When People Face a Mental Health Crisis, What’s the Best Response?
This article was published by PEW Trust Magazine on December 19, 2022. A black SUV pulls up to an empty storefront in Abilene, Texas, where a man is sleeping on the sidewalk. He looks to…
Policing in a Pandemic: Peer Support Webinar Series
In April 2020, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute began filming the “Policing in a Pandemic” virtual peer support series in partnership with the Caruth Police Institute. Guest speakers were invited to discuss topics such as…
Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute has compiled a list of resources from state and national organizations addressing exposure recommendations, organizational readiness and peer support for first responders. In communities across Texas, families are facing the…
Mental Health Awareness Month: A Focus on First Responders
In addition to May being Mental Health Awareness Month, May 11-15 is Police Week, with May 15 designated as Peace Officers’ Memorial Day. This coincidence of the calendar illustrates a real fact: the first responders…
MMHPI Co-Hosts “Policing in a Pandemic” Series with Caruth Police Institute
The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) and Caruth Police Institute (CPI) recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic represents one of the biggest policing challenges in modern times. At a time when people are taking measures…
The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) and Caruth Police Institute (CPI) recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic represents one of the biggest policing challenges in modern times.
At a time when people are taking measures to protect their family and loved ones from exposure to the coronavirus, first responders face the uncertainty of community exposure and in turn the fear of exposing their loved ones. In the midst of that, first responders are facing increased workloads and adapting to unique policing and emergency response models in a pandemic, something unprecedented in our state.
This can compound the dynamic nature of first responder stress and fatigue at a time when health, wellness, and resiliency are more critical than ever.
That’s why MMHPI and CPI have established the Policing in Pandemic Virtual Peer Networking Series, four weekly interactive online events featuring nationally recognized peer specialists, health and wellness experts, and first responder wellness providers. The digital platform provides an opportunity for officers to anonymously join online, share experiences, hear from their peers, and get real time resources to address the impact of the daily stress and uncertainty they are dealing with.
In this and other ways, MMHPI and CPI will continue working to help improve the lives of the brave men and women we all depend on to keep us safe during the midst of this unprecedented crisis.
