Written by Bill Carey
fire rescue 1
PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland Fire Department sees several benefits in hiring a full-time mental health coordinator in its efforts to improve the health of its firefighters.
The mental health coordinator position was supported by city staff and the fire union. News Center Main report.
Portland Fire Chief Keith Gautreaux said firefighters have previously received professional training at the IAFF Center for Excellence, a behavioral health and recovery center in Maryland, and Brattleboro Retreat, a similar center in Vermont. He said he was able to receive support.
Gautro sent more than a dozen firefighters to centers in Maryland and Vermont.
“People could be stuck for up to a month, three months, six months,” he said. “We’ve been keeping people out for over a year.”
Oliver Bradeen, the department’s employee assistance program coordinator, said firefighters are seeing an increase in the number of people seeking help.
“We’ve had some people come in willingly. This is the approach we’re trying to take, where we don’t wait until people have their worst day ever,” Bradeen said. “They come in like, ‘I don’t know if I have to be here, but I just wanted to talk and make sure I’m okay.'” And that’s what we’re trying to promote. Don’t wait until the problem is resolved. Try to maintain your health as much as possible. ”
The department has spent more than $300,000 on mental health programs in the past two years since Bradeen was hired. This equates to $150,000 a year, which for them is 1% of his $30 million annual budget.
Sean Donahue, division chief of emergency medical services and training, said the department has seen a more than 80% decrease in members seeking out-of-state inpatient assistance since Bradeen began.
“This program was successful because it worked as a system, not just one person in an office,” Donahue said. “For more than a decade, the Portland Fire Department has had a strong peer support system in place that allows us to actively and continuously address the mental health of our members.”
The main benefits of an in-house position are:
- There are no insurance claims or out-of-pocket costs for speaking with an EAP Coordinator
- Quick access. Everyone is seen within two weeks of their request, sometimes the same week.
- Session length is determined by treatment best practices and client needs.
- I’ve seen success using Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and Acute Stress Adaptation Protocol for Critical Incidents (ASAP).
Related: Customized care helps first responders after trauma
