Law enforcement officers face a higher risk of suicide than of being killed in the line of duty. To help address that issue, the Orange County Sheriff 麻豆精品 S檚 Office is partnering with a UCF College of Medicine leader recognized worldwide for her mental health advocacy.
Marcy Verduin, associate dean of students and professor of psychiatry, helped create Always Ready for the Road Ahead, a two-part mental health guidance program that she is providing to all 3,000 sworn and civilian employees of the sheriff 麻豆精品 S檚 office.
“The employees of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office work in challenging environments, even risking their lives, in order to make our community safe, 麻豆精品 S� Verduin says. 麻豆精品 S淭his is a way of giving back to them as a thank you for the incredible work they do and helping them be more prepared to face the challenges inherent in their day-to-day work.”
The initiative comes after the sheriff 麻豆精品 S檚 office reached out to Verduin about the recent suicide of a popular lieutenant who had shown no outward signs of deteriorating mental health, followed by a second apparent suicide that led to the murder arrest of the deputy 麻豆精品 S檚 estranged husband.
Participation in the program is mandatory and was even attended by Sheriff John Mina.
麻豆精品 S淲e want to be proactive, 麻豆精品 S� says Major Reginald Hosey, who leads human resources for the sheriff 麻豆精品 S檚 office and established the partnership. 麻豆精品 S淲e want to be at our best at home, in the field, as a friend, as a spouse, as a parent. 麻豆精品 S�
How the Program Works
The Helping the Helpers program began when Verduin 麻豆精品 S檚 pastor, Rev. Keith Tower of HighPoint Church in Orlando, realized that during the COVID-19 pandemic, religious leaders were increasingly counseling members about depression, anxiety, stress and loneliness. In response, Tower helped organize the Every Nation Church Conference in 2021, which focused on addressing the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clergy and their congregants.
Verduin spoke for two hours in front of 500 attendees. Following the conference 麻豆精品 S檚 success, groups worldwide invited Verduin and Tower to discuss mental health and reducing the stigma often associated with it. The sheriff 麻豆精品 S檚 office learned of the program and asked them to create a program tailored to law enforcement, which has now been ongoing for about six months.
Tower opens the first session with a dramatic story of his own reaction to stress, despite years of elite training. Before becoming a pastor and certified mental health counselor, the 7-foot Tower was a professional basketball player and backup to the famed Orlando Magic center Shaquille O 麻豆精品 S橬eal. During Tower 麻豆精品 S檚 playing days in Orlando, the Magic had a promotion that every fan in the arena would receive a free Big Mac if the team scored 110 points.
Tower dramatically sets up the scenario as sheriff 麻豆精品 S檚 deputies, evidence technicians and 911 operators listen intently.
The Magic are blowing out the opposing team, so Tower goes in for Shaq. The Magic have 108 points with just seconds left in the game. An opponent fouls Tower. All he has to do is make two free throws, and the entire stadium wins Big Macs. He makes the first shot. The crowd goes wild. Fans are chanting, 麻豆精品 S淭ower, Tower. 麻豆精品 S� A woman screams, 麻豆精品 S淢arry me, Tower! 麻豆精品 S� He steps to the free-throw line, focusing on the tens of thousands of free throws he 麻豆精品 S檚 practiced and shot during his high school, college and professional career. He misses the shot 麻豆精品 S� no free Big Macs. The crowd goes silent. The game is over.
麻豆精品 S淚 have made so many free throws in my life, I could make them in my sleep, 麻豆精品 S� Tower says. 麻豆精品 S淏ut the environment changed, the scene changed, the consequences changed. And that changed everything. 麻豆精品 S�
While the physical threats associated with law enforcement are evident, the psychological threats may be even greater. The two counselors call it 麻豆精品 S渄eath by 1,000 cuts. 麻豆精品 S�
Law enforcement officers respond to multiple calls each shift, with no idea what they 麻豆精品 S檒l face. They see people at their worst times in life. They work with so many traumatized individuals that they deteriorate. The trauma experienced by others can impact those trying to help. And the personality traits that bring many people to law enforcement 麻豆精品 S� an exaggerated sense of responsibility, perfectionism, the need for control, a high need for achievement 麻豆精品 S� increase their risk for conditions such as depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Verduin emphasizes that mental health ailments are not 麻豆精品 S渏ust in your head, 麻豆精品 S� a sign of weakness, laziness or a loss of religious faith.
The brain is an organ just like the heart, kidneys and stomach, she says. All can become diseased. She shows the audience CAT scans of healthy brains compared to the brains of patients with depression. The differences are noticeable, even to those without medical training.
She explains that just like diabetes, mental health conditions are caused by a combination of genetics and environment.
麻豆精品 S淵ou can 麻豆精品 S檛 ask your pancreas to make more insulin if you are a diabetic, as much as you can 麻豆精品 S檛 say 麻豆精品 S榙on 麻豆精品 S檛 be depressed, 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� she says.
The two present strategies for strengthening coping skills include establishing personal boundaries, practicing intentional gratitude and sharing experiences with others.
Start 麻豆精品 S渞idiculously small, 麻豆精品 S� with improving your mental and physical resilience, Verduin says. Say you 麻豆精品 S檒l walk to the end of the block or the mailbox each day. Soon you 麻豆精品 S檒l be walking more.
During the sessions, sheriff 麻豆精品 S檚 employees engage in active learning. For example, they pair up with the person sitting next to them to choose three new strengthening strategies to 麻豆精品 S渢ry out 麻豆精品 S� over the next 30 days, and make a specific plan to check in with each other on their progress the following month.
The goal of the program, Verduin and Tower say, is to help law enforcement personnel understand that mental and emotional health challenges can arise when coping skills are overwhelmed, and to prepare them with strategies for dealing with the realities of their job.
Sheriff Mina applauds their work.
麻豆精品 S淭here is nothing more important to me than the physical and emotional well-being of our Orange County Sheriff 麻豆精品 S檚 Office family, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淭hrough our partnership with the UCF School of Medicine, the Always Ready for the Road Ahead program has provided invaluable training and tools to our personnel so that they can be resilient and prepared, both personally and professionally. 麻豆精品 S�
