Update:
Today Premier Doug Ford announced that the province is investing $37 million to expand mental health services across the justice system, including hiring additional staff, expanding mobile crisis teams, and supporting programs in First Nations communities.
As part of Roadmap to Wellness, the province will deploy an additional 33 mobile crisis teams across Ontario, including Indigenous communities and in the north.
"This is a major step forward for many communities. It means that a patient may not have to tell their story two or three times, or wait in a hospital emergency room to get the one-on-one care they need," Ford said during today's announcement.
"It means that a police officer may not need to wait five or six hours with them in an emergency room. It means a mental health specialist – rather than a doctor or a nurse or a first responder – stands ready to help that person."
Original information:
Premier Doug Ford will be joined by Christine Elliott, deputy premier and minister of health; Michael Tibollo, associate minister of mental health and addictions - Ministry of Health; and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones for today's announcement.
The announcement is expected to begin at 1 p.m. from Queen's Park.
Village Media will carry the livestream once it begins, so please stay tuned.