1. Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
Michigan Association of County Administrative Officers
Crystal Mountain Resort
May 23, 2018
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
Valerie Weiss
Undersheriff
Ottawa County
Bob VandePol
Executive Director of EAP
Pine Rest
Marcie Ver Beek
Human Resources Director
Ottawa County

2. Why Are We Here?
Disclaimer: I am going to show some graphic photos of some fatal car crashes, homicide scenes and natural deaths. These all occurred in Ottawa County.
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

3. Law Enforcement My career How my career began in Field Training
24 years in Law Enforcement
How my career began in Field Training
2012 Police School of Staff and Command Study
Law Enforcement Culture
Corrections
Fire Services
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

4. Sexual Assault
Our agency alone in 2016 had 213 victims of child sexual assault and/or physical abuse at and 435 Cases of Sexual Assault Investigated
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

5. Every one of the pictures and incidents you saw involves a family.
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

6. Officer Killed in the Line of Duty
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

7. Badge of Life
During the years 2008 to 2016, Badge of Life has been compiling data on the numbers of active duty police suicides in the United States. Other extensive demographic information is also being gathered and published. In summary, the results of our studies are as follows:
2008 – 141 Suicides
2009 – 143 Suicides
2012 – 126 Suicides
2016 – 108 Suicides
National Surveillance of Police Suicide Study (NSOPS)
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

8. 2016 Average age 42 years Average time on the job was 17 years
Sergeants and above accounted for 22% of law enforcement suicides
Five were Chiefs
87% were males
Gunshot was the most common means (80%)
National Surveillance of Police Suicide Study (NSOPS)
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

9. A New Mindset… Caring for those who serve Safety Net
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

10. Request for Proposal Requirements
Employee Visibility Engagement Visits
Confidential Assessment and Counseling Services
Referral Services
24-Hour Crisis Telephone Response
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD)
Training Seminars
EAP Orientation for all Employees
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

11. Choosing the right partner for Ottawa County
Cost
Ability to provides services requested
Qualification of staff
Training opportunities
Coordination with County and Human Resources
Ability to serve the Sheriff’s office
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

12. Rollout of the Program Buy in! Creating a partnership with Pine Rest
Orientation
Training sessions
Peer support-Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
Ride Alongs with Sheriff’s Department
Online Resources
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

13. You Can Do Well at Doing Good
“Ach, Junge! Do ta rrright ting and isss gut for bissniss.”
Nanning Vegter (1962)
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

14. EAP and Crisis Response
It feels like cheatin’: The business case for a mission-driven EAP
Crisis Response: Nothing builds loyalty like being there on the worst day of someone’s life.
One size doesn’t fit all: Serving those who pack heat.
Combating stigma: The strength to ask for help.
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

15. Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

16. Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
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17. Crises Are Expensive Litigation Attrition Workers Comp Claims
Employee Morale
Reputational Risk
Lost Productivity
Diminished Quality
Managerial Distraction
Regulatory Penalties
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

18. Research on the Business Value of CIR Services: The Results
The research results are generally positive and indicate that CIR services from EAPs can offer financial savings and business value, from:
Reducing disability claims
Reducing workers’ compensation claims
Improving employee return to work
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

19. Crisis Responder: Job Description
Consult with the organization’s leadership
Position the organization’s leadership favorably
Let people talk if they wish to do so
Identify normal reactions to an abnormal event so that people don’t panic regarding their own reactions
Build group support
Outline self-help recovery strategies
Brainstorm solutions to overcome immediate return-to-work and return-to-life obstacles
Triage movement toward either immediate business-as-usual functioning or additional care
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

20. Serving in a Law Enforcement Culture
Saying Thank You!
Connecting with the Peer Support team
Their own unique flyer
Training the Peer Support team
Training officers
Their own pet shrinks
Ride-alongs
TeleCounseling
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

21. For the strength of the pack is the wolf….
and the strength of the wolf is the pack
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

22. More Healthy Coping Skills
Ask for help. STRONG people ask for help.
Family
Friends
Faith community
Your supervisor
Peer Support Team
EAP
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

23. Driving Meaningful Utilization
Leverage respected Leadership promotion!
Feature non-stigmatized services
Train, Train, Train
Distribute distributable resources
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

24. EAP Success
In the first year Ottawa County went from 3% utilization to 21% utilization.
Pine Rest had 185 contact with Ottawa County employees verses an average of 30 contacts per year the past 5 years.
Program Buy-in
Informative Training Opportunities
Easier Access to Care
And….supporting our employees
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018

25. Q&A Valerie Weiss Bob VandePol Marcie Ver Beek Undersheriff
Ottawa County
Bob VandePol
Executive Director of EAP
Pine Rest
Marcie Ver Beek
Human Resources Director
Ottawa County
Caring for Those Who Serve & Protect
5/23/2018