Department Behavioral Health Policies: Lip Service or Embraced?

Clear behavioral health policies — not just programs — are what prepare fire and EMS departments to support their members when it matters most

Behavioral health policies are one of the most overlooked necessities of fire or EMS departments who claim to have a successful behavioral health program. Many firefighters, EMS personnel and even chief officers have told me they have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and a peer support team for their members. These are great starts, but they will fall short if you do not have behavioral health policies in place to guide officers and members when they request help.

Imagine pulling up to a fully involved residential two-story fire. We train on how to tag hydrants, and lay lines to the engine so the engineer can send water to the attack lines. We train on this and we have policies on the proper procedures. If we never directed members on how to follow these procedures through policies or guidelines, then how can we ever expect a successful outcome of that house fire? If freelancing was allowed, then all hell would break out on the fire or EMS scenes.

Now imagine yourself as a junior officer sitting in your office after dinner. A firefighter comes to you to let you know he needs resources because he is struggling with depression and has even had suicidal ideations since the breakup of his marriage. These situations are playing out all over America, and in fact, globally. What policies/guidelines are you going to fall back on? What training have you offered to your members, junior officers or even your senior officers? Is one class annually enough? Is this annual class lip service or are you going to be more proactive with policies and training to embrace how proactive you say your department is?

Policies Matter Most When Someone Asks for Help

A few years ago, I was in Oklahoma consulting with a fire department on creating a 12-point behavioral health program. I asked the chief about his EAP for his members. He stated they had one and gave me the number so I could call them and see what they had to offer. When I contacted them, I found out they were in Tulsa, hours away from this department. I asked the EAP how they helped members find counselors. They stated “we go onto the Psychology Today website and see what counselors live in their town.”

We decided to train local counselors and created a policy for all members on how to look for signs and symptoms of behavioral health issues, plus how to listen when someone is struggling. Then, guided by the SOPs, offer them the resources they need. Remember, behavioral health policies are not in place just to help management. They are for every member and for them to know what steps will occur when they ask for help.

I have included below a generic behavioral health policy for departments to review.

There are many other policies that need to be in place, for what FBHA believes is a “successful program.”

Peer Support Teams

Policies on how they are selected and the criteria to be on a department team. A complete SOP, which includes confidentiality signature sheets, training, and Con-ED should all be laid out within a PST policy.

Chaplain Policy

What are the responsibilities? How many? Depending on the size of the department? What religions? Do they respond to scenes? Are they paged out or does dispatch tone them out on fatalities or department member injuries? Should chaplains be required to have peer support training?

Social Media Policy

What are the limitations on information to be released? Can members talk to the media or are there assigned members of the department?

Funeral Policy

What are the types of stages of a funeral procession? What are the considerations for a LODD, off-duty accident, suicide, death due to a disease, retirement or on-duty injury?

Auxiliary Team

Spouses and family members who want to assist fire department members: What are their roles? Do they want to do fundraising?

Notification Policy

In the event of an injury or death of a member, what are the procedures? Who is assigned to make notifications? Does your department automatically have the chief officer or a chaplain break the news to the family? Maybe each member writes down who they want to notify their family. This information is sealed in an envelope and put in a safe.

Remember, policies are in place to help all members of the department, as well as their families. Choosing the correct liaison to work with a family during an injury or death is critical for their healing. What policy dictates who is assigned to this important role?

As a chief officer, are you just checking boxes to tell the world you have a behavioral health program or do you ask all members to join you in creating this vital information that should stand the test of time?

Remember, these are living documents and must be reviewed annually. From the chief officers to those in the fire academies, every member should be taking part in the development of behavioral health policies. Every member of a department is the legacy for those firefighters, paramedics, EMTs and dispatchers yet to come.

Creating a successful program today lays the groundwork for decades to follow. Behavioral health issues are not going away. They only disappear if a department buries their head and doesn’t become proactive in protecting their members.

For information or templates on the policies I mentioned in this article, please contact me, Jeff Dill, at jdill@ffbha.org