Armor Up! A Weekly Series

CEO Joseph Hunter, M.A. - Cycles of Change

Safe Call Now was off to Palmdale, CA this week to visit with Cycles of Change and met with an incredible staff.  What struck me immediately was their CEO Joseph Hunter, M.A. and his view on life, how he prepares his staff and how that translates to providing the most outstanding services to our first responders and their family members.  What really sets them apart is their ability to focus on healing the entire family and not just the impacted client.  He’s right, if the whole system isn’t treated it will break down again.  Their unique multiple modalities of treatment demonstrates to me that they’re not a “one size fits all” type of therapy and that the individual is truly placed first.  Clinical staff relates to clients on a “human” level which is a special gift in this arena.  They have dedicated facilities specific for first responders in California and have an office in Las Vegas as well.

Cycles of Change in conjunction with Safe Call Now offers a "FREE FAMILY PROGRAM" for first responders as well. Stress. Anxiety. Fear. Helplessness. Anger. Combine these emotions with mounting expenses related to property damage, legal trouble and hospital bills, and it’s easy to understand why family members often begin to feel hostile or resentful toward their loved ones.

“We believe that the family suffers just as much as the person that is affected. One of the things that sets us apart is that we are very family focused – we concentrate on getting the whole entire family to recover".

For more information call Darcy Yurek at: 661-902-8005 or email her at dyurek@cocrehab.com

Safe Call Now also launched in Partnership with Rosecrance its “Teen Program” this week.  This is a gap in the healthcare system that’s been overlooked for far too long.  Let's get honest after recent events, sometimes our children struggle. Whether it be with anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse or complex issues they can suffer just like the rest of us. They don't have to as we have a program specifically designed for their needs ages 13-20. Our children deserve this help. For more info and immediate help call:

Lisa Primm at 815-529-3907 or email her at lprimm@roscrance.org
 
Safe Call Now officially accepted and is #honored to be presenting at the Annual NAWLEE (National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives) Conference and LAWPOA Symposium in Los Angeles, CA on August 3^rd, 2018 to the finest members of the international law enforcement community. 

Off to Topeka, Kansas to Keynote at the Kansas Narcotics Officers Association Conference

#ArmorUp

Firefighters Do It Better...

By Metropolitan Alliance of Police Board Member John Holiday

That’s right I said it. In fact the small town volunteer fire departments do it best. What do they do? They take care of each other and themselves. They debrief after each critical incident they handle. They talk about what went when well, what went bad, and what images they would like to erase from their mind.

What do we do? We get back in our squad, by ourselves, and go to the same domestic battery call we go to every week. You know the one. The one where the couple wants you to fix 10 years of abuse in 5 minutes.

Sean Riley, the founder of Safe Call Now, recently spoke at our annual seminar.  He talked about how we are trained to do the job the vast majority of the population are unwilling or unable to do.

Think about it. There are 325 million people in the United States of which only 765,000 are sworn law enforcement officers. That’s 0.2%. We take 0.2% of the general population and train them to not think like the rest of the population.  We train your brain to do the exact opposite of what other people’s brains tell them to do. We train you to run toward the gunfire, run toward the danger, and go down into the dark basement where someone is screaming for help. We train you to have a “Warrior Mindset.” Then at the end of a 12 hour shift, we expect you to turn it all off, forget everything that happened, and go back and function with the other 99.8% of the population. We are very good at training you how to do the job, but we have zero training on how to go home at night. 

The #suckitptsd Campaign

Dr. Tania Glenn

The #suckitptsd campaign was started during the Summer of 2015 when a patient who was conquering PTSD sent this hashtag to Dr. Glenn via text on a day that was particularly monumental in her recovery. #suckitptsd became a mantra, a motto and a campaign that resulted in an overwhelming response from followers on Facebook and Twitter. 

Soon after the same patient created the prototype for the wrist band that is now bringing together a community of first responders, veterans and active duty military members who want to raise awareness, fight PTSD, encourage resilience and help others. If you would like wrist bands, please email Tania at tglenn@taniaglenn.com. Include a mailing address and the number of bands that you want. We fight this together!

The Isolation of Correctional Officers

By Dr. Olivia Johnson

The isolation of a job in corrections can leave many feeling out of sight and out of mind. And being out of sight and out of mind tends to allow certain things to go unaddressed. A general consensus I have noticed when talking with CO’s has been that they believe no one cares about their wellbeing and that workplace bullying and bad behavior is at an all time high. Just listening to these stories is enough to make you cry, but I have to ask: What is wrong with us that we have become so cold as to not care about a fellow officer? When did backstabbing, gossip, and all around bad behavior in the workplace become acceptable? Of course perception and reality may be two different things, but if so many CO’s are feeling this way, doesn’t that say something? If it doesn’t, it should.

Anyone accepting a position in corrections understands the threat of the criminal element, the idea that they could be injured or even killed by an inmate. That is reality. And no matter how sad this reality, what is often difficult for many CO’s to understand is how a co-worker, supervisor, or administrator could deliberately and sometimes, even with malice attack them verbally or mess with them just because they can. Sadly, many of these problematic individuals are able to continue this bad behavior without being addressed, disciplined, or terminated.  Call them what you want, but I call these individuals ‘workplace bullies.’

According to the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI, 2014) bullying by is “threatening, humiliating, or intimidating … work interference – sabotage which prevents work from getting done, or verbal abuse (p. 1). Even sadder than having to address workplace bullying, are the statistics WBI revealed. Twenty-seven percent of survey respondents indicated being victims of workplace bullying, either in the past or currently. Another 72 percent stated that they were aware of workplace bullying and sadly, bosses accounted for the highest number of workplace bullying incidents. Another 72 percent of “… employers deny, discount, encourage, rationalize, and defend it” (para. 2). A 2010 survey revealed some 13.7 million Americans said were currently being bullied at work, with the number around three times this for those bullied in the past (Riggio, 2011, as cited in Psychology Today). These numbers are alarming. If so many are victims and so many are aware of workplace bullying, what can be done to stop the bully and the bullying behavior before if affects workers, the organization, and the morale? 

Addiction Killed this Cop...

My Dear Friend Terry Marvin

I received a phone call the other morning at 5:00 am advising me that my dear friend and 28-year veteran of law enforcement Terry Marvin had died of a heroin overdose (2016 repost).  Of course the cop in me kicked in and I went straight to denial and then I started making phone calls to confirm his death knowing all the while it was true because that’s how addiction works.  I’ve seen much negative press written about Terry’s death which is being used from my perception as political fodder to further the agendas of others. I wanted to tell you about Terry and what he meant to me.  

Those of you that know me know I’m a pretty blunt person and not politically correct because it’s not who I am.  That being said, let’s get it out on the table, cut through the crap and call it for what it is; no need to sugarcoat it because addiction when left untreated usually results in jails, institutions and death!!!

Terry, like myself, was not without fault.  Yes, he got into trouble while on the job. Yes, he got a DUI and there were probably other things that went on I have no idea about.  I know through my own addiction and dealings with other human beings that many of us have a lot of “baggage” in our closets we keep hidden.  Although it’s human nature, our secrets keep us sick.  Having said that, who the hell am I to judge his life because I too, am an addict and know I am only one step away from his fate. 

I met Terry when he was the director of operations for a treatment center that serves first responders as well as others.  At first I didn’t return his calls, but he was persistent.  I decided to make the trip to see him and see what he’s all about.  He met me at the airport and there he was in his Miami Dolphins jersey waiting to pick me up.  I had an immediate connection with him. We were both cops, we both caused a lot of pain for ourselves and others and we were now both committed to helping those that serve.

#1stresponders... How Do You Know if You Have PTSD???

By Safe Call Now's Dr. Laura Brodie Ph.D.

National statistics report that six out of every ten males and five out of every ten females will experience a serious, traumatic event in their lives. Although the trauma may be painful to experience, not every person who goes through a trauma will develop PTSD. Statistics also say that only 7-8% of these people will develop PTSD.   That is a relatively low number in the general population. The exact statistics of how many first responders develop PTSD is not known but to compare, it is estimated that 30% of Vietnam veterans developed the disorder.  It certainly does occur and is painful and devastating when it does occur but there is also a phenomena that occurs where people simply assume that since the individual has been through a trauma, then they have PTSD.

Working in the mental health field and teaching doctoral students I see this a lot. Because there is a trauma, the therapist simply assumes that all of the problems the individual is having are due to that trauma and they slap the diagnosis of PTSD onto the person. This is wrong and harmful. None of an individual’s psychological issues are caused by one defining moment. Individuals are much more nuanced and multifaceted to have every problem come from one source. It may make the individual feel better initially to believe that if they simply solve the one problem they will be “fixed” but it is a naïve belief and they are soon letdown when not everything is fixed.

Having a reaction of horror or disbelief in the early stages of a trauma is normal. Many times it is abnormal not to have a reaction a strong reaction to trauma. To pathologize a normal emotion to an abnormal situation robs the individual of his own ability to synthesize the trauma into his own psyche and work it through.  It tells the individual there is something wrong with you for having a normal reaction.

Life of a Corrections Officer in Recovery

By Safe Call Now Peer Advocate Tammy Norton

The public watches many new TV episodes these days of “Orange is the New Black” or “Prison Break” and they wonder, what is it really like to work in a prison setting? Sean prompted me to write a piece for the blog and intimidated I was, not because I didn’t have plenty to say, I have worked in prison settings for the past 21 years-I just didn’t know how to say it.

When you hire on as that new Correctional Officer you never know until you walk through those gates that lock you in-and THEM out-how you are going to feel about this new career choice you have made. I have seen many new recruits turn around and head straight back out the gate once they heard the sounds of the locking mechanisms that are prevalent in my work environment-slam shut. T.V. can’t describe that feeling you get when you are outnumbered 200 to 1 and all you carry is a set of keys, a radio, and if you are lucky, a small canister of pepper spray.

In our profession, we manage the worst personalities that society has deemed unacceptable to maintain in a free environment and we place them all together. We are expected to act in a professional and non-judgmental demeanor to deal with individuals who have committed atrocities against children, other law enforcement officers or members of their communities and maintain safe and secure yet humane environments for them to reside-protecting them and us from each other when necessary.

Prescribing the Correct Medications to Our #1stresponders

By Safe Call Now Board Member Dr. Michael Genovese, MD, JD

As first responders do we know anything about medication when it is prescribed to us from our doctors?  The side effects, if it will actually work or not?  This is great information you need to know for your health and wellness.  Stay safe out there!!!

Dr. Michael V. Genovese, M.D., J.D.
 

With the advancement of medicine and the multitude of available options, psychiatrists face numerous challenges in tailoring the appropriate course of individualized treatment for patients. Pharmacogenomics is the study of how a person’s individual DNA affects his or her response to medications and a scientific method of evaluating which medications a patient is likely to tolerate. The primary role of pharmacogenomics is to develop rational means to optimize drug therapy, with respect to the patient’s genotype, to ensure maximum efficacy with minimal adverse effects.

There are many factors involved in the decision making process of administering medication such as efficacy, side effect profile, compliance, cost, family history, and the patient’s previous medication trials. Approximately 50% of patients do not respond to their initial medication treatment and up to 30% discontinue due to intolerable side effects. Additionally, nearly 70% of patients are non-adherent to their prescribed medication schedule, with adverse reactions representing the most common cause. The statistics reveal the demand for an individualized approach to patient care and a treatment plan specific to the patient’s needs.

Pharmacogenomics provides an evidence-based approach to improving customized treatment outcomes. This personalized approach to medicine is safe and easy to accomplish. It minimizes patient frustration associated with a trial and error approach to pharmacology. Testing a patient is as simple as collecting cells from the inside of the cheek with a cotton swab. The cells are sent to a lab and results are generally available within a week. A detailed report provides patient specific information regarding the genes that code for enzymes that are responsible for metabolizing medication and regulating its activity at the neuron.

For #1stresponders... Is It Burnout or Depression???

By Safe Call Now's Dr. Laura Brodie Ph.D.

Something that is not recognized by many in the civilian world is that our First Responders as a whole are more psychologically healthy than the general population at the time of hiring. How can I say this?  Well, very few careers require the psychological screening and assessment that First Responders have to pass in order to obtain their job.  In doing such a screening, the hope is to protect the public from someone who is unsafe, but the hidden benefit is to hopefully protect the individual doing the job from many of the psychological disorders that can develop from this type of work.  So, if we use the premise that First Responders are more psychologically healthy than their civilian counterpart, why are we seeing the psychological problems we are seeing within First Responders?   Problems like substance abuse, high divorce rates and suicide?  Theoretically, this should not be happening, but it is rampant. Why?

Mental health professionals are very familiar with issues such as depression and have many tools in their therapeutic toolbox to help. What they are not nearly as educated in understanding is the environment of the First Responder and the issue of burnout.  Research has shown that the leading cause of stress in First Responders is not the day to day rescues and arrests they perform.  Those chores are why the individual signed up to do the job and there is clear understanding of those tasks through the academies and ongoing training.  What is not spoken of is the organizational stress that is killing First Responders. Yes, it’s the slow, ongoing, and constant organizational stress that is doing more damage to our First Responders than any other factor within the job.  As a professor, I have chaired several dissertations that have shown this stress and the gradual breakdown of the individual does not depend on the age, sex or rank of the individual. It appears that the seven-year mark is where the stress can eventually become the most significant issue for the individual and coping breaks down.

Organizational stress is from the departments and the fall out from the public. It is the gradual wearing down of the individual in all the tasks that have to be done to cover one’s posterior through paperwork, to handle the misconceptions and accusations of the media and public and the management of troops when management classes and courses are not offered as a way to help the individual learn how to manage.  Moving up the ranks many times is based on how one does the First Responder job, not how one manages people. These are two different tasks and require a different set of people skills. Both the manager and those below are set up to fail in system that does not allow the training of management of personnel to be as important as the training to fire a weapon, put out a fire or rescue a trapped person. It is set up to fail. 

Cop Dreams...

By Safe Call Now Board Member Betsy Smith

I wrote an article a few years ago for PoliceOne.com titled “Cop Dreams.”  The feedback was immediate and unexpected.  So many people were surprised to find out that they weren’t alone in experiencing these vivid, sometimes terrorizing dreams, and it wasn’t just the cops who were having them. 

When I was a high school senior I worked evenings as a police dispatcher for my local sheriff’s department.  One night I had a terrible nightmare. It was so real!  One of my deputies was yelling for backup but no matter how many times I pushed the “transmit” button, I couldn’t call for another unit. I was unable to speak.  The phones didn’t work.  I was completely helpless.  I woke up sweating and terrified.  I wasn’t even a cop yet, and I’d just had my first “cop dream.”  

There is no exact science when it comes to the study of dreams. We dream between 90 and 120 minutes per night, depending on how long we sleep.  We tend to only remember the last dream we had, unless you have reoccurring dreams, which are pretty common in both humans and in animals.  Sometimes I watch my dog Marley twitch, whine, and pant while he naps.  I often wonder if he’s reliving some of the terrible abuse he suffered before we rescued him.  Humans obviously suffer similar emotionally difficult dreams.  The top five most common dreams for humans are:

• I’m Being Chased
• I’m Falling
• I’m Lost or Unprepared
• I’m Naked in Public
• My Teeth Are Falling Out (how weird is that?!)

Law enforcement personnel also tend to have similar, reoccurring dreams.  We once took a totally unscientific and unofficial Facebook poll on the “JD Buck Savage” fan page and we found that the top five “cop dreams” are some variation of:

• No Matter How Hard I Try, I Can’t Pull the Trigger
• I Fire My Gun, and the Round “Dribbles” Out of the Barrel
• I Need to Run Somewhere but I Can’t Move
• I Can’t Get to My Gun, My Ammo, or My Holster is Empty
• I Fire and Fire and Fire and the Rounds do Nothing

Secondary PTSD...

By Robert Rabe

Every critical incident has similarities, and differences.  In addition, every law enforcement officer's reaction to an incident is individual as well.  Some officers go through the process of integrating the experience into their psyche without difficulty.  Usually this is with the help of others (peer group counseling, debriefings).  It is difficult to an effectively process an incident alone.  The family is one of the primary contacts for processing stressful incidents. But what can the family possibly do to help the officer?  

The family can make sure that nothing is overlooked, especially, if medication is needed.  But sometimes medication or even intervention isn't enough.  If the officer has become sullen and melancholy, they are a different person than before the critical incident and onset of PTSD.  At this point, the family becomes the secondary victim, and loyalty is tested.  The spouse and the children can suffer from secondary PTSD, which is not widely recognized or discussed in the mainstream media.  Secondary PTSD is based on the concept, that those who care for or interact with the primary individual who suffers from PTSD, can also become traumatized.

Secondary PTSD results from having knowledge of a critical incident experienced by another individual and the stress from helping.  Secondary PTSD is nearly identical to PTSD except the exposure to the critical incident is indirect. Today, many law enforcement personnel and their families suffer from PTSD and the battle that rages within. But the good news is that PTSD and Secondary PTSD are treatable.  The next step is helping families to learn the characteristics of Secondary PTSD and where to look for help.  

Characteristics of Secondary PTSD Checklist:

(Dr. Oscar Ramirez)

FEAR:

Spouse fears what might happen the next time the officer has another fit of rage.

Spouse fears the officer will someday leave and abandon the family and never come back.

Spouse fears what might happen to the officer when they are not home.

Spouse fears “middle of the night surprises."

Spouse feels "if just one more thing happens, I'll lose my mind."

Safe Call Now's "RAM" Program is Saving #1stresponders Like No Other

Safe Call Now

Safe Call Now is honored to announce our "RAM" Program (Rapid Assessment Mitigation) "The only complete and comprehensive continuum of care program for First Responders in America" that is either fully or partially covered by the first responders insurance.

For the first time in the history of the treatment and the healthcare industry Safe Call Now will be able to not only provide the premier 24 hour crisis referral services nationwide, national award winning training... we now have the ability to genetically test your DNA (pharmacogenetics) and blood for proper medications and predictor markers for PTSD, anxiety, depression, cardio, cancer and many more (which starts May 9th in Seattle, WA) through Onsite Integrated Wellness.

Safe Call now in conjunction with Ken Seeley Communities has developed a two week intensive workshop for first responders that has already been conducted and proven successful in the areas of PTSD, anxiety, depression, family of origin, relationship issues and many more topics.

We've always had the most outstanding substance abuse and mental health treatment providers available in America for first responders and we're proud to announce that all of our facilities have been trained by Safe Call Now. We also have online intensive outpatient services available to those first responders due to the many reasons they may not be able to attend a formal outpatient setting.  Bayside Marin - The Premier Recovery Center, Sierra Tucson Treatment Center,  La Hacienda Treatment Center, Warriors Heart, 360 Wellness, and Ken Seeley Communities continue to provide outstanding life saving treatment for those who serve

We're very excited to announce that Safe Call Now is launching our Family Program for all first responders and their family members that is like nothing anyone has ever seen before. The success of our first responders will always be in "Case Management". What happens after therapy or treatment? Plans, models and aftercare are prepared specifically for the first responders and their family members that are proven scientifically to increase the long term health and wellness of first responders.

Lastly (there will be more to come) Safe Call Now has created an accreditation program for all departments nationwide to become a model agency in the area of health and wellness through our policies and procedures which have been developed by the leaders in the industry. Look out for more to come... The world is a changing. Stay safe out there.