Police Media & Alerts
Emergency Treatment Fund – Town of New Glasgow/New Glasgow Police – Community Crisis Outreach Worker
- Details
- Published: Thursday, 14 May 2026 19:10
Town of New Glasgow Secures Federal Funding to Launch Community Crisis Outreach Worker Program
May 14, 2026
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
News Release
May 14, 2026 — New Glasgow, NS — May 14, 2026 — The Town of New Glasgow is pleased to announce that it has successfully secured funding through Health Canada’s Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) to develop and implement a Community Crisis Outreach Worker (CCOW) program through the New Glasgow Police.
The Emergency Treatment Fund is a federal initiative designed to support municipalities and communities in responding to urgent and emerging needs related to the ongoing substance use, overdose, and mental health crisis across Canada. The program supports innovative, community-based approaches that increase access to care, improve service coordination, and strengthen local capacity to respond to individuals in crisis.
Through this funding, the Town will embed an accredited civilian social worker within the New Glasgow Police service as part of an enhanced Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model. The CCOW will provide mobile, trauma-informed, and harm-reduction-based support to individuals and families experiencing mental health challenges, substance use concerns, drug toxicity risk, and other complex social issues.
Central Nova MP, Sean Fraser stated that “communities across Pictou County are facing real challenges related to mental health, addiction, homelessness, and public safety. This investment will help strengthen the frontline response by ensuring people experiencing crisis are connected to the care and support they need, when they need it most. By embedding a clinical social worker directly alongside police officers, this project will help reduce repeat emergency calls, improve community safety, and support better long-term outcomes for vulnerable individuals and families. Our government is proud to support innovative local partnerships that bring health, housing, and public safety agencies together to build safer and healthier communities.”
“This is an important step forward for our community,” said Chief of Police Ryan Leil. “We know that individuals facing mental health and addictions challenges often come into contact with police more frequently, not because they are criminals, but because they are in need of support. This program allows us to respond differently, with enhanced care, coordination, and a stronger connection to the services people need.”
The Community Crisis Outreach Worker will:
• Provide support in the community in coordination with police once situations are safe and appropriate for engagement
• Be available to frontline officers for consultation, guidance, risk assessment support, and education
• Conduct mental health, substance use, and risk-informed assessments
• Provide crisis stabilization and collaborative safety planning
• Deliver structured follow-up and short-term case coordination
• Connect individuals to treatment, recovery services, housing supports, and community resources
This initiative builds on New Glasgow’s existing Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model, a formalized and ongoing co-response partnership between police and Nova Scotia Health, Mental Health and Addictions, in place since 2021.
The addition of a dedicated clinician embedded within the police service will strengthen the existing model by improving continuity of care, enhancing follow-up, and supporting more effective navigation of health and social services.
“This investment reflects our commitment to a safer, healthier, and more compassionate community,” said Mayor Nancy Dicks. “By strengthening collaboration between police, health professionals, and community partners, we are ensuring that individuals facing complex challenges are met with the right supports at the right time. This program builds on the strong foundation we already have in place and represents a meaningful step forward in how we respond to community needs.”
Programs like this have been successfully implemented in communities across Canada and have demonstrated measurable benefits, including reduced repeat crisis calls, improved access to care, decreased reliance on emergency departments, and better outcomes for individuals experiencing crisis.
The Community Crisis Outreach Worker program will launch later this month and will operate as a pilot initiative, allowing the Town and its partners to evaluate effectiveness, refine the model, and determine the best approach for long-term sustainability.
For more information, please contact:
Ryan F. Leil
Chief of Police
New Glasgow Police
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Media Contact:
Cst. Ken MacDonald – Public Information Officer
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