Your comments about this resolution would be greatly appreciated.
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WHEREAS the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Act allows employees in Ontario to acquire benefits for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”), and
WHEREAS the Ontario Workplace Safety & Insurance Board Operational Policy 15-03-02, entitled Traumatic Mental Stress outlines the guidelines to acquiring such benefits under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, and
WHEREAS in order to gain benefits under the Act, the Operational Policy outlines that an employee must have experienced a sudden and unexpected event to occur, and
WHEREAS a sudden and unexpected traumatic event is outlined in Operational Policy 15-03-02 includes the following:
1. witnessing a fatality or a horrific accident
2. witnessing or being the object of an armed robbery
3. witnessing or being the object of a hostage-taking
4. being the object of physical violence
5. being the object of death threats
6. being the object of threats of physical violence where the worker believes the threats are serious and harmful to self or others (e.g., bomb threats or confronted with a weapon)
7. being the object of harassment that includes physical violence or threats of physical violence (e.g., the escalation of verbal abuse into traumatic physical abuse)
8. being the object of harassment that includes being placed in a life-threatening or potentially life-threatening situation (e.g., tampering with safety equipment; causing the worker to do something dangerous), and
WHEREAS it is, in fact, expected that police personnel will witness traumatic events in the course of their duties, and
WHEREAS there is an increase of claims for PTSD involving police personnel and this is creating an economic hardship and staffing problems for police employers, and
WHEREAS it is expected that some officers and police personnel may encounter PTSD, and
WHEREAS the Workplace Safety & Insurance Act and Operational Policy 15-03-02 was never intended to be interpreted in such a manner that police officers and police personnel were not expected to be faced with traumatic events, and
WHEREAS police officers and police personnel receive training with regard to traumatic events prior to graduating from the Ontario Police College and during their on the job training, and
WHEREAS serving police officers and police personnel have the benefit of employee assistance programs (EAP) within their existing workplace, and
WHEREAS the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police continues to work with the Government of Ontario within the parameters of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, to develop strategies to reduce the overall number of PTSD claims, and secondly, for those suffering from PTSD, to develop procedures and practices which allow members to receive their ongoing and appropriate treatment within the workplace, and
WHEREAS the Police Association of Ontario is calling upon the Government of Ontario to allow for presumptive legislation with respect to PTSD claims.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the Government of Ontario to strike a formal working group of the key stakeholders, including the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards, Police Association of Ontario, Ontario Provincial Police Association, Toronto Police Association, Ontario Senior Officers Association, and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police to:
1. explore the issues around any such proposed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and Operational Policy 15-03-02, and
2. work with government officials and the medical community to develop an appropriate diagnostic tool with respect to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, specifically for police officers and police personnel, and
3. develop an awareness campaign with respect to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and its effects in policing.
Bruce, on behalf of the Tema Conter Memorial Trust, we’d like you to know that we support you 100%. We are formulating an official letter to the OACP in response to this issue. Please contact us any time at 1.888.288.8036 or visit our website at http://www.tema.ca.
Sadly, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) created this ill-thought out resolution in June 2010 at their Annual General Conference with great haste in what appeared to be an attempt to offset their concerns of the Ontario Ombudsman’s investigation regarding Police and PTSD. This resolution is an affront to all officers , retirees, Auxiliary police and their families suffering from PTSD or who may become victimized by it. The OACP Resolution clearly indicates that:
1. Quote: “People join police services knowing that they will witness bad scenes and incidents.” Unquote
• Does this means that you simply accept PTSD as a lesser police injury compared to being shot unexpectedly or run down by an impaired driver?
2. OACP acknowledges:
Quote “… there is an increase of claims for PTSD involving police personnel and this is creating an economic hardship and staffing problems for police employers” Unquote
• Clearly, the concern of the OACP reflects upon the issue of the costs to the police services which is affecting the organization for operational expenses and staffing issues. They have failed to even acknowledge the terrible toll that this illness takes upon the police worker or their families… almost like they are incidentals in their concern.
3. Police officers receive training for PTSD and thus the reasoning is that this should prevent problems.
• A person can take a course on “Rape & Sexual Abuse” also, but they will still be traumatized if it should happen to them! Training does not prevent such mental reactions from occurring but may in some instances decrease the intensity of the incident.
4. The OACP stated in their resolution:
Quote: “…for those suffering from PTSD, to develop procedures and practices which allow members to receive their ongoing and appropriate treatment within the workplace.” Unquote
• This is like insisting that a rape victim be rehabilitated where the assault took place. Should this not be for qualified medical personnel to decide? Of course this would save the police service money!
5. The OACP advises they continue to work with the Government of Ontario and yet they recently wrote in their mail-out to their OACP members on November 19, 2010 that the OACP still cannot get cooperation from the Government of Ontario and are in fact… not working together!
Information entitled “This Week @ Queen’s Park” sent from OACP on Nov 19, 2010:
Quote: “OACP Staff discussed with senior Ministry of Labour (MOL) staff the issue of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and specifically OACP‘s call for a MOL-led Working Group to (1) develop a police-specific diagnostic tool, and (2) education initiatives to assist our police personnel understand and seek help on PTSD issues. With other policing stakeholders ready to come to the table, only MOL’s (Ministry of Labour) thumbs up is needed. Still, we wait…” Unquote
6. The OACP Resolution states:
Quote
…the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the Government of Ontario to strike a formal working group of the key stakeholders, including the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards, Police Association of Ontario, Ontario Provincial Police Association, Toronto Police Association, Ontario Senior Officers Association, and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police…” Unquote
• Note: No PTSD sufferers, nor PTSD organizations such as Tema Conter Trust or Badge of Life, etc that assist in the actual aid to Police PTSD sufferers and education or medical organizations have been invited to participate. I specifically asked, if for instance, I might sit on the OACP PTSD Committee to offer my thoughts on behalf of PTSD sufferers. I was told that I would only be advised of the results of their efforts once completed. All my offers to address any of the above mentioned police association Boards of Directors or their Annual General Meetings have meant with total resistance. It was hoped to bring to their attention concerns of those actually affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder… the police worker and their families.
7. The three actual recommendations for this Resolution of the OACP are as follows:
• “explore the issues around any such proposed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and Operational Policy 15-03-02, and…”
1. Comment:
a. This appears to be nothing more than stalling tactics due to the extreme time frame that this has already been an issue for the OACP.
• “work with government officials and the medical community to develop an appropriate diagnostic tool with respect to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, specifically for police officers and police personnel, and…”
1. Comment:
a. The diagnostic tool that is already in existence and properly prepared to form a diagnostic response is called… a Psychiatrist!
2. Comment:
a. My research from four psychiatrists all commented that there is NO DIFFERENCE between PTSD for police vs fire vs EMS personnel!
• “develop an awareness campaign with respect to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and its effects in policing.”
1. Comment:
a. Why after all these years of officers and their families suffering, do the Chiefs finally believe an awareness campaign is required? Once again, this appears to be simply an indicator to the Ombudsman that they are feebly attempting to address the issue of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder!
In view of this resolution of the OACP, it clearly demonstrates why as many members and their families need to contact the Ontario Ombudsman to ask that change be forced upon the police leadership within Ontario in the same manner that changed the Canadian Armed Forces. General Romeo Dallaire was an inspiration to all Canadians who would not accept that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was simply an illness. As he emphasizes… “It is an Injury!”
Thanks to the efforts of the Armed Forces Ombudsman, of the day, Mr. Andre Marrin, changes were forced upon the Canadian Armed Forces to address PTSD about 15 years ago. This same man is now the Ombudsman of Ontario and quite obviously, change must now be forced upon the police leadership of Ontario.
As a final note, reading the resolution over very carefully, you will observe that retirees and their families nor Auxiliary Police are not even mentioned nor considered in any action of the OACP, other Associations nor the Government of Ontario. This too must change!
No longer should PTSD be… “The Loneliest Injury in Policing”!
“The Job” creates more stress sometimes than officers encounter on the streets. When a police suicide occurs, supervisors are quick to blame the spouse, financial hardships, personal weakness, and other non-job-related scapegoats.
When will chiefs of police and police administrations realize that the culture they preside over is *the* cause of overwhelming job stress that is a causative factor in officers’ suicides? Mental health in policing – as part of training – must be taught from Day One in Police Academies, and it should become a natural part of the police culture.
Stress-resistant officers are made – not born.
I agree that PTSD is PTSD, and one’s employer has nothing to do with it. However, I see part of the problem that the police chiefs are dealing with coming from the health care system. PTSD is over diagnosed, much like ADD. Do you have any idea how many kids are running around doped up on Ritalin, who do NOT have ADD? But it’s an easy, and in vogue diagnosis, and oodles of kids are being assigned this diagnosis, and are being thusly medicated.
With respect to PTSD, I’ve seen a similar response to that of ADD diagnoses when it comes to women – anything that’s unpleasant and involves a man must have been so horrible, that it caused you to have PTSD. Umm…nope. But this knee jerk reaction is part of the problem, as I see it anyway. Additionally, if an employer will pay for six therapy sessions for treatment of a stress or anxiety related diagnosis, but will pay for 20 sessions for a PTSD diagnosis, there are therapists who will opt to assign a PTSD diagnosis in order to get the extra coverage for the treatment of the stress or anxiety.
If we had decent mental health coverage in this country these kinds of things wouldn’t happen – in my humble opinion, anyway.
Posted For: D.P. Ontario, Canada
D.P. raises some points that are interesting but do, so typically, he lacks lack some important information. Can he/she offer some evidence or study indicating that PTSD is over-diagnosed? I know “people say” and “articles claim,” without naming them, but I look forward with interest to hearing some actual studies from D.P I might review.
In the meantime, there is an abundance of literature on the horrific impact of stress and trauma on police officers over many years–feel free to visit http://www.Badgeoflife.com. to begin with. With all due respect, we tend to ignore unsubstantiated claims, well intentioned though they may be
“Everyone says” doesn’t help the discussion.
I also encourage D.P. to review the DSM-IV to get a taste for the rigid criteria that must be met for a diagnosis of PTSD. It is hardly a simple matter and a malingerer is easily spotted (by the employer’s doctors). Further, talk to some sufferers, if you think it’s just a bit of “the jitters.”
Much more to it than meets the casual reader’s eye–but I for one appreciate D.P.’s contribution!
Was it an oversight that the Ontario Chiefs of Police, in proposing their “formal working group,” did not include a reputable psychiatric organization to join them? Perhaps it is because, unless they are beholden to the chiefs, no credible mental health professional is ever going to throw the DSM-IV out the window and help them redefine PTSD for one social group like police officers.
By the chiefs’ logic, there is no reason other agencies could not take up this same tactic. Why not come up with a new set of individualized PTSD criteria for the military, for firefighters, dispatchers, EMT’s, emergency room technicians? After all, “It’s their job, also,” to face traumatic situations and never be traumatized. Twist a little here, redefine a little there, and you can choke them off from reporting PTSD as well.
The chiefs are not aware, perhaps, that officers DO face a regular stream of traumatic situations in their daily, toxic work environment, and withstand that trauma admirably, year after year. At times, the horror and brutality of what happens can be overwhelming and can result in PTSD. No, not all can be “superhuman” for ten, twenty, thirty years of emotional battering. Instead of denying officers treatment, though, these chiefs should be instituting proactive programs to prepare officers AND reactive care programs to treat them.
I notice they put an “awareness campaign” on the very last line. Feeble, as though an afterthought. An “awareness campaign” means nothing.
Money is the obvious motivator, here, not an interest in the officers. The goal is reducing PTSD claims, not reducing PTSD, and the chiefs are inventing their own science to justify it. This is heartless. Police officers everywhere should worry about something as improvised as this.
I would like to hear exactly what formal psychiatric studies back up the chiefs’ bizarre theory that certain groups can be singled out in society and declared—by untrained police administrators—to be exempt from existing medical and scientific conclusions. The medical community came up with the DSM-IV for this very reason—to set standards and prevent people from coming up with their own crackpot psychiatric theories, like this.