What is it about?
Public safety personnel (PSP) and healthcare providers (HCP) are routinely exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events. They are at increased risk of developing mental disorder symptoms and posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSI). The Before Operational Stress program (BOS) is an evidence-informed mental health and resiliency training program designed to mitigate the effects of PTSI. In this article, the BOS program is evaluated by analyzing 41 interviews with participants who completed the program.
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Why is it important?
The BOS Program was well-received and helpful to participants at various career stages while furthering the discourse on mental health in PSP and HCP workplaces which are otherwise lacking. Difficulties were reported relating to persistent stigma around mental health injuries. Organizational policies and systemic strains appear to be key contextual determinants and barriers.
Perspectives
We need a national mental health strategy that goes beyond suicide response, additionally so for high risk populations such as frontline workers.
Dr. Lindsay P Allen
University of Manitoba
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A Qualitative Evaluation of the Before Operational Stress Program: A Pan‐Canadian Study of Mental Health Training for Frontline Public Safety Personnel and Healthcare Providers, Stress and Health, August 2025, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1002/smi.70091.
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