Project 467159

In 2020 alone, the deaths of Ejaz Choudry, Rodney Levi, Chantel Moore, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, Caleb Tubila Njoko, and DAndre Campbell emphasize the need to protect racialized people in mental health (MH) crises from police brutality. Policing has derailed people from receiving MH services and deterred them from help-seeking. Recent evaluations of crisis interventions have been primarily informed by police officers and lack the perspectives of service users and mental health professionals (MHPs).The aim of this study is to explore the consequences of policing in MH-related emergencies for racialized children, youth, and families. Several situations make children and youth vulnerable to law enforcement: onset of MH symptoms, substance use, and adverse childhood experiences. To support individuals in these situations, two questions are raised:1) How does policing impact help-seeking among racialized children, youth, and families for MH-related emergencies?2) What are the complexities of MHP mandated responsibilities when police are involved, and how are they navigating such ethical dilemmas?Social constructionism theory will guide this qualitative research design. Interviews with MHPs and focus groups with service users will be interpreted using reflexive thematic analysis. The data will also be triangulated with policies and regulations about child protection and crisis intervention services. Findings from this study can inform a) policies, training, and resource allocation for crisis interventions, such as wellness checks; b) legislations for MHPs around documentation and mandated reporting, which has significant weight on child custody/welfare outcomes; and c) community-based initiatives and activism addressing systemic oppression against racialized groups.