During the week of May 5th, multiple USJE National Executive and front-line members were in Regina to attend the first ever Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research & Treatment (CIPSRT) Conference!
The two-day conference, which saw approximately 500 public safety personnel (PSP), Academics, Researchers and Clinicians from across the country and overseas, come together to learn how they can better support PSP mental health and wellbeing. The conference included engaging keynote speakers, interactive sessions, and expert-led discussions designed for frontline PSP, public safety leaders, and their families.
The conference provided information that was applicable to the numerous sectors of PSP, which includes the more traditional and visible members such as Police, Fire and Paramedics, but also took into consideration PSP that work behind the scenes that rarely garner the accolades they deserve, such as those involved in Search and Rescue, Emergency Call Takers and the numerous critically important Federal PSP of whom USJE represent approximately 20,000.
On day one of the conference, Regional Vice President (RVP) Jeff Sandelli was a panelist on a discussion entitled, “Violence against PSP”. The panel also included a Fire Chief, Police Officer and a Paramedic. During the discussion RVP Sandelli was able to identify the broad group of Federal PSP represented by USJE that are both front-line and those that work behind the scenes keeping Canadian Safe and then speak to his experience as a Parole Officer. The contributors were able to convey that violence can and does occur both physically and psychologically and that there continues to be a significant need for support to eliminate and/or stem the impact of such experiences.
The conference was not only a tremendous learning experience, but it also provided opportunity for networking to share information and garner support from other groups. When our National President, David Neufeld approached the microphone to address the room in regard to the experiences of our members and the inequity in application of Worker’s Compensation to Federal PSP, he was approached by many afterwards to further dialogue on similar situations.
On behalf of all the USJE conference participants, we would like to thank the CIPSRT for this great conference and hope that it can continue to be built upon into the future for the benefit of all PSP.
To gather more information on the conference content, we would invite you to click on the following link.
USJE is a founding member of CIPSRT and continues to participate by way of their membership on the Public Safety Steering Committee (PSSC) along with other front-line PSP representatives. Currently our National President David Neufeld and USJE RVP, Jeff Sandelli, sit on this committee which also contributed to the planning and execution of the first ever conference.
“Established in 2017, the Public Safety Steering Committee (PSSC) is a standing committee whose members represent federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal public safety organizations. The primary function of the PSSC is to engage in collaboration with CIPSRT, Public Safety Canada (PSC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) on matters related to the mental health and well-being of current and former Canadian Public Safety Personnel (PSP), their leaders, and their families.” CIPSRT Website