In honor of U.S. National PTSD Awareness Day please visit the website of the National Center for PTSD to learn more about this disorder. PTSD Awareness Day is part of U.S. National PTSD Awareness Month which was created to bring awareness to this psychological disorder.
Their concept is simple: Raise PTSD Awareness
Learn. Connect. Share.
Learn: PTSD treatment can help
Connect: Reach out to someone
Share: Spread the word
Our Law Enforcement Survival Institute, and CopsAlive.com recommendation is to consider a four-part approach to encouraging the emotional well-being or the people in your law enforcement agency:
1. Learn all you can about PTSD using some of our recommended links below and the hold a discussion at your department using our 10-Minute Roll Call Discussion Guide on the Police PTSD Paradox CLICK HERE to download the discussion guide.
2. Initiate Police Psychologist Jack Digliani’s “Make It Safe” Initiative that promotes making it safe for officers to ask for psychological support
CLICK HERE to learn more about the initiative on Jack Digliani’s website
CLICK HERE to download Jack Digliani’s Implementation Guide for the “Make It Safe” Initiative
CLICK HERE to download a poster/info sheet about the “Make It Safe” Initiative.
3. Publicize the Safe Call Now crisis hotline for first responders
Add the number into your contact list 1-206-459-3020 and publicize it around your agency.
CLICK HERE to visit their website and learn more about their great work
CLICK HERE to download the Safe Call Now Brochure
4. Start or recommit to a Proactive Peer Support program within your department. Our belief at CopsAlive.com is that Peer Support should be formalized and encouraged throughout the agency or department and should be a proactive initiative where Peer Support Team members regularly check-in with their peers rather than waiting from someone to approach them.
CLICK HERE to download Psychologist Jack Digliani’s Peer Support
CLICK HERE to download Peer Support Guidelines as published by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2011
If you would like to learn more about Police PTSD…
Please also read our past CopsAlive.com articles on PTSD:
PTSD – WHAT IS IT?
https://www.copsalive.com/ptsd-what-is-it/
Secondary PTSD – What is it?
https://www.copsalive.com/secondary-ptsd-what-is-it/
The Police PTSD Paradox
https://www.copsalive.com/the-police-ptsd-paradox/
Do You Have PTSD?
https://www.copsalive.com/do-you-have-ptsd/
Transcendental Meditation Helps Cop With PTSD
https://www.copsalive.com/transcendental-meditation-helps-cop-with-ptsd/
Here are some other useful links to assist you in your research:
CLICK HERE to download the National Center for PTSD’s Psychological First Aid Manual
CLICK HERE to download the fact sheet from the American Psychological Association about recent changes in PTSD diagnostic criteria for the new DSM-V released in May of 2014
CLICK HERE for a link to the West Coast PostTrauma Retreat’s PTSD Survey
CLICK HERE to link to the website for the National Center for PTSD which is loaded with useful information.
Make your commitment today to promote the awareness of PTSD issues within law enforcement, the military and the general public.
CopsAlive is written to prompt discussions within our profession about the issues of law enforcement career survival. We invite you to share your opinions, ask questions and suggest topics for us in the Comment Box that is at the bottom of this article.
At The Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI) we train law enforcement officers to cope with stress and manage all the toxic effects and hidden dangers of a career in law enforcement.
Our “Armor Your Self™: How to Survive a Career in Law Enforcement” on-site training program is an eight hour, hands-on, “How to” seminar that helps police officers and other law enforcement professionals armor themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually to survive their careers in police work. To learn more CLICK HERE
The concept of “True Blue Valor™” is where one law enforcement officer has to muster the courage to confront a peer who is slipping both professionally and personally and endangering themselves, their peers and the public. It takes a system of organizational support and professional leadership to support and foster the concept of courage and intervention. We will train your trainers to deliver this program to your agency.
To learn more CLICK HERE
Our “Armor Your Agency™: How to Create a Healthy and Supportive Law Enforcement Agency” Program includes critical strategies that you will need to build a system of support and encouragement for a healthy and productive agency. To learn more CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE to read more about The Law Enforcement Survival Institute.
CLICK HERE if you would like to contact us to learn more about training for your organization.
I’m John Marx, Founder of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute and the Editor of CopsAlive.com. Connect with me on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
CopsAlive.com was founded to provide information and strategies to help police officers successfully survive their careers. We help law enforcement officers and their agencies prepare for the risks that threaten their existence. Thank you for reading!
