FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS 101 PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This First Responder Wellness 101 program, developed by the Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association (AMHSA) with the support of the Government of Alberta, is intended to help address the mental health and wellness challenges the First Responder community faces while carrying out its jobs. The program involves two elements: an online awareness course and an optional workshop. Each of these program elements has been developed with the direct involvement of veteran First Responders who understand the mental health risks and challenges their peers face both on and off shift.
This program is intended to promote First Responder Wellness, provide education and awareness about how to support mental and health wellness in your department, and gain insight into the resources that are available. Within the First Responder community, potential participants in this program can include all operational members, dispatch, administrative and support staff as well as members of the First Responder’s family.
FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS 101 PROGRAM TOPICS:
The online awareness course portion of the program covers the following topics:
- Awareness of psychological health and wellness
- The stigma around mental health
- The impact First Responder work can have on mental wellness
- Strategies to build resiliency
- Signs of when help is needed in oneself or in a peer
- Resources available to the First Responder community
The workshop portion of the program can be tailored to address the needs of different functions within a department such as human resources and administrative positions, operational or front-line staff, and family. Topics may include:
- Awareness of psychological health and wellness
- Practical applications of concepts discussed in the online course
- The interaction of personal and professional life and how it affects you
- The stigma around mental health
- Peer support
- How to recognize when help is needed personally or in a peer
- Resources available to the First Responder community
FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS 101 PROGRAM DURATION
Online Course: Approximately 75 minutes
Workshop: Approximately 4 hours
UNIVERSALLY COMPATIBLE
This course was created using standards that will allow playback on most internet capable devices with standard web browsing capabilities including Apple’s iTouch, iPad, and iPhone, as well as most other smart phones and tablets including those with Android and Windows operating systems.
FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS 101 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Upon successful completion of the online course, a certificate of completion will be available for download and printing. This must be presented to the workshop facilitator as a prerequisite to the classroom portion.
The workshop for this course will be $50.00 per participant. For booking inquiries or more information about the First Responder Wellness Workshop, please contact us directly at: safety@amhsa.net or call toll free at 1–877–537–9063