First Responders PTSD Mental Health

http://globalnews.ca/news/1929852/globalnews-ca-first-responder-ptsd-stories-nominated-for-cjf-excellence-in-journalism-award/

          "Ontario continues to  conduct meetings and have roundtable discussions  on Mental Health.  I worked as a Residential Worker  (Child and Youth Worker ) in a custody setting .   The Province of Ontario and the Ministry of Labour  continue to  drag thier feet  on this complex issue . Thankfully,  other provinces are  creating  meaningful solutions to this issue."   Paul Murphy

      

paulmurphy@obesitythunderbay.ca

First responders could be helped6

JACKIE L. LARSON Edmonton Sun

First posted: Tuesday, October 30, 2012 09:34 PM MDT | Updated: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 08:38 AM MDT

Firefighters could benefit from new legislation that would address post traumatic stress disorder. (EDMONTON SUN/File)

Debate on new legislation aimed at providing help for traumatized first responders focused Tuesday on who gets to benefit from it.

Bill 1, The Workers Compensation Amendment Act, would give first responders compensation for presumptive Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) "without shouldering the burden of proof."

The act would make Alberta the first province to provide such coverage to firefighters, police officers, sheriffs and paramedics — but its preliminary language omits social workers and corrections officers.

By lifting the burden of proof from workers, it's a great step for first responders, but the bill doesn't reach others who witness traumatic events in the line of duty, said Liberal MLA Dr. David Swann.

"To begin to set up a two-tiered system around PTSD strikes me as being very inappropriate and very problematic," Swann said. "It is going to embarrass us as a government to do this. It will come back to haunt us. It will create rivalries and antagonisms and hard feelings across our professional sectors."

Please share.

 " Ontario seems to be in the dark regarding mental health and the WSIB  continues to create conflict and confrontation with regard to benefits. I would encourage  anybody that is seeking to work in the front line service responders sector to get involved and work to promote a more receptive  process."