And a Similar Article From Canada . . .

See this piece from CBC News about the lack of mental health crisis services in Ottawa, Canada.  It begins:

Ottawa police and area shelters are calling for more resources to help people with mental health issues before they end up in crisis. 

In 2011 police said they responded to more than 4,000 calls that were related to a mental health issue, up 40 per cent from 2010. 

Police say because people aren't getting the services they need earlier, the police end up dealing with them as they investigate criminal activity.