Minister Josie Osborne in Kamloops (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS

Community-led crisis teams help reduce pressure on police and hospital services: health minister

Jul 22, 2025 | 4:27 PM

KAMLOOPS — B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne was in Kamloops Monday (July 21) to announce the formal launch of the CRCL Kamloops. Formerly called ‘peer assisted care teams,’ CRCL is a mobile, community-led crisis service for people over the age of 13 who are experiencing mental health or substance use crises.

CRCL teams help de-escalate crisis situations and ensure and plan for the immediate safety of the people involved. It also connects them to services to support their longer-term needs.

“Together, these teams offer trauma-informed, culturally safe support, meeting people where they are at and helping to de-escalate crisis situations with empathy and with care,” said Osborne.

CRCL soft launched back in February and has already helped approximately 50 people in Kamloops alone. Across the province, 99 per cent of calls have been resolved without the need for police.

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“Since CRCL teams first launched in January 2023 around the province, they have responded to more than 10,000 calls, and that is 10,000 instances where almost all people were supported outside of an emergency room or police interaction,” stated Osborne.

The team, which consists of mental health professionals and people with lived experience, is available from 12:00 noon until 8:00 p.m. on weekdays.

“We are trained mental health professionals but we lead with our lived experience,” said Amanda McGillvray. “We prioritize consent, compassion and curiosity. Everyone’s experience is unique and we meet them on their terms. This creates a space for real trust to form — not because we have all the right answers but because we are willing to walk alongside of them through their journey.”

The Kamloops CRCL program is a partnership between the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society.

“CRCL is not just about responding to someone in crisis. It’s about responding together. It’s about community shaping the way we care for each other during the hardest moments in our lives,” said Cal Albright of the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society. “When we say community-led, we mean some time powerful. For Indigenous people, community is not a concept — it’s a way of being.”

Along with Kamloops, there are five other CRCL teams in British Columbia, including Victoria, Prince George and the Lower Mainland.

“CRCL is a key part of our Safer Communities Action Plan,” added Osborne. “And it is a step forward as we build a comprehensive, person-centered system of mental health and substance use supports and care across the province.”