The purpose of these wellness check-ins is to provide a “snapshot” of psychological functioning for each first responder in the agency. Results of the assessment allows an employee to decide whether they need to seek counseling or intervention for a wide variety of mental wellness issues.
Each employee is provided access to their own client portal through PRO Wellness Services, PLLC’s electronic medical records system (EMR). They will be instructed to fill out the following:
- Biopsychosocial Background Information Packet, including suicide risk assessment
- Consent form and Notice of Privacy Practices
- Release of Information to the Agency
- Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
- PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
- Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
- The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21)
Individual appointments will be made for the employees to meet with the psychologist for an interview, discussion of results, and provide any resources.
Individual answers and information provided in the biopsychosocial information packet and interview are held confidential and will not be released to the agency. Violations to confidentiality, per law, include (1) if an officer presents with imminent risk to themselves or others; (2) evidence of child abuse; and/or (3) evidence of elderly abuse. Each officer will fill out a release of information allowing the provider of these assessments to provide the agency with a brief summary report indicating that the officer arrived for the assessment and received resources for mental health wellness. This report will also note whether the officer was open and cooperative, failed to show for the assessment, or was uncooperative. Officers will be provided a summary report of their assessment results and a list of resources and possible referrals, if needed.