Crisis Team Deploys New Data Tool as Calls Spike

Edmonton's crisis response teams are getting a new tool to handle what they're seeing on the ground: a surge in call volume and an urgent need to understand where and how they're deploying resources.

The 24/7 Crisis Diversion initiative launched a pilot data dashboard in January, giving partner agencies real-time visibility into response patterns across Edmonton. According to executive director Sasha Lyuber of PALcares, one of the key partners, the dashboard presents month-by-month maps showing exactly how teams are responding to crisis in different communities.

"Increasing demand" is the reality, Lyuber noted. The data tool helps the city and its partners identify hotspots, allocate resources more effectively, and understand which neighbourhoods are facing the most acute crises.

Crisis diversion teams work to keep people in acute distress out of jails and emergency rooms by connecting them with immediate support — mental health workers, de-escalation specialists, and social services. The new dashboard gives leadership insight into whether current staffing and routing make sense.

This kind of real-time data is becoming standard in cities wrestling with rising mental health and addiction pressures. For Edmonton, it signals a shift toward evidence-based crisis response rather than reactive firefighting.