August 15, 2025
Today, the BC Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP) is proud to launch the implementation of HealthIM in Nelson, BC along with the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the Honourable Nina Krieger.
Recognizing the complexity of these calls, police in British Columbia have long faced the challenge of upholding public safety while compassionately responding to people in acute distress. The BC Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP) is proud to lead the implementation of HealthIM a province-wide initiative that equips police officers with an innovative, evidence-based digital tool to better support individuals experiencing mental health and substance-use crises.
With HealthIM, officers are better equipped to de-escalate situations, ensure safer outcomes, and contribute meaningfully to a broader continuum of mental health care.
As part of British Columbia’s Safer Communities Action Plan, the provincial government and BCACP have committed to deploying HealthIM to every police agency. This forward-thinking approach makes BC the only province in Canada to implement a standardized mental health risk-screening tool at this scale, a move that BCACP views as a transformational step in public safety and health care collaboration.
“HealthIM represents our commitment to a more compassionate response – one that prioritizes dignity, and trauma-informed care by redirecting individuals in crisis toward health services. It fosters deeper trust between police and the public, particularly those impacted by mental illness, and reinforces our role within a larger, integrated care system,” said Chief Superintendent Wendy Mehat, President of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police.
The BCACP continues to advance the implementation of HealthIM across British Columbia, with the goal of equipping all frontline officers’ province-wide with access and training to the platform by 2026.
“The HealthIM tool has the potential to be very impactful for smaller and mid-sized departments,” said Chief Donovan Fisher, Nelson Police Department. “It provides a better quality of service while also freeing up our limited number of officers from mental health and distress calls much earlier, allowing them to respond to other calls for service. This is good for both our clients and the community.”
“Kootenay Lake Hospital is the first Interior Health site to launch HealthIM, representing a positive step forward in patient-centred care,” said Sylvia Weir, Interior Health Authority interim president and CEO. This initiative strengthens our partnership with the Nelson Police Department, improves communication during mental health crises, enhances emergency department readiness, and supports hospital staff in delivering safe, appropriate care to individuals in crisis.”
Learn more:
To learn more about the Safer Communities Action Plan, please visit:
https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/safer-communities/
To learn more about HealthIM, visit: https://www.healthim.com/