Program looking to 'ensure first responders can connect to targeted and compassionate supports, where and when they need it most'
Ontario is investing another $32 million for a new program to provide mental health supports to first responders and public safety personnel.
The new Mental Health Supports for Public Safety Personnel program (MHS4PSP) will provide specialized services for police officers, firefighters, correctional workers, paramedics and others who support Ontario’s public safety system.
“First responders and public safety personnel have our backs every day and we will always have theirs,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “This new program will ensure Ontario’s selfless heroes, who put their lives on the line daily for us, receive targeted mental health supports that match the unimaginable challenges they face.”
This funding is part of the $45.2 million announced in the 2022 Budget for programs focusing on early intervention, access to specialized mental health services and creation of an online provincewide inventory of available services and supports for public safety personnel.
Overall, there was a 140% increase year-on-year in the number of employers struggling to manage poor mental health across their workforce, finds a survey of employers in Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, according to a previous report from the Peninsula Group.
Mental health support for first responders
MHS4PSP will also support the creation of an Anti-Stigma Strategy designed to remove potentially harmful stigmas around asking for help. Based on the findings of the Staying visible, staying connected, for life report, the goal of the strategy is to help create work environments where people feel confident to seek mental health support. It will include:
- A website with mental health resources specific to public safety personnel
- A leadership support network
- Training to equip leaders with the skills and knowledge to support mental health in their organizations
- Recommended mental health practices for organizations
Warrior Health will design and deliver the services and programs for the MHS4PSP program. Warrior Health represents a group of experts with over 300 years of experience to provide specialized mental health services and research for public safety personnel and their families.
The program initiatives and the Anti-Stigma Strategy will roll out in phases. A call for applications, inviting organizations to apply for funding under the grant, will be rolled out in early 2025.
The new initiative is important especially with the “unprecedented number of officers dying while serving their communities, both in the line of duty and because of the line of duty,” said Mark Baxter, president, Police Association of Ontario.
“It is so important for our members and their loved ones to have access to specialized mental health support when and where they need it. That’s why investments in mental health support by the provincial government, that put specialized supports in place for police personnel and first responders, are paramount,” he said.
“On behalf of the Police Association of Ontario and police service members from across the province, we are thankful to the government of Ontario’s ongoing commitment to supporting the physical and mental well-being of our police service personnel.”
Much-needed resource to combat mental health challenges
Chief Greg Sage, president, Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs, also recognized the importance of MHS4PSP.
“Paramedics and other public safety personnel are there for Ontarians in their most vulnerable moments, encountering situations that put them at a high risk for PTSD and other mental health challenges that can impair their ability to work and cope with day-to-day life. A specialized resource such as this is much needed and we’re pleased to see an emphasis on destigmatization as we know that is a major barrier to our peers seeking help."
Ontario is investing $3.8 billion over 10 years to fill gaps in mental health and addictions care, create new services and expand programs through Roadmap to Wellness.
As part of Budget 2024, Building a Better Ontario, the government is building on its work through the Roadmap by investing an additional $396 million over three years to improve access and expand existing mental health and addictions services and programs.
Ontario has invested up to $10.6 million in one-time capital funding for early capital planning to support first responders affected by work-related stress or trauma, including post-traumatic stress injury. The services are being planned for the Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Centre of Excellence for First Responders, with proposed sites located in Toronto and Caledon.
Other provinces – including British Columbia and Nova Scotia – have also previously announced more funding for mental health services for first responders.
