw a better conclusion as to whether or not you should apprehend somebody under the Mental Health Act,” said Rappel.

“As it walks you through step by step, it gives you an informed decision. It’s akin to having support services, health-related, in this app.”

HealthIM was developed to improve emergency responses involving mental health and addiction crises. The platform helps officers collect information in a structured manner, creating a consistent assessment that can be shared with health-care partners.

The goal is to increase safety for first responders, medical professionals and individuals experiencing a crisis while improving communication between police and health-care systems.

The Province, in partnership with the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, officially launched HealthIM at RCMP detachments throughout northeastern British Columbia on June 17, 2026.

The rollout includes RCMP detachments in 100 Mile House, Alexis Creek, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Fort St. James, Fort St. John, Fraser Lake, Hudson’s Hope, Mackenzie, McBride, Northern Rockies, Quesnel/Wells, Tsay-Keh, Tumbler Ridge, Valemount, Vanderhoof and Williams Lake.

The program is also being used by B.C. Highway Patrol detachments in 100 Mile House, Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Northern Rockies, Prince George, Quesnel/Wells and Williams Lake.

HealthIM is expected to continue expanding in the coming months, with deployments planned throughout the North Coast region.

Future locations include RCMP detachments in Anahim Lake, Atlin, Burns Lake, Dease Lake, Houston, Kitimat, Laxgalts’ap and the Nass Valley, Masset, New Hazelton, Prince Rupert, Daajing Giids, Smithers, Stewart, Takla Landing and Terrace. B.C. Highway Patrol detachments in Smithers and Terrace will also receive access to the technology.

More recently, provincial officials announced the addition of several northern communities, including the Mackenzie detachment.

Attorney General and Solicitor General Nina Krieger said the technology helps create a stronger connection between police and health-care systems.

“The police can access this digital tool that prompts them through questions to log information about the interaction, which again is evidence-based and then can be quickly transferred to a health authority, ensuring that the person is able to get prompt and appropriate care,” said Krieger.

The ability to instantly share information with health-care professionals is one of the features advocates point to when discussing the program’s benefits.

In traditional mental-health calls, officers often rely on written notes, verbal explanations and observations gathered during stressful circumstances. HealthIM standardizes the process by organizing information into a format that can be transmitted quickly and consistently to hospitals and medical staff.

Supporters argue this reduces the likelihood of critical details being missed and gives health-care professionals a clearer picture of an individual’s condition before treatment begins.

The program may be particularly valuable in smaller and more remote communities across northern B.C., where access to mental-health resources can be limited.

Rappel said detachments outside major urban centres often do not have the same level of support available to officers working in larger cities.

“Particularly in the remote areas, you don’t have the same support services you might have here in Prince George,” he said.

“There’s a lot of supervision. We have staff sergeants working in the evening and other support supervisors available for more complicated questions. That’s not as available perhaps in some of the remote areas.”

The structured guidance provided by HealthIM can help bridge that gap by offering officers a consistent framework to follow during complex interactions.

Prince George’s experience with the platform is being viewed as an early example of what the technology may accomplish elsewhere in the province.

Police regularly respond to calls involving individuals experiencing mental-health crises, emotional distress and substance-use challenges. Determining whether a person should be apprehended under the Mental Health Act can be one of the most difficult decisions officers face.

HealthIM was designed to support that decision-making process while reducing unnecessary apprehensions and improving access to appropriate care.

The technology complements existing mental-health initiatives already operating within Prince George.

One of those programs is Car 60, a partnership between the RCMP and Northern Health that has been serving the community since 2015.

The program pairs a mental-health clinician with an RCMP officer, allowing both professions to respond together to certain crisis calls.

Car 60 has often been highlighted as a model for collaborative crisis response. However, Rappel said the program’s reach is naturally limited because it cannot attend every call.

“I think 83 per cent of calls for service that are mental-health related, the member is going to deal with it, not the car program,” he said.

“And the car program does not run 24/7. But it does run seven days a week from around noon until about 9 o’clock at night. That doesn’t capture certainly all of our calls for service.”

Because front-line officers are often the first or only resource available, provincial officials say digital tools such as HealthIM can provide important assistance during encounters that occur outside specialized program hours.

While Car 60 delivers direct clinical support when available, HealthIM gives every officer access to structured guidance regardless of when or where a call occurs.

The combination of both approaches could create a more comprehensive response system, particularly in communities with limited health resources.

The Province believes the expansion of HealthIM will improve outcomes for people experiencing mental-health and addiction-related crises while also supporting police officers tasked with managing those situations.

For northern communities, where geography and resource constraints can create additional challenges, the technology may help ensure more consistent decision-making and stronger coordination between police and health authorities.

As HealthIM spreads across northeastern and north-coast British Columbia, Prince George remains an important case study for what officials describe as a more informed and compassionate approach to crisis response.

The 42 per cent reduction in apprehensions, coupled with a greater emphasis on hospital admissions and support services, suggests the technology is changing how mental-health calls are handled on the front lines.

With more detachments now gaining access to the platform, provincial leaders hope the results seen in Prince George can be replicated across northern B.C., providing officers with better tools and helping people in crisis receive the care they need more quickly.

by Cheryl Jahn

HealthIM expansion builds on Prince George success

What's Trending