Mental Health Resilience Officer

Audience: This course is designed for EMS practitioners who meet the following qualifications:

at a minimum, current state certification or license as an EMT;

at least three years of full-time practice (or equivalent) at the EMT level or above;

strong interpersonal communication skills with an interest in serving in this position; and

prior experience with critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) and/or motivational interviewing preferred.

Course Content:  Mental Health Resilience Officer (MHRO) course prepares EMS personnel to serve as their agency’s Mental Health Resilience Officer. In this role, the MHRO will engage with peers to develop an understanding of mental health issues and resilience; identify peers who are experiencing mental health stressors and crises; navigate peers in need to the right services for help; and support the development of a culture of mental health resilience and emotional wellness within the agency.

The course covers the following:

the role of a Mental Health Resilience Officer;

the impacts of EMS work on mental health and emotional well-being;

mental health resilience at the individual, interpersonal, and agency level;

communication strategies to engage your colleagues regarding mental health issues;

case studies in EMS mental health;

key elements of an effective agency EMS mental health resilience program; and

how to build or strengthen an agency mental health resilience program, and resources to support the MHRO.

 

Course Format / Time: MHRO is an 8-hour classroom course.

Course Materials:  Provided during the class.

Enrollment Cut-off:  Enrollment closes when the class is full.  Those that enroll within a few days of the class may have their book held until the day of the class.

Certification: Students who successfully complete the course receive 8 hours of CAPCE-approved continuing education.