Program to provide ‘critical’ mental-health support to cops

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Police across the province will soon have more mental-health support available to them thanks to an “innovative” project bankrolled by Ontario’s Skills Development Fund.

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The provincial government announced it had earmarked $2.7 million to train about 160 peer support workers through the SDF’s training stream to provide better mental-health support to the thousands of officers across Ontario.

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Premier Doug Ford said the funding will provide “critical mental-health support for our men and women in uniform to help them face the significant challenges and occupational stress that come with the job.

“The brave men and women in our police services put their lives on the line to keep Ontario communities safe and our government is proud to support them,” Ford said.

The announcement came less than a week after the first Ontario Police Suicide Memorial was held at Queen’s Park, where those who have died “because of the line of duty” were honoured.

Get A-Head Inc., a company that helps create efficiencies in the care process through secure text, audio and video sessions, is leading the project, which will introduce a digital platform to help peer support workers provide mental-health care to police service employees and their families.

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The platform will use AI and other “cutting-edge technology” to “make it easier for peer support workers to identify colleagues in distress and deliver care better tailored to their needs.

“Our police officers put their lives on the line daily to serve and protect the people of Ontario,” Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister David Piccini said. “We know this can lead to trauma and mental-health challenges for these heroes.

“By investing in training and upskilling for police peer support workers, we are helping to make sure they have the latest tools to provide the best mental-health support to our first responders.”

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Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah applauded the announcement, saying it will better support the more than 2,000 officers under his command.

“We are pleased to participate in initiatives that support our members’ mental health and well-being and to contribute to the work that Keel Digital Solution Mind and Get A-Head are doing,” he said.

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