“The creation of the collaborative Situation Table gives each agency the ability to do what they do best. The police may present situations at the table, but community agencies supply the wraparound services to mitigate the risks.”
Collaborate Nottawasaga is a Situation Table, a special meeting where participants work together to reduce the chances that anybody in the community will experience harms from a combination of risk factors that heighten the chances of imminent victimization. The participants are from local social service agencies and non–profit organizations. They follow a disciplined meeting process. The meeting occurs weekly to address community members that have been identified to be at an acutely elevated risk. The group is guided by shared principles and processes to reduce risk to individuals and families in a timely manner (usually within 24 to 48 hours). The table allows for immediate multi-agency intervention in cases of acutely elevated risk and facilitates the conversation to achieve positive results.
Collaborate Nottawasaga has worked hard, and lowered risk to Acutely Elevated Risk Situations brought to the table. From April 1st, 2018 to March 31, 2019 there have been 28 acutely elevated cases brought forward to the table, all of which have been successfully lowered, and the individuals have been connected with the services they need.
Sometimes risk factors lead to crime; other times, only to social disorder. But in either case, people are victimized; and fundamentally, the Situation Table is designed to prevent imminent victimization, no matter what the cause.
It is a joint project amongst community partners; to address those in the community facing the highest need, with Nottawasaga OPP as one of the champions to move it forward.
It is about using our existing and combined resources and our investments in a new way to:
- Break down silos
- Increase efficiencies, and
- Mobilize responses within 24 to 48 hours