Mental Health Needs of Firefighters & Their Families
September 20, 2022 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm PDT
The SCPS Disaster Mental Health Relief Committee presents
The Mental Health Needs of Firefighters and Their Families
ONLINE: Tuesday, September 20, 2022
7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
with our speaker:
Steven F. Froehlich, Ph.D., MFT7666
Director of Behavioral Health & Lead Clinician,
Los Angeles County Fire Fighters Local 1014
Dr. Steve Froehlich will lead a presentation and panel discussion with Peer Support personnel (firefighters who have been trained to provide Peer Support).
This session is designed for clinicians interested in becoming culturally competent with the special needs of firefighters and their families. The fire service is a unique culture based on a paramilitary structure. From mass casualty incidents to the pain of a child dying in their arms, firefighters face horrors that few outside the profession can imagine, which can take its toll on even the strongest individuals. National surveys suggest nearly one in three firefighters has considered suicide and face struggles with intimate relationships. A white paper commissioned by the Ruderman Foundation has revealed that, “first responders (police and firefighters) are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.” Consequently, it is important that clinicians working with this population understand the unique culture and needs of firefighters and their families.