First Responders
Police officers, firefighters, dispatchers, and chaplains are all on the front lines helping to maintain safety and limit crime in our community. THANK YOU! Your work is hard, and we want to support you any way we can.
The resources you find below will be focused on:
* implementing self-care and personal growth to avoid burnout and
* incorporating trauma sensitive approaches with the people in your care.
**Special thanks to the Lenexa Police Department and the Lenexa Fire Department for representing first responders in our community. Also, special thanks to Ryan Burnett (photographer) and Life.Church Lenexa for sponsoring our photo shoot!**
Resources for First Responders
First Responder
Peer Support
The mission of First Responders Support Team Midwest is to provide educational programs, to promote healthy development following stress and critical incidents experienced by first responders and their families including collaboration with culturally competent mental health professionals.
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Check the resources they have to support you in your work at their website https://frstmidwest.org/
Trauma Training
The Trauma Healing Center offers free training for your staff in two areas:
* trauma-informed care when working with the public and
* preventing burnout and building resilience.
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Contact our offices for details at 913-375-8401.
Preventing Burnout Booklet
This booklet was compiled by the Trauma Healing Center with you in mind! It contains a self-assessment to determine if you are experiencing burnout or symptoms of the effects of second-hand trauma. There are also suggestions based off the latest brain science on how to build resilience and incorporate more meaningful activities in your regular routine. Download the booklet for FREE here.
Books
Our list of book recommendations is designed with your personal and professional growth in mind. As a first responder, you face a great deal of trauma every day, so we have picked a few books that may help you manage the effects of that trauma.
* Hope in the Dark by Craig Groeschel
* Passing the Peace After a Crisis by Life Model Works
* Surviving the Shadows: A Journey of Hope into Post-Traumatic Stress by Bob Delaney with Dave Scheiber
* More books specific for to your careers can be found at https://frstmidwest.org/books
Support for First Responders
If you are feeling the effects of your job or dealing with personal challenges and would like someone to talk to, we have counselors that can help!
As one of the Kansas City area’s most prominent resources for quality healthcare, Valiant Therapeutic Services specializes in a wide range of therapeutic services to get patients feeling healthier than ever before. It is one of the few resources totally owned and operated by a military veteran, first-responder turned clinician.
Bryan has been working with people for over 20 years and has been in private practice since 2005. He is currently is taking new clients and is located inside Keyhole Counseling at 11261 Strang Line Road, Lenexa, KS 66215.
Community Resources
To find resources to pass along to the general public, go to our Community Resource Page.