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A new facility for islanders detained by the police due to mental health concerns has now opened at Clinique Pinel.
Opened officially earlier this week, the Article 36 suite offers a "place of safety" where patients detained under Jersey's mental health law can be held for up to 72 hours to receive crisis care and assessments.
While such individuals were previously taken to police stations or the emergency department, patients will now be taken to the suite within the newly redeveloped Clinique Pinel in St Saviour.
The £10.7m mental health ward opened its doors at the end of June after facing two years of delays, although the Article 36 suite only opened on Monday.
Mental health director Andy Weir said he was "really pleased" with the new suite.
"There's been no one in the first week of operation, which is a good thing, but we're up and running and ready to go," he added.
Mr Weir explained that the new suite aims to provide an alternative to bringing distressed people to the emergency department, which Mr Weir described as "not the right place" for those without physical health needs.
"It's just such an important step for people in that position," Mr Weir added. "It's distressing enough being detained. Anything we can do to make that better is crucial."
The long-awaited mental health facility upgrade comes as Jersey Police have adopted a new approach to mental health incidents over the past year where officers are no longer routinely being sent to mental health incidents unless there is a risk to life or a crime being committed.
Instead, when concerns are raised by the public, risk assessments determine whether there is a need to send police officers or not
This new model, mirroring efforts in England and Wales, has helped reduce police mental health callouts in Jersey by 33% from 2022 to 2023 according to Police Chief Robin Smith.
He praised the "genuine collaboration" with Mental Health Director Weir's team enabling officers to refocus on core policing duties.
The Mental Health Director added: "The partnership work with the police has been excellent, from reducing the use of Article 36 to how we manage when we do have to use it."
Article 36 of Jersey’s Mental Health Law allows a police officer to remove a person from a public place if the officer believes that the person is suffering from a mental disorder and is in immediate need of care or control.
A person who is removed to a place of safety under this Article may be detained for up to 72 hours to decide if any other arrangements are needed for the person’s care or treatment.
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