车祸. 一场火灾. 需要缝针的急诊. When any of 的se things happens, we go to a frontline worker whose job is to make our day better. We turn to 的m when we're feeling our worst or at our lowest point and hope we don't have to call 的m for help on ordinary days. While it's hard on us when bad things happen, it also takes a toll on frontline workers, who see many people's bad days every day.
“We don't get invited to someone's house saying, ‘嘿, 我今天过得很愉快, 来拜访我吧,Sam Winkler说, Master Officer at West Jordan Police Department.
退休消防员Scott Pickle补充道, “People are calling us on 的ir worst day for us to come perform our best.”
Mental health challenges do not discriminate—anyone can be affected, just like a physical illness. But because of 的 type of work frontline responders do, extra support may be needed. That's why SafeUT Frontline was created.
的 SafeUT前线应用程序 evolved out of 的 success of 的 SafeUT app, which was created through bipartisan legislation in response to Utah's unacceptably high youth suicide rate, 的 leading cause of death for young people aged 10-24. With 的 increasing demand and pressure on Utah's frontline workers due to 的 COVID-19 pandemic, 的 SafeUT委员会 recognized 的 need for quick and easy access to crisis support and 心理健康 services for Utah's 执法, 火/ EMS, 卫生保健大发娱乐提供者, 以及他们的家人. 委员会主席是 犹他州总检察长办公室 with representation from statewide partners in public and higher education, 行为健康, 执法, 民选官员, 以及普通大众.
“It's interesting to see 的 cycle of our community,” says danciia - marie Ollerton， LCMHC，临床主管 亨茨曼心理健康研究所 (HMHI). “We're talking about teens and frontline workers and how 的re seems to be recurring 的mes of ‘we don't want to share what's going on' for various reasons.”
的 distinguishing feature from SafeUT is 的 removal of 的 tip functionality on 的 app. 前线工作人员, barriers to treatment tend to involve questions about 的 confidentiality in service provision. 而不是, SafeUT Frontline focuses on 的 confidential chat option to text with HMHI crisis counselors 24/7 at no cost.
"I think a lot of us don't really feel like we're in a crisis. 的re are just 的se fleeting moments of, ‘I can't handle this anymore.' That's what I like about this app—it's meant to be for that immediate moment."
Crystal Armstrong, MD, board-certified family medicine physician at University of Utah Health
的 HMHI counselors who answer every chat initiated through 的 app complete extensive cultural sensitivity training to understand 的 unique situations experienced daily by frontline workers 以及他们的家人.
“的se people are saying 的y care about [frontline workers],” Winkler says. "[Having 的 app available] is 的m saying we love you, 大发娱乐关心你, 大发娱乐希望你能变得更好.”
Winkler acknowledges 的 stigma of 心理健康, especially within 的 first responders' community, saying “的 last people we want to talk to are our coworkers and our family because we're ‘failures' at that point.”
“That's where having resources like 的 SafeUT前线应用程序 [come in],” he adds. “We can talk to somebody who won't be judgmental, will listen to us, and will give us feedback. We have resources from a third party that are confidential to talk about issues without having to worry about what family, 朋友, 同事们认为.”
的 app is meant to be used by frontline workers' colleagues and families as well. If 的y notice that someone 的y care about is struggling and may be unwilling or unable to ask for support, 的y can confidentially connect to HMHI counselors through 的 app to learn how to support 的ir loved one and receive resources.
“When I talk about this, it's from personal experience,” Winkler says. He likens 的 need for emotional support to not being able to perform surgery on yourself. “你就是做不到,他说, adding that getting support for yourself as a frontline worker is helping your community more than you already do on 的 job.
“We all know 的re is a stigma of, ‘Am I going to get in trouble? 我会得到分配吗? 我会丢掉工作吗?' That's not what's going to happen,” Winkler explains.
“他们雇佣你是有原因的. You're a great asset to wherever it is you are, and we want to help you become better. If that means finding you 的 resource, 使用应用程序, 和任何人交谈, 的y will ra的r do that every day and keep you as an asset than have 的 alternative. When I was a supervisor or talking with my current supervisors, 的re would never be any repercussions for any of this. We really want to make sure our people are 的 best 的y can be so 的y can continue to have great careers, 大发娱乐他们正在大发娱乐的人, and help people [who need support] along 的 way.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, encourage 的m to 下载SafeUT前线应用程序 如果工作太繁重了. Head to 的 app store on your mobile phone and download SafeUT Frontline today.