Coral Springs

Behavioral Health Access Program

Coral Springs, Florida

Frank Babinec, ICMA-CM, City Manager
 

Many public servants are exposed to cumulative stress and traumatic events. This is especially true for first responders dealing with emergencies. They are subject to substantial trauma and stress that can profoundly affect their mental and physical health during and after their careers. Statistics obtained by Coral Springs indicated that the suicide rate for first responders outweighs line-of-duty and exposure deaths. 

These statistics, together with the city’s commitment to the safety, health, and wellness of its employees and their families, spurred the city to launch the Behavioral Health Access Program (BHAP), a comprehensive, integrated, multi-component program for employee mental health, wellness, and crisis intervention.

The program started in the Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department in 2017. It was later expanded and is managed by a Safety, Health, and Wellness Committee (SHWC) under the direction of the city’s safety, health, and wellness officer. 

BHAP was employed in 2018 for public safety and civilian staff following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in Parkland, as many employees had children or family members at the school. This tragedy shook the community to its core, and having these resources available to staff and their families provided comfort and relief. Over the past several years, the city has lost the lives of several employees to different causes, and the resources were in place to provide the necessary support to assist members.

Because no one program or service meets all needs of every person, BHAP offers a variety of resources:

  • Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): Trained teams use the SAFER-R model of individual psychological crisis intervention, which serves as a protocol or procedural guide for individual and/or group interventions. 
  • Chaplaincy: Chaplaincy remains a significant part of the BHAP program. Its primary purpose is to help in the event of an injury or death and to assist in grief counseling. Chaplains lend an ear to those who need to talk about something bothering them, such as physical or emotional stress. A chaplain’s goal is to aid, comfort, and help employees and their families and refer them to vetted resources to assist in recovery.
  • Peer Support: An internal peer support team is trained to provide knowledge, experience, and emotional, social, or practical support to individuals in need. 
  • Clinician Response Team: A trained interagency clinician response team provides assistance from licensed mental health professionals. 
  • Employee Assistance Program: An employee assistance program is available to first responders, general employees, and their families. 
  • Recovery Centers: Fixed facility centers provide specific treatment and care for those recovering from substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other co-occurring issues. 

All interactions within BHAP are strictly confidential. BHAP allows for the flexible use of these services to reintegrate the employee into normal operations after their return to stable, healthy conditions. 

Because mental health issues often have a stigma that can prevent many from seeking help, a campaign reminding employees that “It’s OK not to be OK” was launched, featuring photos of coworkers rather than stock images to help remove the stigma. 

In 2021, BHAP expanded to provide access to all Coral Springs employees. BHAP has become recognized among public safety entities and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and has been a model for other communities. The state of Florida employed the program following the tragic collapse of the Cham-plain Towers in Surfside in June 2021. Florida has now adopted the program as part of its emergency response program. 

Now more than ever, ensuring employee access to resources that protect their safety, health, and well-being is one of the city’s most important priorities. BHAP has returned benefits to the city in the form of greater employee retention, employee satisfaction, an incentive for recruitment, and an overall positive work environment.