The Ohio Fire Academy (OFA) has partnered with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) this summer to provide two online events dedicated to preserving the mental health of Ohio's first responders.
Roundtable Discussion on First Responder Behavioral Health
On July 22, the OFA and OhioMHAS will host a roundtable discussion on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and peer support for the fire/EMS community. Speakers at this event include: Dr. Kathleen M. Chard, associate chief of staff for research and director of the Cincinnati VA Medical Center's Trauma Recovery Center; Steven M. Click, first responder liaison for OhioMHAS; and, Lt. Matt Askea with the Akron Fire Department.
This two-hour roundtable event will take place at 1 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. To register, click here.
Mental Health Summit for First Responders
Additionally, there will be a free online Mental Health Summit for First Responders on Aug. 26. The webinar will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will consist of several 60-minute sessions, including: effects of trauma, resilience and self-care, family issues and partnerships of mental health and first responder agencies.
This webinar is open to all fire, EMS, dispatch, law enforcement, corrections and support personnel, as well as their partners/spouses. To register for this event, click here.
