Port-all project helps people at risk

A project launched in February of this year between Niagara Regional Police and 11 other agencies focuses on crime prevention, social wellness and community safety and works to assist people experiencing an acutely elevated risk of harm in Port Colborne.

Port-all, as it’s called, provides a multi-agency response for rapid intervention strategies to help those people, said police in a release.

“Although only operating for slightly longer than six weeks, nine situations have been presented which resulted in the implementation of services to reduce an acutely elevated risk of harm.”

In addition to police, agencies involved in Port-all include Port Cares, Bridges Community Health Centre, Community Living of Port Colborne/Wainfleet, Gateway Residential and Community Support Services of Niagara, Canadian Mental Health Association, Pathstone Mental Health, City of Port Colborne By-law Department, Regional Municipality of Niagara Community Mental Health, Community Addiction Services of Niagara, Contact Niagara, and Family and Children’s Services Niagara.

Police said the project represents a growing trend in the province known as a Situation Table.

Communities throughout Ontario began to recognize the benefits associated with the unique collaborative response, the release said. There are now more than 50 Situation Tables in the province.

Port-all is the first such program in Niagara.

“During Port-all meetings, representatives from the participating agencies are invited to bring forward persons who may be experiencing an acutely elevated risk of harm for discussion amongst the group.

“Once a determination has been made that this risk of harm is present, the agencies of Portall in the best position to offer assistance, co-ordinate a response to reduce the risk. In most cases, the intervention strategy involves a collaborative response which has been co-ordinated amongst several Port-all agencies,” the release.