Overview
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The mental health and wellbeing of first responders has been in the spotlight since 2016, with the release of the beyondblue Good Practice Framework for Mental Health and Wellbeing for First Responder Organisations. In the three years following, first responder agencies have begun to develop robust mental health strategies and have started to tackle the stigma against mental health. However, the number of first responders experiencing mental illness remains alarmingly high and has resulted in the announcement of a Federal Senate Inquiry earlier this year. Agencies are still struggling to sustain cultural change and accurately evaluate the impact of their wellbeing initiatives.
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Join experts, researchers and leading first responder agencies at the 3rd Annual Mental Health Strategies for First Responders conference. Take away updates on the latest research including the findings and recommendations from of the beyondblue National Mental Health & Wellbeing Study of Police & Emergency Services, and learn practical strategies to proactively build resilience and positive wellbeing, grow a culture of support rather than stigma, and improve your mental health & wellbeing strategy.
- Transform culture from the coalface to the executive
- Engage leadership & gain organisational buy in by demonstrating the value of investing in mental health
- Build a supportive workplace by addressing the negative impacts of stigma & bullying
- Proactively focus on mental wellbeing and normalise conversations around mental health
- Adopt & tailor the latest research and findings about mental health in your ongoing initiatives
- Measure & evaluate the impact of mental health strategies through an evidence based approach
Attend & learn how to
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Who will attend?
Emergency services including Police, Ambulance, Fire and Rescue, State Emergency Services, Defence and other agencies exposed to first response trauma
- People & Culture
- Strategic Performance
- Human Resources
- Operations
Commissioners, CEOs & other Senior Executives responsible for:
- Occupational Health & Safety
- Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Counselling
- Peer Support
- Psychological Services
- Employee Assistance (EAPs)
Operational Management responsible for:
Attend to learn:
- Engage leadership, change culture & grow a whole of organisation approach
- Share insights from research & best practice around the world
- Drive a proactive approach to mental wellbeing & build resilience
- Develop, measure & improve mental health strategies
Agenda Highlights
Day 1
- Senator Address: Understanding & prioritising mental health for first responders
- Leadership Panel Discussion: Mental health strategies from the coalface to the executive
- Answering the call – The National Mental Health and Wellbeing Study of Police and Emergency Services
- Latest developments in treating PTSD in first responders
Key Speakers
beyondblue
James Maskey is the National Engagement Manager of the Police and Emergency Services Program at beyondblue, an independent not‐for‐profit organisation that provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health.
The Police and Emergency Services Program aims to promote the positive mental health of emergency service personnel across Australia and reduce their risk of suicide and mental illness through collaboration between agencies, unions, peak bodies and government departments.
A graduate of the Bond University Law Faculty and Griffith University Department of Humanities, James is also a retired front-line Queensland Police Officer with a service history including General Duties, The Police Citizen’s Youth Club and the highly regarded Child Protection & Investigation Unit. During the course of his duties, James responded to countless critical incidents, murders, suicides, home invasions, domestic violence incidents, fatal traffic crashes and serious sexual assaults.
Constant exposure to these critical incidents negatively impacted James’ mental health and in 2013 James was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In 2015, James made the difficult but empowering decision to resign from the Queensland Police Service in an effort to reclaim his mental health.
James is incredibly passionate about changing the stigma that surrounds mental health, raising the profile of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and empowering those who suffer from the debilitating mental health challenges to seek the support of professionals who can help them recover.
Emergency Management Victoria
Andrew Crisp APM is Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner. The Emergency Management Commissioner has overall responsibility for coordination before, during and after major emergencies, including the management of consequences of an emergency.
Andrew has almost 40 years’ policing experience in roles focused on community safety across metropolitan and regional Victoria and overseas, including key emergency management leadership positions, such as the Assistant Commissioner of State Emergencies and Security Command. During this time, he has been involved in the response to a number of major incidents, such as the Ash Wednesday Bushfires, the 2009 Victorian Bushfires, Christchurch earthquake and Queensland floods.
Prior to his role as the former Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations, Andrew’s responsibilities included a specialist command that focused on counterterrorism, countering violent extremism, critical infrastructure protection and emergency management coordination.
Andrew has worked closely with fire agencies and other emergency management agencies and departments for a number of years. He has also been a member of the State Emergency Management Team and the State Coordination Team.
Ambulance Victoria
Tony Walker is Chief Executive Officer of Ambulance Victoria. He has over 30 years’ experience working in a range of senior clinical governance, education and operational roles and holds an adjunct appointment as Associate Professor in the College of Health and Biomedicine at Victoria University. Tony is a Fellow of Paramedics Australasia, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and Board member of the Emergency Services Foundation, the Council of Ambulance Authorities and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. He is a recipient of the Ambulance Service Medal (ASM) for his contribution to the development of ambulance services at a state and national level.
New Zealand Fire & Emergency
Sponsors
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The Road HomeThe Road Home (formerly Foundation Daw Park at the Repatriation General Hospital in South Australia) raises awareness and funds to support health and wellbeing research and programs into conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress for Australia’s veterans, emergency service personnel and their families.
A key brand of The Hospital Research Foundation Group, since 2015 The Road Home has provided $1.4 million in funding for research and programs that deliver optimal models of care and health outcomes on a national scale. It is a key supporter and coordinator of the Australian Centre of Excellence for Post-Traumatic Stress (ACEPTS) – the first of its type in Australia. The Centre enables researchers working on interventional therapies to work closely with patients and staff at the $15 million Jamie Larcombe Centre at Glenside, South Australia. Researchers from all over Australia and the world collaboratively undertake research to benefit the health and wellbeing of veterans reducing duplication of work, enhancing research outcomes and ultimately creating greater efficiency for research funding.
Complementing this important research, The Road Home also runs a popular research-backed Wellbeing Program that supports veterans and emergency service personnel from transition from the front line and/or injury to the next stage of life thanks to a large peer support community and activities such as cycling, art activities, art therapy, surf kayaking, archery and swimming to name a few. In collaboration with the University of South Australia, The Road Home also runs the Invictus Pathways Program for veterans aspiring to compete in the Invictus Games.
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Gallagher BassettGallagher Bassett is Australia and New Zealand’s largest multi-disciplinary third party claims administrator. Drawing on our global network and extensive local resources, Gallagher Bassett provides customised claim and risk mitigation solutions that improve our clients’ outcomes.
GB provides a full range of claims management and administration services, specialising in general insurance, workers’ compensation, self insurance, life and health and consulting and audit.
With offices in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Darwin, Perth and New Zealand, and a team of more than 900 claims management experts, GB provides a unique suite of claims and policy management and related consultancy and technical services.
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Police HealthTwo private health funds- One purpose…you
Nothing is more important to us than the health and wellbeing of the first responders of Australia and their families.
We’re Police Health & Emergency Service Health–established in response to a need, and requests, for the first responders of Australia.
We’ve been looking after those on the front line, and their families too, for over 80 years – and we’re proud of the reputation we’ve built by putting our members first.
If you’ve chosen a career in policing or emergency services, your health needs – both physical and mental – and the health needs of your family, are different to others. That’s why our cover is like no other.We only offer the best – because we believe anything less would be a disservice to you.
Our cover is designed to be used – not for the tragic (though that’s when you’ll really know our worth), but for the everyday things that keep you healthy in body and mind and out there protecting the rest of us.
We’re about value for money, unparalleled benefits, exceptional service and ultimate peace of mind.
Find out why over 57,000 of the policing community already choose to insure with us
What People Are Saying
Blog
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Date: 1 Aug 2019 By: Criterion Content Team
In a world-first study, the Black Dog Institute has revealed promising strategies for embedding psychological resilience in emergency service workers and first responders. There are over 80,000 fulltime emergency workers in Australia. By definition their roles entail highly challenging working conditions and regular exposure to traumatic incidents. Over half of emergency service responders have experienced …
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Date: 9 Jan 2017 By: Katherine Kingsle
After surveying over 450 current and former police officers and their families, an independent review into the mental health provisions of Victoria Police revealed a deeply entrenched ‘suck it up’ mentality. This is but one of many reports released in the past year addressing the mental health of first responders and emergency services. The nature …
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Date: 8 Dec 2016 By: Katherine Kingsle
An intensive report released by Price Waterhouse Coopers has revealed that mental health is costing Australian businesses up to $10.9 billion a year. Compensation claims continue to be one the greatest costs to most businesses, costing up to $146 billion a year, but are you aware of the hidden costs? Price Waterhouse Coopers have identified …
Endorsers & Media Partners
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Black Dog Insitute -
Phoenix Australia