Treatment centre for first responders suffering from PTSI opens
NEW YORK: An innovative healthcare provider has launched a treatment centre for first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress injuries.
The Runnymede First Responders Post Traumatic Stress Injury Rehabilitation Centre in Toronto (named Station 3434) and Peel will provide urgently needed access to a full continuum of care ranging from prevention, intensive treatment, aftercare and return-to-work for First Responders.
The Centre will be a purpose-built facility for First Responders with virtual care support further enabling provincial and national level scalability for a broader reach of services. It will support clinical PTSI research to directly inform treatment and is a true testament to the collaborative partnership with First Responders’ Command and Professional Associations, many of which are coming together for the first time to build the Centre with Runnymede.
Firefighters, Paramedics, Medical Personnel, Police Officers and Correction Officers on the front lines face traumatic events unique to their professions on a daily basis. It is an inherent part of their culture and a way of life. Recurrent traumatic events can have lasting effects on these individuals overall well-being and can leave them vulnerable to PTSI and other mental health conditions. This growing crisis has only worsened amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Centre demonstrates explicit support and cooperation with federal, provincial and regional governments to obtain financial support for the project, including dedicated lands and grants for capital planning.
- The federal and provincial governments are providing $1 million each in funding for the capital planning stage of the Centre.
- Peel Region allocated 26 acres of land, which will be used to house the Centre’s inpatient facility.
- The City of Toronto seconded Deputy Fire Chief Tony Bavota to lead stakeholder consultation and advise on program development.