DEVENS — The mental health of first responders matters.
That fact has not been lost on Recovery Centers of America, Clear Path for Veterans New England, 49 North, Aware Recovery Care or Join Coalition on Health. To let first responders and peer support personnel know they’re not alone, the partners welcomed three retired members of the armed forces to share their presentation “Exploring Organizational and Individual Resilience.”
Those three were the 36th Chief of Staff to the U.S. Army General George Casey Jr., retired Brigadier General Rhonda Cornum, who was prisoner of war in 1991; and Master Resilience Trainer Chris Poe to Devens. The presentation focused on how trauma can impact one’s life and destigmatizing mental health concerns.
“Constant exposure to trauma, life-threatening situations, and the physical strain of working long hours on little to no sleep can negatively impact overall mental health. This lifestyle can increase vulnerability and the risk of substance use disorders. The experts provided tools to prevent burnout, substance use disorder, and mental health emergencies,” Recovery Centers of America said in a press release.
