Page 2859 - Week 10 - Thursday, 7 October 2021
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exposure to stresses and in recovering from any ill effects experienced in their line of work. This is always important, but it is particularly relevant during the current COVID-19 health pandemic.
The ACT Emergency Services Agency has delivered a number of initiatives that enable its volunteers and staff to be better managed when they see ever-present stressors that are experienced by emergency services personnel as they protect our community. The ESA has an embedded senior director of wellbeing and support programs and an embedded director of health and fitness. Their roles and responsibilities are to work across the ESA to deliver, implement and coordinate welfare and wellbeing initiatives as well as physical, dietary and fatigue management initiatives. Mental health training packages and mental health first-aid courses are available for all ESA volunteers and staff to ensure that we are providing ongoing education to increase the resilience of our workforce.
The ESA has developed a cohort of peer support officers that are trained and available across the services, in addition to three volunteer chaplains who provide denominational and non-denominational support. The ESA has partnerships with not-for-profit organisations such as Beyond Blue, Soldier On and Frontline Yoga, works closely with Fortem Australia and has a partnership with the Australian Defence Force Arts for Recovery, Resilience, Teamwork and Skills program to provide a comprehensive and integrated wellbeing support package. The ESA is also supporting a PhD research program, in partnership with Bond University, which will inform the ESA about fatigue impacts and the physical and psychological fitness needed to support resilience in emergency services personnel.
As Minister for Police, I am also very aware of the stress factors involved with community policing. I also know that the Chief Police Officer, Neil Gaughan, and his Deputy Chief Police Officer, Peter Crozier, are both very passionate about ensuring the wellbeing of staff, making public commitments and comments regularly. ACT Police has three dedicated welfare officers and three dedicated psychologists to provide 24/7 proactive and responsive support and service to its members. This includes support after critical incidents, assistance with workplace or personal matters and being that initial point to connect members with further support as it is needed.
ACT Policing has also access to a full suite of support options available in the AFP, including 24/7 access to the AFP Psychological Services Team and the chaplaincy network. There are the injury management specialists, exercise psychologists and the inhouse rehabilitation services and the employee assistance program through Benestar.
The AFP undertakes proactive psychological screens for all police officers, as well as unsworn members who perform high-risk roles in areas such as combatting child abuse, covert capabilities or counterterrorism. Psychological screening also occurs as part of the recruitment process, during recruit training, prior to offshore deployment and upon return. An early access program is also available, providing early, coordinated and effective responses to work-related injury, including medical, psychological and vocational rehabilitation.
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