Occupational Training Course Developed For Healthcare Providers Who Care For Veterans First Responders And Their Families
Wounded Warriors Canada, in partnership with the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families , is proud to announce the release of Introduction to Trauma-Exposed Professionals, a new training course for healthcare providers who support current or former members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, public safety personnel, and their Families. The course was developed by Wounded Warriors Canadas co-National Clinical Advisor, Dr. Tim Black, R. Psych. Dr. Black is an associate professor of counselling psychology at the University of Victoria and specializes in post-traumatic stress disorder, military to civilian transition, and group counselling.
This course has been designed for healthcare providers in response to the unique work environments that are considered routine for those who serve Canada at home and abroad. The course will increase learner competencies in the divide that exists between trauma-exposed professionals and the public, who may not understand the potential impacts of their service on their mental health and well-being and will provide culturally specific clinical approaches to support the mental health needs of those who serve Canada at home and abroad.
Treating Ptsd For First Responders
IOH is highlighting individuals making an impact and exemplifying excellence in the field of Workers Compensation. This month we sit down with PTSD / First Responder experts Dr. Alan Acre, Psy.D. | Clinical Director, Advanced PTSD Clinic and Donald Olsen | Clinical Coordinator, First Responder Unit. First responders throughout the nation experience repeated exposure to traumatic events and have been known to suffer from related insomnia, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. They spend their careers helping others, but often are reluctant to ask for help. If left untreated suicidal ideation and behavior can become a critical issue. Even when suicide does not occur, untreated PTSD can lead to poor physical health including hypertension, impaired decision-making, problems in the workplace and needless disability. This interview will discuss the targeted support and treatment offerings available for first responders suffering from PTSD and the goal of increasing career longevity and overall improvement in their quality of life.
Protective And Resiliency Factors Against Trauma
- Sense of community: feelings of belonging and emotional attachment
- Collective efficacy: perception of the groups ability to accomplish its major tasks
- Self-efficacy: ability to exercise some measure of control over environment
- Positive coping strategies: ability to manage stress constructively, such as using approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Compassion satisfaction: positive feelings from helping others incorporation of positive aspects of trauma situations to achieve good outcomes- post traumatic growth .
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Finding Help For First Responders
PTSD treatment for first responders is now more available than ever, thanks in part to a growing understanding of the condition and its importance. The International Association of Firefighters Center of Excellence is a great place to begin a search for help with various behavioral health conditions.
New Law Requires Ptsd Training For Corrections Officers First Responders
Corrections officers, firefighters, police officers, and other first responders who arent receiving mental health training on post-traumatic stress disorder will have to under a bill signed by Gov. Chris Sununu.
Senate Bill 357 also creates a study commission looking at the costs of the training as well as life insurance payouts, retirement benefits, and workers compensation for first-responders who die by suicide. The legislation had the support of the fire, police, prison, and emergency medical services leaders in the state.
In testimony before the Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee in January, John McAllister of Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire said the Journal of Occupational Health estimates that 20 percent of firefighters and paramedics have post-traumatic stress disorder.
Emergency responders often receive some mental health training, but it may not focus on post-traumatic stress or be required.
New firefighters, for example, are required to take stress-management training to help identify the stressors of emergency response work and know how to respond when they recognize symptoms in themselves or others. Its available to on-call and volunteer firefighters as well as emergency services personnel, but they are not required to take it.
This report originally appeared in N.H. Bulletin.
This report originally appeared in N.H. Bulletin.
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Limited Counseling Resources For First Responders
Many first responders do not have access to adequate mental health services. These limited services include general mental health counseling and PTSD-specific treatment programs.
According to a survey from the Journal of Emergency Medical Services, first responders in emergency medical services have a suicide rate of 6.6% and a suicide contemplation rate of 37%. These numbers are approximately ten times greater than numbers for the general population. Additionally, the survey finds that mental health programs do benefit first responders. The survey indicates that over half of EMS workers consider critical incident stress management programs to be either very helpful or extremely helpful for managing stress.
However, survey respondents also said that therapists from CISM programs do not have training in providing PTSD treatment to first responders. The survey also suggests that nearly half of all EMS workers believe these programs require significant improvement. While the survey is for EMS first responders, other first responders, including firefighters and police officers, also deal with limited access to mental health programs.
Current First Responder Resiliency Training
One approach that has been discussed in the literature and that has been undertaken within police agencies to tackle mental health issues is the development of resiliency programs. With respect to developing resiliency programs in police departments, first responder agencies must understand personal resiliency . Hesketh concludes that it is necessary to improve data collection to make resilience practices more effective. Yet it is also clear that organizations can contribute to the promotion of personal resiliency through training and through creating an environment in which leaders encourage their personnel to make resiliency practices part of their daily routines .
Although limited in scope and depth, research on building resilience and positive mental health with first responders has shown some promising results. According to McCraty and Atkinson ,
The data suggest that training in resilience building and self-regulation skills could significantly benefit police organizations by improving judgment and decision making and decreasing the frequency of on-the-job driving accidents and the use of excessive force in high-stress situations. Potential outcomes include fewer citizens complaints, fewer lawsuits, decreased organizational liabilities, and increased community safety.
Beyond the benefits of an agency conducting this training, it clearly benefits the individuals well-being.
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Special Population Considerations: Female First Responders
Special considerations for female first responders are of great importance because of both the scarcity of research and the heterogeneity of this population. In the existing literature on female first responders, LEOs are better represented than either EMT/paramedics or those who work as volunteer or paid FFs . In some ways the samples of female LEOs break all the rules of the conventional wisdom on PTSD. Women generally are considered at higher risk than men of experiencing traumatic stress exposure within relationships, particularly sexual violence,41,147 and studies have found that females are at higher risk of developing PTSD.41 Nevertheless, some studies have found that female LEOs have lower rates of PTSD than civilian samples.39,57,148
The interpretation of traumatic events is highly important to the development of PTSD, and ones identity obviously and notably affects this attribution and interpretation. Studies have found differences in the types of incidents that precipitate PTSD symptoms in female versus male police officers.149 Others have identified differences in how personality characteristics, as well as coping or attribution styles, may differ between male and female LEOs.150 Emotional distress has been seen as a key factor in developing PTSD, but questions remain regarding the impact of first-responder culture and experiences in mediating increased emotional reactivity and cumulative PTSD symptoms among female first responders.29,39,151
Additional Resources For First Responders And Their Families
First responder PTSD support resources and information are available via the following organizations:
- The Code Green Campaign is a mental health advocacy and education organization that serves all types of first responders.
- Fire/EMS Helpline is a hotline provided by the National Volunteer Fire Council that can be called anytime at 1.888.731.FIRE to assist first responders or their families with behavioral health issues.
- Safe Call Now is a confidential crisis referral service for all public safety employees, all emergency services personnel and their family members nationwide and can be reached at 206.459.3020.
- Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance is an organization dedicated to providing workshops and training for organizations all over the world to improve behavioral health awareness for first responders and their families.
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What Is Ptsd And What Are The Common Causes
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder present in people who have witnessed traumatic events. Anything from assault to natural disasters to a severe injury can cause PTSD in a person.
For first responders, highly disturbing calls, life-threatening events, or experiencing something on duty by proxy can lead to PTSD. The more traumatic moments they witness, the more pervasive it becomes.
According to the National Institutes of Health, first responders are at a high-risk for PTSD. This shouldn’t be surprising based on what they see and deal with on duty.
From police officers to firefighters to paramedics, dispatchers, EMS, and more, first responders’ daily lives are filled with stress on levels the public can’t imagine.
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
The traumatic intervention tool that is used most often in Canadian emergency services, fire departments and police services is It is a 7-phase, small group supportive crisis intervention process .
CISD is one of the facets which comprise the Critical Incident Stress Management approach. A CISD is only used in the aftermath of a significant traumatic event that has adversely affected individuals. The objectives of the debriefing process are to:
- deflate the impact of a traumatic incident,
- facilitate and restore recovery, and
- identify group members who need further psychological support.
It is a small group process psychological first aid which strives for a restoration of group cohesion and unit performance following a traumatic episode. It aims to foster recovery by encouraging a group dialogue. Ideally, the CISD team is comprised of a mental health professional and peer support volunteers.
Advocates of CISD believe that exposure to traumatic stressors cause a substantial number of individuals to experience major psychological problems. If intervention is received shortly following exposure, the prevention of the onset of PTSD symptoms will improve. If symptoms do occur, CISD will speed up the persons recovery .
A meta-analysis by Everly and Boyd concluded the CISD model of psychological debriefing is an effective crisis intervention.
Supporters of CISD believe it to be an effective intervention provided that 2 crucial criteria are met:
Criticisms of CISD:
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Treatment Phase : Consolidation And Aftercare
Continued treatment following trauma-focused processing is recommended for first responders seeking treatment through our program. This phase of treatment may incorporate self-assessment, cognitive restructuring, and behavioral strategies, including exposure and distress tolerance for ongoing maintenance of therapeutic gains. By this stage, first responders will have received psychoeducation regarding the clinical characteristics, etiology, course, and treatment of trauma-related diagnoses, and have developed self-assessment skills to gain insight into how trauma-related symptoms are affecting daily functioning.1 The goal of this fourth stage of treatment is to help them to identify resources and build skills to help manage recurring or new stressors, to integrate new skill acquisition into daily routines, and to reintegrate to social and occupational roles, including engagement in peer support, while utilizing new skill sets to avoid the recurrence of behaviors targeted in treatment, such as avoidance.1
Ptsd In First Responders Can Be Prevented
When a first responder experiences a traumatic event beyond the scope of typical human experience, they may feel threatened or have feelings of helplessness, fear, or disgust. Although it can feel overwhelming, PTSD is treatable.
But to prevent it, it needs to be identified early.
Two of the most significant obstacles to people receiving adequate treatment for PTSD are under-reporting of trauma by survivors due to fear of being stigmatized and under-recognition of trauma symptoms by health care providers or by the survivors themselves.
The following are some of the symptoms that may indicate a post-traumatic stress injury:
Symptoms
- Aggressive, reckless, or self-destructive behaviour
- Dissociation from the self
- Inability to remember key aspects of the traumatic event
- Re-experiencing the traumatic event
- Sleep disturbances and changes in sleep patterns
- Suicidal behaviours
- Social isolation and loss of interest in activities
- Reluctance to seek help due to fear of stigmatization
- Blaming self or others due to a distorted sense of reality
- Substance abuse
Solutions
Some of the factors that have been found to contribute towards improved recovery or greater resiliency against PTSD are actions that reinforce feelings of support, hope and sense of control. Some of these include:
What you can do to help
If youre wondering how you can help but dont know how here are some suggestions:
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More About PTSD From CBC Docs
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Ptsd In Emergency Responders After The Vegas Shooting
In recent years, an increasing number of first responders have experienced incidents of terrorism and mass violence. For example, in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, there were over 1,000 first responders from every Southern Nevada agency onsite and at surrounding trauma departments. Some first responders even attended the concert on their day off with friends and family. After the shooting, these individuals began triaging and saving lives immediately.
Desert Parkway started receiving dozens of inquiries from first responder partners throughout the Las Vegas Valley in the days and weeks following October 1st. This time period is when we realized the escalating mental health crisis that our community was facing and began focusing resources on supporting first responders. We developed a specialized PTSD rehab program, which resulted in our Hope for Heroes program. The program quickly expanded to include active duty members of the military, veterans, and members of military families.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we identified the need to expand the Hope for Heroes admissions criteria to include frontline healthcare workers who were experiencing crippling stress and anxiety. Hope for Heroes is the only PTSD rehab program in the Southern Nevada region that exclusively serves first responders. First responders work tirelessly and dedicate their lives to supporting our community, and the goal of our program is to provide a resource for those individuals.
Trauma Education For Humanitarian And Emergency Responders
Course includes11 Modules
Sign-up below to view the free online course, Trauma Education for Humanitarian and Emergency Responders, by HeartMath Institute with Jorina Elbers, M.D.
This course teaches evidence-basedself-regulation techniques to help professional and volunteer responders build resilience, protect against burnout, secondary traumatization and help those they serve after man-made or natural disasters.
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The Truth About Seeking Help For Ptsd
PTSD is a very real mental health condition that can impact anyone no matter what they do for a living or walk of life they come from.
First responders deal with exposure to life-changing events more often than anybody. It should be no surprise that they may develop PTSD, mental health conditions, drug addiction, and alcohol dependence when coping with it. By leveraging psychiatric professionals, peer support, and employee assistance programs, first responders can overcome PTSD and other mental illness conditions that come with it.
First Responders First understands what our heroes go through and has the resources to rescue them when they need it the most. We’re here to help them learn the skills they need to live a better life. You don’t have to battle PTSD alone. Contact us today, and let’s discuss your path to recovery. No matter what you’re going through, we’re here for you.
We’ve got your six.Since 2019 we’ve helped hundreds of residents recover from addiction, resulting in the restoration of careers, relationships, and lives.
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Awareness Of Available Resources
Prior to a PTSD event, a first responder should be given the resources or be aware of what resources are available to them in the event of a traumatic experience. A list of resources can be found on the Code Green Campaign website.
During orientation, training, or an academy, first responders should be told about any job-related resources available to them. This include Critical Incident Stress Teams, Peer Support Teams, or Employee Assistance Programs. It is worth noting that social support has shown a decreased stress and lowered PTSD symptoms in first responders When first responders can come together and talk about similar situations they showed resilience with the support network. Education at the academy on signs and symptoms of depressive behavior and resources available to first responders shows others are feeling the same way. The federal government is looking into promoting mental health training for each occupation. There is a stigma that comes from asking for help and this could be by the research on first responders is so low.
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Specialized Training Seeks To Shatter The Stigma Of Ptsd First Responders
ELYRIA, Ohio Once considered a silent crisis, there continues to be a growing dialogue and conversation centered around first responders and the impact and prevalence of post-traumatic stress among the ranks. In addition to continued efforts on the state level, a national organization is in Lorain County this week to provide first responders with mental health training that will help them identify operational stress and trauma in themselves and their colleagues.
First H.E.L.P, a national advocacy organization whose mission is to reduce the stigma around mental health and first responders, is providing free mental health training this week at Lorain County Community College. The workshops are being done in partnership with the AT& T-built FirstNet, a nationwide wireless broadband network for first responders.
The workshops being offered to first responders include small group discussions that encourage participants to examine and acknowledge the impact that stress and trauma have on their day-to-day lives. The scenario-based training teaches first responders how to initiate potentially difficult conversations with their colleagues.
Wellington Police Chief Tim Barfield said the training is especially critical for law enforcement officers. Recent studies have found an estimated 1 in 3 law enforcement officers suffers from PTSD. Removing the stigma associated with that is an important step, he said.
This awareness has also led to new policies and programs on the state level.