When Natalie's son needed mental health support, he needed it quickly.
It was not something she had dealt with before, and she was not equipped with the professional skills and understanding to handle it herself.
For many people, that would mean a trip to the emergency department at the nearest hospital, but a mental health response service being piloted in Hobart meant that did not have to happen.
Called PACER, or Police, Ambulance and Clinician Early Response, the service sees mental health clinicians attend mental health-related triple-000 call-outs alongside police and paramedics.
The tri-agency service is a first for Tasmania and was modelled off the program already operating in the Australian Capital Territory.
A major focus of the service is avoiding unnecessary trips to the emergency department, with appropriate responders able to assess the situation and provide timely support.
For Natalie and her son, it was a game-changer.
"It was a difficult circumstance, but the response of the PACER crew I could not fault," she said.
"I could not fault their caring, kind, really professional manner in which they approached the situation.
"They … addressed the needs of our family, and also it led to us seeking more appropriate care rather than going to ED, which was not appropriate at that time."
Natalie's son has also been guided to an appropriate service provider for follow-up support as a result, an outcome she did not think would have happened if he had just been taken to the ED.
New scheme sees fewer presentations at RHH ED
PACER launched as a two-year pilot in January this year and has already assisted 1,000 Tasmanians experiencing an acute mental health issue.
In that time, the Tasmanian government says almost 80 per cent of the people who have been seen by the team have been able to remain in the community, equating to approximately 45 fewer mental health-related presentations at the Royal Hobart Hospital's emergency department every month.
Those who do require the emergency department are also likely to experience a more streamlined admissions process, due to having been assessed by a specialist team for their mental and physical health.
Constable Sean Bennett is a part of the PACER team and was one of the responders called to Natalie's home when her son needed help.
He said being a part of the service had transformed his understanding of how to approach these high-stress situations, and what services were actually available.
He said previously, a common response to a mental health call-out would see the individual unfortunately taken to the emergency department via a police van.
"They don't like us, and when they get to the hospital, they're combative and difficult for hospital staff to deal with," Constable Bennett said.
"Now we have the ability to sit back and reassess, and have the skill-sets around us to make an informed decision to say 'this is not where the person needs to be'.
"We leave with them shaking your hands and not hating you as a police officer. For me personally, that's quite rewarding."
What comes next?
With positive results from the program coming through early, the state government has committed to rolling out a trial of the PACER program in the north-west of the state from early 2023, and has given it permanent funding in the south.
PACER team mental health lead Kristy Arrold, who is working towards developing the model for the north-west, said the expansion was very welcome.
However, she said it would not come without its challenges.
"The north-west is slightly different geographically," she said.
"It's a bit more spread out than the south. Here we have a CBD and the population is a little more centred around that."
For the north-west of the state, residents are stretched across nine council areas, and travelling between the two major population hubs of Devonport and Burnie alone can take 45 minutes.
"The model in the south was designed also to keep … the team safe," Ms Arrold said.
"In a CBD area, there is always opportunity for police and paramedic back up.
"That's something that we need to consider, a model that will suit that region and benefit that community whether you're in a central spot or whether you may be more remote."
She said another focus for the team was expanding the education of police and ambulance recruits.
Natalie hopes her family's experience with the program can bring confidence to other people who need mental health support but do not know where to turn in an acute situation.
"It just far exceeded any experience I could imagine, actually," she said.
"It was very confusing for us, but we were very reassured by the responders.
"If in doubt, just call [triple-0] and talk through the situation."
