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Officer Development Program - Executive Chief Officer Leadership III (ECO III)

ECO-305: Mental Health Advocacy and Support

Friday, August 16, 2024
10:15 AM - 11:45 AM  
Location: C140

Sponsored By 

    Speaker(s)

  • Marc I. Kruse, PhD

    Vice President of Research and Development
    First Responder Behavioral Health
    Georgetown, Texas, United States

  • Sara A. Jahnke, PhD

    Senior Scientist, Director
    Center for Fire, Rescue & EMS Health Research
    Leawood, Kansas, United States

Over the last several decades, Fire Service leaders have faced increased pressure to simultaneously (1) be aware of and meaningfully address the behavioral health needs of the men and women they serve, (2) provide a safe and confidential environment in which first responders can privately address their behavioral health needs without fear of career repercussions, and (3) maintain employment standards to ensure that the public safety needs of their communities are met. This session was built with the goal of providing Fire Service leaders with guidance on the implementation of a variety of programs designed to help minimize the potential psychological consequences of a career in fire-service. The session will include discussion of pre-hire psychological evaluations, confidential annual behavioral health screenings, maximizing the effectiveness of a healthy station life, supporting the needs of firefighters in psychological distress, addressing return to work and fitness for duty concerns, and how to help members prepare for a psychologically healthy retirement.

Learning Objectives:

  • The Fire Service Leader will be able to articulate the challenges inherent in addressing the behavioral health needs of the firefighters they serve within a safe and confidential environment while maintaining the employment standards necessary to ensure the public’s safety.
  • The attendee will be able to describe the potential benefits of a variety of psychologically focused initiatives designed to reduce the behavioral health impacts of a career in fire-service including a pre-hire psychological and behavioral health screening evaluation, confidential annual behavioral health screenings, crisis responses, and preparing first responders for a psychologically healthy retirement.
  • The participant will be able to advocate for the support of these programs to a variety of stakeholders including first responders, union representatives, department leadership, and funding agencies.