Treating Fire Service Professionals: Building Cultural Competency

The purpose of this training is to help clinicians, treatment providers and other community partners develop cultural competency in the fire service and first responder professions as to be best equipped to provide effective behavioral health services to fire fighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers and emergency dispatchers.

This event will include information about day-to-day life at the fire house and the potential impact of aspects of the job on well-being, such as exposure to trauma, shift schedules and mental health stigmas. This presentation will provide insight into the most common behavioral health issues experienced by fire service members, substance abuse trends among this unique population, and treatment techniques that have proved successful at the Center of Excellence.

Objectives: Identify intricacies of the profession, including day-to-day structure, exposure to trauma, and effects on interpersonal relationships, review common behavioral health issues experienced by first responders and learn about the IAFF Center of Excellence and Fortitude program structures.