Mental health programs for our first responders need to be improved and expanded

The recent Chicago Police Department report ad of a third officer who died by suicide this month brings to light a perfect storm facing first responders not only in Chicago but across the country, and it is imperative to provide them with the relief they need.

Given the existing dangers of their job and now the toll exerted by the pandemic, first responders are enduring historically serious mental health challenges and alarming mental health outcomes.

Over the past five years, various developments have led to a significant increase in the stress and workload of first responders. Law enforcement agencies have been affected by an increase in violence in society and a growing animosity towards the profession. The after effects and toll of such stress on the lives and mental health of first responders have yet to be studied and will be felt for many years to come.

Then, since 2020, the pandemic has affected the mental health of the entire population. In many ways, for first responders, COVID-19 added more work to their already stressful and difficult load. Research on stigma in first responders during the pandemic points to a heightened sense of isolation and lack of support. People who work in jobs that carry a higher risk of exposure to the coronavirus have reported a decrease in social interactions, accompanied by an increase in the refusal of others to socialize with them.

Throughout 2020, first responders were also concerned about spreading COVID-19 to loved ones and felt pressured to maintain physical distance from friends and family. This unique and troubling experience put undue pressure on first responders.

The consequences of these stark realities are highlighted in research published last month by the Ruderman Family Foundationwhich found that 116 police officers committed suicide in the US in 2020, compared to 140 in 2017. While those numbers show that the number of suicides has decreased, the 2020 numbers are likely underestimates due to stigma and misrepresentation. embarrassment, underreporting, and the fact that people need time to come forward, a reality we witnessed with the 2017 data.

Meanwhile, the number of reported firefighter and EMS suicides was 127 in 2020, up slightly from the 126 confirmed cases in 2017.

These findings follow the Foundation’s 2018 Ruderman White Paper on First Responder Mental Health and Suicide, which revealed that police officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty, a trend that continues today. However, while the new stress and isolation that the pandemic brought to first responders’ lives has resulted in an increase in mental health programming and resources, first responder suicides had not significantly decreased as of 2020 (the official data for 2021 is still being updated).

At his recent press conference, Chicago Police Superintendent. David Brown demonstrated empathy for the ongoing mental health crisis among first responders, acknowledging that police officers “are human and struggle just like everyone else” and, more importantly, “the stigma of even talking to someone in our profession is a challenge. Brown also announced CPD’s plans to provide 24-hour mental health services, faith-based counseling and free confidential programs for current and former officers.

The steps Chicago has taken in the aftermath of the July suicides should serve as a reminder to police departments across the country that programs to promote mental health awareness must be improved and expanded.

Additional measures need to be taken, such as mental health screening of retired first responders and mental health screening of newly hired staff. This may include the use of risk assessment and preventive procedures to help reduce or eliminate the negative effects of exposure to traumatic incidents. Having fair and inclusive media coverage can also help remove the stigma surrounding first responder suicide and help reduce the pain of affected families and colleagues.

In addition, mandatory reporting of suicide deaths and non-fatal attempts is needed. Currently, no government institution requires that such deaths or attempts be reported. However, mandatory reporting is essential to understand the multidimensional phenomenon of suicide and to better assess trends, patterns, and relationships in the data.

More than ever, first responders risking their lives to protect us need a lifeline. It is past time to provide first responders with the essential resources they need to get through a mental health crisis of historic proportions.

Jay Ruderman is president of the Ruderman Family Foundation.

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