The Province continues to make amendments to the Mental Health Act in light of frustrations from overworked police officers.

More hospitals now allow a trained staff member to receive custody of individuals awaiting involuntary medical examination or psychiatric assessment.

"This work does not always need to be done by police officers," Health Minister and Morden-Winkler MLA Cameron Friesen. "This amendment allows officers to transfer custody to trained individuals who can provide that kind of care, so the police can return to their duties in the community."

Friesen notes the deployment will be done in stages, beginning with Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, Selkirk Hospital and Brandon Regional Health Centre.

While the announcement did not include rural hospitals like Boundary Trails Health Centre, Friesen says the Manitoba Government is undertaking province-wide planning.

"That overall work will also determine in the future where we may want to expand the use of qualified persons," he says, adding they'll be keeping a close eye on the evidence and trends.

Friesen says there will still be immediate benefits to police services in the Pembina Valley, "in those cases when our police or RCMP are escorting a patient under the Mental Health Act to Winnipeg or Brandon, now those police personnel can return and leave that person safely in the care of the hospital."

Last month, Southern Health and Eden Health Care Services teamed up to hire two on-site security guards to allow Eden to admit clients at risk of, or already exhibiting, violent behaviour. The Eden security personnel will also have the ability to respond to needs at neighbouring BTHC.

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