The Government is assuring police will still respond to mental health callouts when needed.  

The Mental Health Foundation has launched a petition asking police to stop scaling back on attending mental health callouts.

A four-phase reduction plan was announced in November.

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says the programme addresses the handover - not the response. 

"People with mental health issues - they don't want to sit in emergency departments with police officers sitting there with tasers. They want a mental health response, and that's what we're working on."

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