Gus (video below) is a great example of why long term treatment is so important for #PTSI amongst #first #responders. The biggest barrier we see after #shame and #stigma is paid time off. Having a plan when your employee raises their hand and asks for help with a #mental #health #injury is often the difference between that employee returning back to work or being medically retired. We are seeing more and more agencies use admin leave as a tool to support #employee #wellness. Sometimes the worst thing that can happen is your #PTSD claim gets accepted by work comp. Many third party administrators won't offer long term treatment and like to medicate and send to individual therapy (non culturally competent clinicians) and when the 4850 time runs out and they are not able to return to work these brave men and women who have given everything are medically retired. #First #Responder #Wellness has an 85% return to work rate. We are a long term #PTSI/PTSD treatment program exclusively for public safety and have had more than 1,300 first responders come through our program from over 300 agencies. FRW is 1 of 5 Fraternal Order of Police Vetted and Approved Treatment Programs. We specialize in long term treatment, 90 days for the best possible outcomes with a 45 day minimum for those that do not have the time to burn. In the last 12 months we have had just shy of 350 public safety professionals come through our program with an average length of stay of 74 days. Average PCL-5 (PTSD TRAUMA SCORE) score upon admission is 41 and 14 at discharge. This is significant as the DSM-5 says that a 5-10 point change is enough to signify reliable change. WE KNOW THIS PROGRAM WORKS. If your agency needs help creating a process for when someone comes forward and asks for help please reach out to me directly. Our team of psychologists can now do the AOE/COE determination of causation and all of the workers comp paperwork including the PR-4. We are helping agencies create a process either through work comp or other means to get your employee healed and returned to work as quickly as possible. WE ARE ALSO HELPING AGENCIES KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES OUT OF PROGRAMS LIKE OURS THROUGH OUR, "PROACTIVE APPROACH TO WELLNESS". It is our belief that more needs to be done through training, education, and culturally competent resources on the front end.
Gus first shared his story about First Responder Wellness over four years ago . . . In support of Alcohol Awareness Month (April 2024) we are grateful to share his continued story of recovery. —- It was challenging to be the first to ask for help. Gus knew he needed it — and he discovered it's okay not to be okay. At First Responder Wellness, he found a tribe of first responders he could relate to. Now over four years later, Gus continues to use his growth in recovery to pour into those around him — whether it's the people in his department, support groups, or the first responder community at large. Gus is a true testament of sobriety and how he is using it to make an impact on the lives of his brothers and sisters around him. If you are struggling or know someone who needs help, we are are to help. Call 888.443.4898 or Email info@frhealth.com #firstresponders #recovery #mentalhealth #itsokaytonotbeokay
