Helping Frontline Workers in Texas—A Framework for Resource Development

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15462012
AutoresKarima Lalani (0000-0002-5982-160X, University of Washington), Meredith M O’Neal (The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston), Meredith O’Neal (McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX 77030, USA), Simone Lee Joannou (0000-0002-6426-6890, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston), Bhanumathi Gopal (0000-0002-0318-0807, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston), Tiffany Champagne‐Langabeer (0000-0002-4186-9648, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, autor de correspondencia)
Año2023
Volumen20
Número20
Páginas6935-6935
Fecha de publicación2023-10-17
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
EditorialMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph20206935
PMID37887673
OpenAlexW4387707050
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas25

First responders disproportionately experience occupational stress when compared to the general population, and COVID-19 has exacerbated this stress. The nature of their duties as law enforcement officers, firefighters, and medics exposes them to repeated trauma, increasing their risk of developing a broad array of mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorder (SUD), and compassion fatigue. This paper describes the need for resources for frontline workers and provides a framework for creating and implementing resources. A team of interdisciplinary subject matter experts developed two major resources. The first resource was a 24/7 helpline to support first responders and healthcare workers experiencing substance use or mental health concerns. The second resource was the First Responders Educational Campaign, which developed and delivered focused training modules on useful topics covering substance use and mental health concerns as they pertain to this workforce. Utilizing core interprofessional principles, content was sourced from multiple disciplines and contrasting perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of mental health and substance use issues. The curriculum was designed so that the content was interdisciplinary, interprofessional, and accessible to audiences across disciplines and professions. After engaging more than 1500 individuals, resources developed here have augmented mental health and substance use support resources available to the target population

Burnout · Compassion fatigue · Environmental health · Law enforcement · Medical education · Mental health · Political science · Population · Psychiatry · Resource (disambiguation · Workforce · Workforce development · Clinical Psychology · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health · Stress and Burnout Research