Taking care of your mental health is as

important as managing your physical

health. It is critical that the emergency

service community recognize the

importance of mental well-being and

create a culture within the department

that makes behavioral health a priority.http://safetyandhealthweek.org/resources/behavioral-health-resources/

The goal of the program, he said, is to increase suicide awareness, teach members how to recognize warning signs and suicide risk factors, educate crews about the support resources available, and to discuss and analyze the culture within the department.

Read more: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/six-week-suicide-prevention-training-starts-at-phoenix-fire-department#ixzz2nOwuoLq8

Depression Evaluation

PTSD Evaluation

Alcohol Abuse Evaluation

Suicide

Some signs that a person is in need of and will benefit from Crisis Intervention are:

Their behavior constitutes a danger of inflicting serious physical harm upon oneself, including attempted suicide or the serious threat thereof, or if the threat is expected that it will be carried out.

There is potential that the continued behavior can reasonably be expected to result in serious physical harm to others.

Behavior in which a person is likely to come to serious physical harm or serious illness because he/she is unable to provide for his basic physical needs.

They are showing signs that they are suffering severe and abnormal mental, and emotional issues and that these issues are significantly impairing judgment, reason, behavior or capacity to recognize part of reality.

These four guidelines are reasons for a Crisis Intervention. It is after intervention and when the person is back to their baseline that they would benefit Therapy or Counseling.

Mental illness and behavioral emergencies can be a major challenge for many EMS providers. Because we often don't have firsthand or personal knowledge about psychiatric illness, it can be difficult to empathize with a patient whose chief complaint has no apparent physical signs.

EMS1, September

2011

Recognizing that an acute psychiatric condition might exist is a big step forward in creating the environment necessary to appropriately manage the patient.

Maintaining respect and empathy will help establish the trust necessary for the patient to remain cooperative and calm.

Remaining vigilant for signs of an impending outburst or violent behavior will keep you, and your patient, safe.

EMS1, September 2011

Finally, never take it personally. Your patients don't know you, even with that uniform on. What a patient might say or do in the heat of the moment has nothing to do with you as an individual. Keep in mind that you are there because the patient is having a bad day, not a good one.

EMS1 September 2011

Depression

Suicide

Mania

Bi-polar

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/