Coinciding with Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Week, the Toronto Police Services Board (TPSB) announced Monday it has increased the employee benefit for psychological and counselling services to as much as $5,000 per person as part of its new collective bargaining agreements with the Toronto Police Association.
This increase now places the Toronto Police Service among the top Fortune 500 companies in the provision of these benefits.
“The board’s leadership in this area demonstrates the priority we place on building and strengthening the essential infrastructure our members can rely on as they cope with the considerable stress they encounter every day,” said Uppala Chandrasekera, TPSB member and director of public policy at CMHA Ontario. “Providing access to a high level of mental health services is vital to creating conditions for our members’ mental well-being.”
Policing is a unique career in that service members regularly experience and witness situations of high stress, trauma and tragedy. Mental health conditions like operational stress injuries (OSIs), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety can have a tremendous impact on members, their loved ones and their communities.
CMHA’s Mental Health Week runs from May 6-12. Mental health in the workplace is in the spotlight and employers are encouraged to participate by supporting their staff’s mental well-being.
For more information on how you can support mental wellness in your workplace, check out CMHA’s Mental Health Works program or look for a workshop such as safeTALK or Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) through your local CMHA branch. Mental Health Works has a module specifically for professionals in the justice sector, including those who work in policing, law, corrections and security, with a focus on OSI and PTSD.