National Law Enforcement Suicide Mortality Database

Be sure to join us 🎯 TODAY from 11-12 CST for Responder Health's "First Responder on Friday," "Are you A.W.A.R.E. of Spiritual and Religious Experiences? Moral Injury in Community Crisis Care" with Janet Werner and Calvin Chatlos, MD.

This is going to be enlightening. 💡

We cannot keep pulling them out, hoping for the best. (Reactive)
We must also do more than understand why they fell in. (Psychological Autopsies)

The ANSWER: Never let them get close to the bank until they know how to swim (Inoculation). 💡 (Proactive and Predictive)

It does not mean they won't:
🚨 fall in
🚨 have issues
🚨 or even drown

However, the only real chance we have is being "inoculated" against the known issues we will face (The FATAL 10™), so when issues do occur (and they will), we will have the skills, tools, and resources to make it through a little less bruised and battered.

We are done settling for the status quo...the status quo is killing us. ❌

🛑 If you are ready to challenge the status quo and provide real, measurable outcomes that result in positive behavior change and reduce negative outcomes and the loss of life, then join us at the 1st Annual Shepherds & Sheepdogs Summit, May 12-14, 2025, to start Inoculating our Sheepdogs so they can fight another day, and they can live a different way!!

www.shepherdsandsheepdogs.com

Seating Limited! Register today to secure your spot.

Did you know that journaling 📖 , visualization 👀, and imagery 🏞 are all shown to increase your gratitude?

Join Responder Health and Dr. Olivia Johnson on June 17 (9-10 am CST) to learn more about making this a daily routine.

Be sure to register for this upcoming training. 🎯

💡 Research shows gratitude is important for our health, wellness, and relationships.

Join us to learn more about the importance of journaling 📖, visual imagery 👀, and self-reflection 💭.

We want this 3-day event to save lives, families, and careers.

It seems like a small price to pay for our Frontline Heroes.

Hello Everyone, I'm going to ask a big favor.

Can you please go over to this page, LIKE it, and SHARE it?

We have a huge audience for this Summit and we want to make sure that we get the word out in plenty of time.

Shepherds & Sheepdogs Shepherds & Sheepdogs™ is "Revolutionizing the way we TRAIN - TREAT- and LEAD!!"

Registration is currently open for both of these classes. Seating limited.
If you have any questions, contact me at [email protected]

Veterinarian: Standard Occupational Code: 29-1131.00
Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals

According to the CDC, in the 36 years from 1979-2015, approximately 400 veterinarians died by su***de (Tomasi, et al., 2019). Veterinarian medicine was male dominated for decades, but that is no longer the case. Females now comprise nearly 67 percent of those in the occupation (Larkin, 2018). Male veterinarians were 2.1 times more likely and females 3.5 times more likely to die by su***de than the general population with most of these su***des practicing in clinical roles with companion animals (CDC, 2018).

Su***de is not usually the result of one issue or factor, and that holds true among this occupational group. Many factors exist when addressing the life and work of those practicing veterinary medicine (see Fatal 10). Numerous studies have looked at the issues faced by those in veterinary medicine (e.g., depression, anxiety, compassion fatigue, psychological distress, suicidal ideations, access to lethal means, etc.).

When we condense the Fatal 10, we look at “relational purpose”. Relational purpose for those in veterinary medicine is often seen as the relationships with animals (and their owners) and the need to care for animals. However, the reality of their work may result in a conflict between what they believe will occur and the reality of their work. This dichotomy becomes problematic in one’s ability to align their purpose and the reality of the outcomes they face. In addition, issues and mental distress and factors like significant student loan debt can make this dichotomy even harder to accept.

References

Larkin, M. (2018). Su***de trend in the profession stretches back decades. Retrieved April 21, 2024, from: https://lnkd.in/giVYBsM7
06-15/su***de-trend-profession-stretches-back-decades

Tomasi, Suzanne E. et al. (2019). Su***de among veterinarians in the United States from 1979-2015. 254(1).

For far too long, we have allowed the use of slogans, sayings, and mantras, to somehow fill the void of REAL HELP, and for some reason, many are simpy okay with this.

I'm sure at some point, saying "smash the stigma" made people think differently just for a second, but these mantras have become so overused, that they no longer hold meaning and may actually reversing the good many are acutually doing. Or the one that's better than that - "It's OK not to be OK". I have seen numerous people use this slogan or tagline when someone's not doing well. I have even seen this written on a post after a su***de death. The sad part of this is there is no follow up. The individual telling you this may feel better in the moment by saying it, but there is no responsibility to act on their part to follow up. It's like they're wishing you the best and hoping things work out.

No one of us should be OKAY with this as being any type of intervention or help.

Personally, I believe many are unsure of what to do if they encounter someone in crisis, which is another reason we're not saving lives. We can put out program after program, and yet we failed to make headway and reducing su***de rates, or the rate of a su***de attempts every year.

When we are losing nearly 50,000 to su***de, we've got to do something on a bigger scale. This post is not here to upset people it's here to ask when do we demand more? When do we demand better?

Traveling to Chicago to the 100 Club Conference and on to Eau Claire PD (WI) to bring "The FATAL 10" of Law Enforcement Su***de. I will be in and out quick in Chicago, but if you are around, please stop by and say hello.

Stigma is not new.

"In ancient times, early beliefs about what the West now classifies as “mental illness” centered on the idea that victims were possessed by evil spirits. In turn, treatments for these sorts of ailments involved the use of amulets and charms apparently imbued with magical powers" (Margotta, n.d)

"As the Christian Church gained institutional power, many individuals who used various folk remedies began to be labelled as unorthodox and became associated with witchcraft" (Cressman, 2014, para. 3).

Trying to simply stop this from practice is not going to happen by just coming up with a new mantra or slogan.

💡 If you want to BREAK DOWN FEAR and BUILD UNDERSTANDING then let's start talking about the topics at hand.

Let's address mental health issues in detail, in-depth, and in a real way so that the average citizen can understand.

We are not reducing fear or building understanding by throwing out a new slogan - what you are doing is simply forcing people to accept what you want.

We want people to understand in such a way that they grow through understanding thus reducing their fear. Once their fear is reduced, they are more apt to help spread the message about mental health more positively.

If you are a clinician and you are interested in helping us spread understanding about mental health issues, please send me a private message.

You know why people don't reach out.

Because what they are dealing with will take more than 5 minutes.

They don't want to inconvenience others.

They fear judgment.

👉 Do you know how to get people to reach out?

💡 Make time and let them know they truly matter without judgment.

Su***de prevention and intervention do not work. Millions of dollars are invested every year into the same programs and concepts that have proved ineffective in curbing the national su***de rate.

At what point will we reinvent the wheel?
Lives are at stake.

Is There Something Going On At Home? When a Police Officer suffers from trauma, their family will suffer right along with them. These are the stories of the Police Family, as told by the Spouses & Children.

Based on our research of the Fatal 10™, we know something is going on at home. The leading factor noted in a majority of our su***de cases involved, interpersonal relationship issues. Though the reasons behind such issues are many, you will see two stories in this documentary that highlight the real struggles of those behind the Badge and the impact such struggles have on the family. Glen Williams talks about these relationship struggles throughout the documentary, and shines a spotlight on the things we often take for granted

No two stories will look alike and each family has their struggles. Jason Harney and Deborah Louise Ortiz did an amazing job bringing the stories of two law-enforcement families to light. Deborah, her husband, Michael, and her daughter Angela share an emotional story of the ups and downs that come with a job in law enforcement, separation from service, and addiction issues on the family. It also talks about redemption and coming back from the issues that could tear a family apart.

Scott Medlin and his wife Rachel Medlin share an open and honest conversation about the struggles that young families have in raising children, having careers, and making it all work. These are the struggles that many families will face, many will feel alone, in their struggles, thinking that they are the only ones dealing with these kinds of issues.

We all have struggles. We must stop beating ourselves up, thinking that we are the only ones dealing with this and we must count on and rely on our families for support. To do this and to have them there when we need their support, we must nurture our relationships.

The film is now available on demand on Amazon.

Be sure to check out the website for more info on how you can help support this film and the families! http://www.lightningdigitalentertainment.com

I was recently called too controversial.

To say, I was hurt and stunned was an understatement, because I had a negative view of controversy. Being controversial was something I didn’t see myself as being. I played by the rules, considered myself to be conservative, and didn’t like to make waves, but the longer I thought about it, the less upset I became.

The reality: I don’t play by other people's rules, I don’t need to fit into certain groups, and I don’t feel the need to be popular.

My purpose is to save lives, families, and careers, and if that makes me controversial, then I guess I’m okay with that.

The biggest controversy right now is the fact that the JOB (per our research) is NOT the leading killer of our officers. However, many not in the field of research or law-enforcement su***de will tell you that it is.

The truth is we are not dealing with the stress of our jobs or lives in an appropriate way. We struggle with the same issues that everyone else does (relationship, substance use, financial, health, mental health, etc.). Our research shows 10 common factors noted in a death by su***de among law-enforcement personnel (i.e. The FATAL 10™). Those who continue to say it is the job and the job alone that contributes to a death by su***de, place no personal responsibility on the individual or the choices being made.

So, where do we go from here?

We either continue the INSANITY by counting numbers, blaming the job, and marketing those efforts, or we can step out and be CONTROVERSIAL by looking at the issues behind these deaths that do not run personal agendas but will save lives.

If we continue to tell our officers that their issues are all a result of the JOB - what they hear is they have no personal accountability, no personal responsibility, and nothing they can do will change the outcome.

This could not be further from the truth.

Quit with the Clichés: Real Help Saves Lives Dr. Olivia Johnson & Sean Riley

Dr Susanne Knabe-Nicol on LinkedIn: This week: Preventing Police Su***de Presence Of Weapons & Facial This week: Preventing Police Su***de Presence Of Weapons & Facial Recognition Implementation of Problem-Oriented Policing Join the free Police...

Police Su***de: Stop Marketing Misery and Start Providing Real Solutions Today’s culture and current social momentum has been constructed on the victimization of individuals, groups, beliefs, ideologies, and causes. The simplest of innocence and the unintended can become the focal point of media attention all for the purpose of promoting an agenda while generating mark...

Aftermath of a law enforcement su***de It has been said that with every death by su***de, at least six others are affected in some way. However, this long-standing belief has been challenged, and according to Dr. Julie Cerel and her team from the University of Kentucky, is believed that those affected is much greater. Cerel et al. (2014)

There's lots of EMS tech in this image that wasn't around when I first started, but one thing that's always been there. A big thanks to Cherokee Tribal EMS in North Carolina for helping me with this one.

Have a safe weekend everyone,

DanSun

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Ronald Zielinski, surviving father of Matthew Zielinski, EOW 6/1/2005. Ron was the loving husband of surviving mother Julie Zielinski, a founding member and Survivor Advisory Council representative for SBS. Please keep the Zielinski family in your thoughts and prayers.

Don't forget to sign up for Let's Just Talk with Parents! https://www.survivorsofbluesu***de.org/event-calendar

Join SBS for Like a River with Amy Morgan! Sign up @ https://www.survivorsofbluesu***de.org/event-calendar

It’s not about dying
It’s about needing relief

It’s not about leaving family
It’s about feeling like a burden

It’s not about taking the easy way out
It’s about suffering constant hardship

It’s not about wanting to die
It’s about not wanting to feel anything anymore

It’s not cowardice
It’s succumbing to mental injury

Try not to apply a healthy mindset to one that is injured
Have a safe week, everyone,

Respectfully,
DanSun

Psychological Health and Safety Management System (PHSMS) Policy
Part 5 of 5 – Management Review

(From The Canadian Standards Association paper titled Psychological Health and Safety in the Paramedic Service Organization https://www.colleaga.org/sites/default/files/attachments/2426044_0.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2tJ2-lMk2J2WrEt-ymDNkhaJh3NoT7uEpijWNAzFOrJj9Pfocc8voJQkY)

5.1 The organization must establish and maintain a process to conduct scheduled management reviews of the PHSMS, including
• review and analysis of key outcome data (e.g., audit results, evaluation/outcomes data);
• assessment of the level of conformance of the PHSMS to this Standard;
• a detailed review of findings that are considered significant; and
• organizational and other reporting requirements.

5.2 The review process should address the degree to which the goals of a psychologically healthy and safe workplace are being achieved.

5.3 The outcome of the review process must include
• opportunities for improvement and, where deficiencies/ variances are identified, corrective actions to be implemented;
• review and update of the organizational policies and procedures specific to or related to the PHSMS;
• review and update of objectives, targets, and action plans; and
• communication opportunities to enhance understanding and application of results.

Have a safe week everyone,

DanSun