Mohamod Shaukat is an editing staff from Airdrie, Alta., and never imagined his career would become a curse, burdened with the things he witnessed on the job.
“You see things that the human mind is not programmed to see,” said Mohamod.
“I tried to leave everything at work, but eventually it started coming home.”
Over the years, it showed and he went into a rage. That was the day he sought help.
“I have never touched my wife so violently, but that day, I fear that this is how it started,” said Mohamod.
“There will be times when the police come to my house if I don’t get help.”
His wife Saira said his constant exposure to disturbances at work is affecting their family and she worries about him.
“You’ll see him going out into space and not enjoying family events like he used to,” she said.
“I could tell he was thinking, ‘Where’s the front door that I can run to? Can I trust the people here in this room? ‘”
READ MORE: First responders in Alberta can access free daily messages to support mental health
The couple has a young daughter and are working together to keep their family relationship strong. But both say there are not enough resources for first responders or their families.
“I wish he didn’t have to deal with this alone and had more resources available to people like him who are struggling to get the help they need,” Saira said.
“There needs to be more, the services – with the budget they have – are doing their best, but still not enough,” said Mohamod.
“Why react when we can do something now?”
According to Marie Pier Lécuyer, senior media relations adviser at CSC, the mental health and well-being of all Canadian Correction Service employees, including corrections officers and parole officers, is what top importance.
She says their work is appreciated and they work to support their employees by helping them maintain positive mental health.
“We have many initiatives related to mental health, including trauma mental health, to support all employees, such as employee assistance programs (EAP), management severe incident stress (CISM), return to work and adaptation obligations,” says Pier Lécuyer.
“In 2020, CSC conducted a one-day mental health preparatory training for all new CSC employees, including parole officers, to be conducted within six months. after hiring.”
Beyond the Blue is an organization for the partners of members of the Calgary Police Service. President Tara Ernst said the mental health of first responders and their families is more fragile than ever.
“We are in a critical situation right now,” Ernst said. “I can feel it from the families and from the officers, the stresses they have to deal with every day.”
Tara Ernst, President of Beyond the Blue.
Tom Andriuk / Global News
“If you are a father and have an incident with a child, you have no idea how it will affect you. It’s the stress of the job and the general negativity towards the police. ”
She hopes to be able to allocate more funding.
“A lot of officers are debating leaving and wondering why they are doing this job,” Ernst said.
“We are going to have a hard time recruiting new officers, and with families and officers having higher divorce rates and children with mental health issues, all of which are is a real possibility.”
The Calgary Police Service has a unit dedicated to frontline people and their families. Stacey Ferland, chief executive officer of healthcare and resilience, said demand is growing.
“We have a cutting-edge service that is both psychologically and physically advanced,” she said.
“We can be nice to family members and employees, but we always need more than that. That’s where the Calgary Police Service is standing. This is a priority, a priority is the happiness of our members. ”
Stacey Ferland, Executive Director, CPS Health and Resilience.
Tom Andriuk / Global News
Ferland said it has made great strides but is looking to grow its programs.
“We are one of the oldest and largest home mental health services for any law enforcement agency across North America,” she said. “We want to expand the services, so it’s not just talk therapy.
“There are other ways we can help people heal and thrive.”
The programs are in dire need of funding. Organizations like Maybe Praxis is helping veterans and first responders with healing.
They recently received $460,000 from Veterans Affairs Canada. Money goes to their Break the Cycle Family Program. Founder Steve Critchley says it’s welcome support for veterans but there’s a gap in committed funding for first responders.
“We constantly hear organizations talk about being a family,” he said. “Step up to prove it.
“Every month we have a husband and wife who commit suicide. Now we are hearing about children who commit suicide. That is not acceptable.
“We need to change this and we need to change it now.”
Steve Critchley, Founder of Can Praxis.
Tom Andriuk / Global News
He hopes city and federal governments step up.
“Families are free,” says Critchley. “The focus is on getting uniformed members back to work as quickly and as cheaply as possible.
“PTSD is a family affair. You are not living through PTSD as an individual – your family will absorb the trauma. ”
An upcoming fundraiser hosted by Kenn Borek Air will raise money for the first people to receive mental health support.
All proceeds will go to Can Praxis.
