A program at Pella Community Ambulance supported by the Vermeer Charitable Organization aims to bolster the mental health of emergency medical responders in the Tulip City.
Troy Bliss is a paramedic and has been working to establish a Mental Wellness Initiative locally. Bliss says the program stems from growing concerns about the impact the work of EMS professionals and what it does to their minds.
“One of the things my experiences as a first responder has shown me is that we have a little bit of work to do regarding mental health and taking care of first responders that unfortunately have to see people at the worst moments of their lives and deal with really high stress in critical incident situations on a regular basis.”
The funding from Vermeer Charitable Foundation will be used to create a structured plan for Pella Community Ambulance staff, which includes an annual mental health check-up with a licensed professional. Bliss says this will support other existing programs, including the Crisis Canines of the Midlands.
“The goal is to have this be a long-term thing, something that can happen every year, and something that can maybe expand to the police and fire department, because they need the support to.”
Hear more about the Mental Wellness Initiative at Pella Community Ambulance on a future interview program on 92.1 KRLS.