Total Credits:1.5including1.5 American Psychological Association,1.5 Association of Social Worker Boards,1.5 National Board of Certified Counselors,1.5 California Board of Registered Nurses,1.5 State Bar of California
First responders (FR) face an increased risk of mental disorders due to their frequent exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events. The impact of these stressors extends to FR families, with spouses often bearing the brunt of supporting the fire member and the family. Various initiatives targeting operational and organizational interventions have emerged to reduce the frequency and severity of posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSI) among FR’s, including fire, paramedics, and police. Many interventions, however, are lacking in evidence to support the validity and feasibility in producing measurable change in participants. In response to this, two intervention programs – the Before Operational Stress (BOS) program (McElheran, 2018) and the Re: Building Families (RBF) program (Schwartz et al., 2022) – have been developed and tested to demonstrate their effectiveness in reducing the cognitive, behavioural and social impacts of PTSIs.
