New mental health initiative aims to help first responders in the fight against coronavirus
Navy veteran seeks to connect first responders to mental health professionals with experience in emergency and crisis response. Lauren Blanchard reports.
It's a stressful and emotional time for America's first responders, and now a mental health initiative aims to help them in the fight against coronavirus.
In New Hampshire, Franklin Police Chief David Goldstein has been working with Veteran and First Responder Healthcare (VFR) as they bring telemental health services to those battling the coronavirus in order to keep them sharp and mentally fit despite the chaos and grim work.
"The bottom line is to try to keep the first responders, health-care professionals on the front lines, and keep helping people," VFR CEO Eric Golnick said.
Golnick, a Navy veteran, says it's important they connect those in need of help with others who've worked in emergency response or the armed forces.
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With a click and a call or email, VFR Healthcare can connect those who need to talk for 15 minutes to two hours with a master-level clinician. Thanks to relaxed rules now, those therapists can practice across state lines.
"Our goal is to get them with, to a clinician, to an actual clinical person to talk and actually have therapy, within 24 hours," Golnick said.
"In the old days we toughed through it, everybody was a tough guy. Today we've come to learn much better, that we need to talk," he added.
The therapy sessions are private and are held over video services such as Skype or Zoom. Golnick and Goldstein said the outbreak will present both short-term and long-term effects on mental health which must be addressed now.
"When we were deployed... your family was safe back home... here these folks are scared they're going to bring the virus to their family,' Golnick said.
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People on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak who need to talk with someone can contact VFR Healthcare by phone, email or through their website. Co-pays are waived and they work with many insurance companies.
Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
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