On March 6th 2021, The Rights Project hosted a conversation with Semir Bulle, a third-year medical student at the University of Toronto and the co-founder of Doctors for Defunding the Police to discuss moving away from the police and investing in the communities for mental health crisis responses. This conversation highlighted the importance of continued efforts to defund, dismantle, and abolish the police. 

This event was hosted during Black Mental Health week (March 1st-5th), during this week we wanted to center the importance of Black mental health and the need to invest in Black communities. Black mental health week is dedicated to encouraging a social commitment to addressing systemic harms of anti-Black racism on the mental health of Black folx. Social determinants to mental health and racism have resulted in the continued neglect of Black communities in Canadian institutions and society. 

The intersection of Blackness and mental illness has created a sense of acceptance when it comes to Black suffering. Statistics Canada reported that an estimated 80% of police responses were related to mental health issues, drug overdoses, suicides, or domestic disputes/domestic violence. All of which, the police have proven time and time again to be unequipped to respond to; this is why we must continue to advocate for the abolition of the police and the need to greater fund and support communities and community-based alternatives. 

Through this conversation with the community, we aimed to foster dialogues pertaining to the need to fund culturally relevant mental health initiatives and advocate for safer, police-free, communities. This conversation focused on highlighting that a service that provides specialized rapid response does not need to be connected to an institution of policing that has continuously failed racialized communities.  

In this article, we go to Semir Bulle to find answers to questions that are commonly asked about mental health crisis response, abolishing the police and community care. 

A CBC study uncovered that over 70% of people killed by police in the last 20 years had mental health or substance use issues at the time of their death. The Toronto police funding continues to increase yearly, and many emergency calls that the Toronto police receive are related to mental health emergencies. Police officers are not adequately trained and have a track record of causing harm and using violence rather than non-violent de-escalation measures. How can we advocate for the redirecting of funds towards culturally responsive mental health emergency response teams consisting of trained professionals? 

The most important step is education, those that are unaffected by police officers do not directly experience their harmful and inadequate responses to the calls they receive. There needs to be better education on what it is exactly that police do because many people who do not live in these heavily policed neighborhoods have a completely different understanding of how police officers operate. Black people in Toronto are 20 times more likely to be shot [by the police] than white people. Black people are disproportionately arrested, charged, and subjected to use of force by Toronto police, although they only represent only 8.8% of Toronto’s population. These statistics are not only unacceptable, they highlight that we need to spread more awareness about what the police are doing because they are not doing what people think they are. 

Considering there is no correlation between crime rates and police budgets, the unnecessarily large police budgets provide no added benefits to the communities they are here to “serve and protect”, rather they cause harm and often use violence. The annual increase in the police budget is providing fewer opportunities for community services and more funding to the damaging institutions that have a direct negative impact on Black folx mental health. 

Police need to be public servants that we hold accountable, in any other institution, you need to prove every cent of your budget and justify all your actions. Why don't these standards apply to police officers?  The police do not need to have reports and are protected from any harmful actions they cause to the people they are supposed to be “protecting and serving”. 

Do you think that it could be beneficial to have community members (who may not be social workers, psychologists/psychiatrists, or counsellors) receive de-escalation training in order to foster a community care approach to emergencies, where perhaps a neighbour or family member would be able to support someone in moments of crisis? Similar to the way that all people can obtain CPR certification. 

We must focus on building trust with communities; trust comes from those who have the same lived realities and are of similar identities to those receiving the care. It is important for communities to be supporting their community members. Institutions and institutional agents such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers have similar problems to the police in that they are still colonial. It is difficult for trust to be formed with Black communities when these very institutions were built on and continue to perpetuate racism and colonialism. 

There is a very western individualistic mindset that prevents us from understanding this duty to community care, we must care for one another since policing is not an institution that can be trusted. By supporting and empowering community members, they will be able to have a greater and longer-lasting effect on those that they are aiming to help. 

We hope you learned from our conversation with Bulle just as much as we did. The Rights Project encourages you all to continue challenging harmful institutions and advocate for what you believe in. We are all deserving of a more equitable future.  

Mental Health Resources

What’s Up Walk-In® Clinic | https://www.whatsupwalkin.ca/

What’s Up Walk-In® Clinic offers a free mental health counselling walk-in service for children, youth, young adults, and families. Usually no appointment is necessary. During the coronavirus pandemic virtual counselling sessions are available immediately (phone or video) while in-person appointments must be booked in advance starting mid-October. The clinic helps with issues such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal ideation, sexual identity matters, bullying, behavioural concerns, addictions, and anything else that might be on one’s mind. All the information you provide is confidential.

Therapists offer single sessions up to an hour long. They will support you in your concerns, and work collaboratively with you. The focus is on abilities, resources, and skills that you have, or you want to develop. Together they will target a priority concern and develop a plan with you that you feel comfortable with. If you feel you need more help, you can come back to the What’s Up Walk-In. All of the therapists are clinically trained. The clinic is barrier free, and accessible. No health card or appointment is necessary and it’s completely free!

Offered at many locations across Toronto.

Lumenus Community Services| https://www.lumenus.ca/

Yorktown Family Services | http://www.yorktownfamilyservices.com/

YouthLink | http://www.youthlink.ca/

Caribbean African Canadian Social Services: CAFCAN | https://cafcan.org/

Strides Toronto | https://stridestoronto.ca/

From: Monday-Friday 9am-7pm

Number: Call Mental Health T.O at 1866-585-MHTO(6486) to be connected to a counsellor. 

Warm Line | https://www.warmline.ca/

Confidential and anonymous service for adults (18+) who are feeling lonely, isolated, anxious, depressed or in need of a friendly ear. This is not a crisis service.

Between 12pm - 8pm, Call 416-323-3721 

Between 8pm - Midnight, Call 416-960-WARM (9276)

Text 647-557-5882 from noon-midnight 7 days a week