ST. JOHN’S, NL – A mental health education course will be offered to paramedics and emergency medical responders (EMRs) in the province in the coming weeks.
The provincial government announced today, Feb. 22, the Paramedic Association of Newfoundland and Labrador will receive $8,000 in funding to deliver the Road to Mental Readiness course, which was first developed for by the Department of National Defence.
The course is now being brought to groups and organizations across the country by the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
“The Paramedic Association of Newfoundland and Labrador recognized the need for this type of training and approached the government for assistance in ensuring we were able to bring the Road to Mental Readiness training course to as many paramedics and EMRs as possible,” Rodney Gaudet, the association’s president, said in a news release.
“After receiving extensive training to help others, it is time we receive training to help ourselves and our coworkers.”
Created specifically for first responders in order to reduce stigma, improve short-term job performance, and build personal resiliency, the news release stated, the goal of the course is to provide employees experiencing a mental illness with the tools and resources they need.
It will be offered in Conception Bay South, Carbonear, St. John’s, Clarenville, Burin, Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook and Stephenville.
