As the number of psychological health and safety claims continue to increase across the province, the Psychological Trauma and Stress Systems Lab at the University of Regina, in partnership with WorkSafe Saskatchewan, has developed a mental health monitoring system to support the mental health and wellness of first responders and other public safety personnel. WorkSafe Saskatchewan is the partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) and Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety. Through a cost-sharing agreement with WorkSafe Saskatchewan, the mental health monitoring system will be made available to agencies across Saskatchewan starting in April 2025.
The immense challenges public safety personnel face with their mental health and well-being are a direct result of their work and service to communities. Exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events are unavoidable occupational stressors that, alongside other occupational stressors, can cause substantial harm.
"Mental health support strategies must shift toward tools, policies and practices that mitigate the impacts of traumatic exposures and other stressors on public safety personnel's mental health," said Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton, professor of psychology and lead researcher of the University of Regina's psychological lab. "Our research has shown that the online tools and resources we are offering are effective in helping to safeguard and improve the mental health of public safety personnel while reducing the impacts of traumatic exposures."
The mental health monitoring system is a system of self-monitoring tools that provide public safety personnel with near real-time mental health insights. Responses consistent with one or more mental health disorders will be flagged for participants and recommendations for accessing additional mental health supports will be provided. This system allows employers to monitor mental health in real time in their organization with near real-time supports available. This can lead to immediate action to mitigate the effect of traumatic exposures and manage occupational stress and mental health challenges.
The collaborative design from the psychological lab involved numerous leading scientific-practitioners, direct feedback from public safety personnel and input from WorkSafe Saskatchewan. WorkSafe Saskatchewan works closely with first responders with the focus to eliminate or mitigate mental health injuries. A learning collaborative, including first responders, experts and representatives from WorkSafe Saskatchewan, recommended the University of Regina develop the mental health monitoring system.
Self-monitoring tools are important parts of broader solutions to improve or maintain the mental health status of active-duty public safety personnel. While ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of individual public safety personnel members, the mental health monitoring system will also:
- Provide insights into the mental health of the public safety personnel workforce.
- Support public safety personnel in communicating with their leaders about mental health challenges.
- Help public safety personnel leaders rapidly and effectively support the mental health of front-line workers.
"WorkSafe Saskatchewan is happy to continue its strong relationship with the University of Regina and Saskatchewan's first responder community," said Kevin Mooney, the Saskatchewan WCB's vice-president of prevention and employer services. "Psychological health is one area of focus in WorkSafe Saskatchewan's 2023-2028 Fatalities and Serious Injuries Strategy, which includes plans to test safety solutions in collaboration with industry leaders. The prevention partnership with Dr. Carleton and the University of Regina's Psychological Trauma and Stress Systems Lab is a great example of how WorkSafe Saskatchewan is investing in evidence-based approaches to mitigate complex health and safety challenges."
