Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: 01-05-2021
Title:
title
Approval of and authorization to execute a professional services contract with First Responder Support Services, PLLC to provide behavioral health services (counseling, training and consultation) to all employees of the Broken Arrow Police Department, for the police department
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Background:
In order to provide the best level of behavioral health services to police department employees, we propose entering into a contractual agreement with First Responder Support Services, PLLC (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 police department. This includes non-sworn employees and 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 police 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 proposed 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 health services to public safety personnel. FRSS works exclusively and only with public safety industry personnel. FRSS’ therapists have combined experience of 21 years in this specialty and have the unique expertise to help first responders, their families and their departments thrive.
The catalysts for the request to include FRSS as part of our police employee care includes:
• Nationwide growing anti-police sentiment subsequent to the Floyd case in Minneapolis, MN
• Civil unrest surrounding police operations in many cities, including OKC and Tulsa
• Destabilizing impact of the McGirt Supreme Court Decision. Widespread jurisdictional and procedural changes subsequent to ruling
• Policing during CV-19 pandemic
Cost: $27,050.00
Funding Source: Police Enhancement Fund 331
Requested By: Brandon C. Berryhill, Police Chief
Approved By: City Manager’s Office
Attachments: Profession Service Agreement, Memorandum from Peer Support Team
Recommendation:
recommend
Approve and authorize execution of a professional services contract with First Responder Support Services, PLLC to provide mental health counselling services to all employees of the Broken Arrow Police Department, for the police department
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