GO 404 Member Mental Health Services & Critical Incident Stress Management 113022

GO 404 Member Mental Health Services & Critical Incident Stress Management Page 1 of 6 Rev. 11/30/22 GENERAL ORDER 404 MEMBER MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES & CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT REVISION DATE:11/30/2022 BY ORDER OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE SUNNY ISLES BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ORIGINAL EFFECTIVE DATE:11/30/22 PREVIOUS REVISIONS: RESCINDS: All previously issued directives REFERENCE : 10.16 M TABLE OF CONTENTS A. PURPOSE .......................................................................................................................... 1 B. POLICY ............................................................................................................................. 1 C. DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................. 1 D. SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY ..................................................................................... 2 E. ACCESS PROCEDURE .................................................................................................. 2 F. PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES .................................................... 3 G. CONFIDENTIALITY ...................................................................................................... 5 H. MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING ................................................................................... 6 A. PURPOSE The Sunny Isles Beach Police Department recognizes that law enforcement involves a broad range of situations requiring understanding and control of human behavior. Emotional stability during stressful situations is a prime requirement for effective police action. A wide range of problems not directly associated with one's job may have an effect upon performance. In many instances, an individual may overcome personal problems independently and the effect upon job performance may serve as motivation or guidance for return to an acceptable performance level. B. POLICY Maintaining a stable and effective work force is in the best interest of this Department and the community. Therefore, it is the policy of this Department to assist departmental employees with performance problems requiring professional counseling or other psychological services. The procedures for involvement in counseling services are delineated in this order. C. DEFINITIONS Critical Incident : Any situation, which has such profound emotional impact that it has the potential to interfere with an employee’s ability to function. MEMBER MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES & CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT General Order 404 GO 404 Member Mental Health Services & Critical Incident Stress Management Page 2 of 6 Rev. 11/30/22 Peer De-briefer: Peer de-briefers shall be authorized by this agency to provide voluntary counseling services to agency employees only after having successfully completed this agency’s prescribed course of instruction. Peer de-briefers must receive a minimum eight (8) hours of approved training with bi-annual updates. Defusing: A brief discussion between involved employees and a peer de-briefer immediately following a critical incident. It is used to restore involved employee’s cognitive functioning and prepare them for future stress reactions resulting from the incident. If after a defusing, a member displays indicators of PTSD or other incident related issues, they may be referred to the team clinician or a mental health professional of their choosing. Peer de-briefers will not discuss details of the event with the employee as they are not covered under legal confidentiality guidelines and it would not be considered privileged information. Debriefing : A confidential meeting between employees involved in a critical incident and peer to peer counselor usually following a defusing. This meeting can be on an individual or group basis. It is used to inform and educate involved employees on stress management techniques. It is not an operational critique; rather the focus is on assisting the employee or group with coping behaviors and techniques. If after a debriefing a member displays indicators of PTSD or other incident related issues, they may be referred to the team clinician or a mental health professional of their choosing. Mental Health Professional : A licensed professional, departmentally authorized social or mental health caseworker, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. When a mental health professional is present at either a defusing or debriefing, confidentiality guidelines DO apply and all statements are considered privileged. D. SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY This policy applies to all employees of the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department. E. ACCESS PROCEDURE 1. Agency employees may voluntarily seek the assistance of a peer counselor at any time. 2. Peer counselors may be used to assist officers and their families in cases of job-related crises through informal counseling and support and through referral to professional mental health service providers where necessary. 3. Employees should use peer counselors as a referral source where appropriate and may, with or without anonymity, provide the name of a fellow officer or employee for discreet and confidential intervention. 4. Strict confidentiality shall be maintained between the peer counselor and the employee. Other than the noted exceptions, nothing discussed between counseling participants shall be divulged to any third party without the express written consent of the employee. 5. As an alternative to peer counseling, employees are encouraged to contact the City’s Employee Assistance Program via the Human Resources Department, a police chaplain, their personal clergy, physicians or mental health professionals when deemed necessary for resolving emotional crises. MEMBER MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES & CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT General Order 404 GO 404 Member Mental Health Services & Critical Incident Stress Management Page 3 of 6 Rev. 11/30/22 F. PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 1. The services of mental health professionals may be invoked by employee self-referral, referral by a supervisor, through the Office of the Chief or by policy following life-threatening, traumatic experiences. 2. Voluntary Participation a. Individuals experiencing medical/psychological/social problems affecting work performance are encouraged to seek counseling services designed to alleviate stress induced disorders. Upon receipt, counseling service information may be obtained from the Human Resources Department