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Y ou can start by asking yourself some simple questions; Do you have an EAP? Do you have a peer support policy? Do your employees know who to go to for assistance? Are your su- pervisors trained to recognize signs of chronic stress or an ad- verse reaction to an event? What does your insurance benefit cover in terms of substance use disorders and/or mental health issues? Are you self-insured (you may have more leverage se- curing treatment for a member than you realize)? What are the out-of-pocket costs associated with treatment? Do you have re- sources (preventativemeasures) available that contribute to the physical/mental health of your members? Do you have a mech- anism in place for spousal support? Do your employees know that assistance can be obtained confidentially? Are you aware of the state regulatory guidelines with respect to first respond- ers and mental health treatment? Do you have a best practices model in place to assist personnel after a critical incident? Have you located, vetted and spoken with mental health profession- als in your area that specialize in treating first responders? Are you disseminating information on a department-wide level that reinforces your support of personnel seeking help and are you doing that consistently? Do you have a chaplaincy program to assist with employee outreach? Are you making this informa- tion available to police recruits in the academy? These are the questions leaders ask themselves and taking action on these challenges will enable you to build a strong legacy as a servant leader in your organization. If you are having difficul- ty with any of these answers, please contact me and I will gladly assist and connect you with free resources. "The greatest asset in any organization, is its people". • 55 % of first responders believe their supervisor will treat them differently if they bring up their mental health concerns • 69 % said mental health services are seldom or never utilized A recent survey published by the University of Phoenix found the following: • 85 % of first responders have experienced issues related to their mental health (through job related trauma)

2019 COMPREHENSIVE OFFICER RESILIENCY TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM

LOCATION

DATE

MARICOPA, AZ

JAN 28-30, 2019

MEMPHIS, TN

FEB 11-13, 2019

PITTSBURGH, PA

FEB 18-20, 2019

ADDISON, IL

MAR 11-13, 2019

SARASOTA, FL

APR 1-3, 2019

KANSAS CITY, MO

MAY 15-17, 2019

ST. LOUIS, MO

MAY 20-22, 2019

DOVER, DE JUN 24-26, 2019 THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO JUL 29-31, 2019 RAPID CITY, SD AUG 19-21, 2019

About the Author: Bill Mazur is a 25 year law enforcement veteran with an extensive background in leadership and education. He retired from his former department in 2017 at the rank of Deputy Chief. Bill holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Stockton University and a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Training and De- velopment in the Police Graduate Studies Program from Seton Hall University. He is a graduate of the FBI Na- tional Academy, Session #256 and served as an adjunct instructor for the Force Science Institute. Bill is also an instructor with the FBI National Academy Associates and is a resource to the Officer Safety & Wellness Committe, which works with police leadership to reduce the stigma

around post-traumatic stress among officers and provide solutions for agencies, in- dividuals or family members that find themselves dealing with a personal crisis. Bill now works for Acadia Healthcare as a Strategic Account Manager with the Treatment Placement Specialists® Initiative, which provides specialized treatment guidance for public safety personnel, first responders and their families.

william.mazur@acadiahealthcare.com www.Treatmentplacementspecialists.com/first-responders

For additional information, contact John Kennedy at jkennedy@fbinaa.org.

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