First responders across Nova Scotia can now access First Responders Assist, a phone line that offers short-term counselling and supportive services in the wake of the spree shooting in Colchester County and the Municipality of East Hants over the weekend.
The Nova Scotia Health Authority initiative has just launched.
Callers should indicate they have been impacted by the tragedy, and they will be assessed from there.
Counselling, supportive services, and follow up treatment are all available.
Operational Stress Injury Clinic Health Services Manager Patrick Daigle says any first responder or family member is welcome to access the service.
“And that’s support in itself, right?” he noted. “So I mean, I always say that family members are just as important as the first responders sometimes because they’re the ones that are providing that support in many cases. They need to know how to handle those situations. So by calling out and kinda talking it out, they may be able to come up with some strategies in that support session.”
Daigle explains that first contact will be made with a clinician, who will triage based on needs.
“Some people might just need to express emotions like crying,” he said. ” They might not know why they’re calling but it felt right to call – and that’s ok. They might just need to talk it out and to hear that most likely what they’re experiencing right now is exactly what they should be experiencing and they need that validation.”
Daigle notes that despite the NSHA operating in pandemic protocol, there are still opportunities for face-to-face counselling.
“We do have video counselling supports available, and it’s kind of as being triaged. And that would probably be more for the follow-up care, if needed. With using our pandemic protocols, if needed, we would also see somebody in person.”
The First Responders Assist line is staffed by mental health professionals 24/7: 1-888-429-8167.
The number reaches The Provincial Mental Health Crisis Line which will triage needs as they come in, so anyone is welcome to call.
