Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: June 3, 2024
Title:
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Approval of and authorization to execute a professional services contract, third renewal, with First Responder Support Services, LLC to provide behavioral health services (counseling, training, and consultation) to all employees of the Broken Arrow Fire Department
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Background:
In order to sustain the best level of behavioral health services to fire department employees, we propose renewing a contractual agreement with First Responder Support Services (FRSS). FRSS is the area's recognized industry leader for first responder behavioral health service. If approved, FRSS will provide services to all employees of the fire department. This includes non-sworn employees as well as retirees.
Service includes in part: Unlimited counseling provided by licensed mental health therapists trained in preventative mental health, shift work, sleep deprivation, trauma treatment, alcohol and substance abuse, couples counseling, family therapy, stress management, performance enhancement, and critical incident response. Counseling eligibility includes immediate family members, spouses, and children of the fire department employees up to the age of twenty (20). Training services may include support of academy training, supervisory training, and ongoing training for our Peer Support Team. Further, the renewal agreement with FRSS will include critical incident response as appropriate.
Counseling services are provided on a voluntary basis under a capitated model for public safety personnel and their immediate family members. No mandatory referrals are accepted and FRSS is not part of the department's chain of command. FRSS operates from a preventative, strengths-based model and does not report to any 3rd parties nor diagnose clients. These measures help ensure privacy and reduce the stigma associated with first responders seeking help.
FRSS' continuum of services exceeds best practice recommendations in behavioral hea...
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