Associate Magazine FBINAA Q1-2023

Continued from "The Alcoholic Officer", on page 22

8. Determine if the issue is job-related or a personal problem. Some situations result from a traumatic incident, such as an officer-involved shooting or exposure to a job-related traumatiz ing event. 9. There is a time when an agency must take progressive steps leading to suspension or termination, but not before other inter ventions have been tried. 10. Involve other professionals such as human resources, risk management, and psychological professionals while developing a plan of action. This article is part one of a two-part series. The second part of this series will address the substance abuse disorder, treatment options, and expected outcomes.

2. Supervisors must be trained about interpersonal issues and how to address them before they become workplace issues. 3. The agency should have a policy for fitness for duty and readi ness for duty. The policy should be reviewed yearly and signed by the employee, offering resources for assistance. 4. It is wise to have a psychologist or therapist who works with first responders to consult, train, and refer the agency mem bers. While substance abuse is a complex disorder/disease, it requires professional intervention. Family issues, stress, anxiety, and other life events may require confidential assistance from a therapist. 5. Psychological professionals are good resources for administra tors. Fitness for duty evaluations (FFDE) based upon the written job requirements for the agency provides a supervisor with identi fied behaviors in the workplace that are concerning and may be related to psychological or physiological deficits not resulting directly from a disciplinary or training issue. The FFDE provides the agency with an objective perspective about the ability of the employee to perform the tasks listed in the job description. If not fully fit, the consulting professional provides recommendations to become fully fit. 6. Learn more about the agency's health insurance policy. Does the agency have health insurance coverage for substance abuse treatment? Most HMO-type plans do not have rehab or detox coverage, but PPO usually does. Check with your provider. 7. The agency must establish protocols, policies, and procedures with human resources collaboration. Alcoholism is a medical issue and should be addressed as such. Agencies should not initially open an internal affairs investigation into an employee's need for assistance unless a grievous policy violation occurs. While documentation is necessary, many agencies have a "medical file" that is public record exempt. Directing correspondences to this file may provide greater confidentiality.

About the Author: Patrick Kenny is a retired law enforce ment executive, serving 40 years as a law enforcement officer in South Florida. He has a Ph.D. in psychology and is a licensed therapist actively treating first responders and veterans with substance abuse and other mental health issues. Dr. Kenny created and administered the Behavioral Services Division for the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office, Florida, and oversaw the administration of fitness for duty evaluations for the agency. He is a graduate and member of the FBI National Academy and a presenter and author. He is president of Behavioral Consulting,

LLC., providing consulting and training to law enforce ment agencies regarding first responder mental health, PTSD, and substance abuse. For more information, don't hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Kenny for more informa tion at Behavioralconsulting@comcast.net.

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