United by Diversity, Strengthened by Inclusion
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
This year’s National Social Work Month (NSWM) came at a time of great challenge for those working in the field, with the national response to COVID-19 adding to the demands of an already highly stressful profession, supporting the most vulnerable within our society.
Faced with situations of childhood poverty, sexual assault, and bearing witness to the structural inequality in our world, social work professionals are exposed to ongoing vicarious trauma, which can lead to compassion fatigue. Yet, as Polly Leonard, Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) program manager and registered social worker, noted, “There can be an attitude of stoicism among social workers who feel like their distress pales in comparison to that of their clients.”
It can be difficult for workers in the field to find appropriate support, when therapists are often the same people they are working with professionally.
Social workers face similar operational stress injuries associated with other first responders, particularly vicarious trauma, chronic stress, and burnout. The MHCC’s Caring for Healthcare Workers assessment tools can help organizations identify areas of vulnerability and improve their workers’ psychological health and safety.
The CASW recommend a tool created by the CSA group for paramedics, who also, along with firefighters and police offers, also have increased risk of PTSD, risk of depression, substance use, and thoughts of suicide. The Paramedic Standard provides dedicated workplace standards can help them shine a light on stigma, identify psychological hazards, and promote mental wellness.
For other workers in emergency response settings, The Working Mind First Responders (TWMFR) course is designed to promote mental wellness, build resiliency skills, and reduce the stigma of mental illness. Based on the mental health continuum model, TWMFR helps first responders recognize psychological injuries in themselves and their peers. There’s also a Family Package to help relatives open an informed and constructive dialogue within families.