Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Peers can help first responders with mental-health support

First responders work long shifts and routinely see the worst day of someone's life. It's a stressful job, but many don't want to seek help for mental health needs. Peer groups can help, Peter Andrey Smith reports for Undark., which says it is "a digital magazine exploring the intersection of science and society."

First responders don't often seek mental-health support for many reasons. Part of it is shame, but part stems from a more practical concern: "There is also the threat of losing one’s livelihood. Many physicians fear that state boards could suspend their license or revoke its renewal if they seek mental-health care," Smith reports. "The threat of formal sanctions can reinforce a workplace culture that stigmatizes mental health. Seeking treatment may be seen as a career-ending decision — that a person is unfit for duty, both in the eyes of their colleagues and their profession."

Smith tells the story of a former EMT in Colorado who joined a peer support group last year, and how the program has helped him cope. 

The concept of peer support groups for EMTs "has resonated with administrators and staff alike. But sources say that, in part because it is predicated on patients’ trust, and in part because of its ambiguous definition, peer support lags in one key respect: Research on its effectiveness is limited. Proponents also caution that these programs cannot necessarily replace reform that addresses systemic problems plaguing the workforce," Smith reports. "Peer supporters are nonetheless forging ahead. In recent years, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration has invested millions in peer support programs. Leading medical organizations and practicing physicians have called for implementation in health care settings, where a staggering number of workers have quit since the pandemic began. All in all, experts are suggesting: Who better to care for caretakers than one of their own?"

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