National Contest Advances First Responder Mental Health and Therapy Dogs

DEERFIELD BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, June 12, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- DEERFIELD BEACH, FLORIDA – Last week, the national behavioral health provider FHE Health kicked off its first annual campaign to honor one outstanding therapy dog in the United States with over $2000 in prizes from FHE Health and supporters like Chewy. Applications are now being accepted at this link, and the treatment center is encouraging all dog and pet lovers to get the word out by sharing the link on their website.

The new contest is the latest chapter in FHE Health’s longstanding commitment to first responder mental health needs and is raising awareness about these issues and how therapy dogs can help. Research has shown that therapy dogs can significantly reduce symptoms and improve quality of life and intervene after trauma. They also detect physical signs of distress.

Nearly one in three first responders will develop a behavioral health condition like PTSD or depression, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Law enforcement personnel and firefighters are also at higher risk of taking their own life. Shatterproof FHE Health, a specialized treatment program for first responders, has been helping many of these men and women find recovery, through its unique emphasis on brain-based education, trauma therapies like EMDR, and peer support groups.

Annalee Moody, LMHC, CFRC, is one of the clinicians who works with patients at Shatterproof FHE Health. She believes commonly cited statistics regarding PTSD in this population are skewed because of the social stigma that prevents many men and women in uniform from seeking help. 40-50 percent of first responders have PTSD, according to conventional figures, but Moody thinks as many as 80 percent have symptoms of PTSD that they don’t recognize.

In recent years, FHE Health has been at the forefront of calling for more first responder therapy dogs, not just in its own backyard of Broward County but in communities across the country. It has donated $10,000 and led efforts to fundraise another $12,000, so that Broward Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local #4321 could acquire more therapy dogs. FHE Health has also been instrumental in founding the non-profit organization First Responders Pack, Inc.. It aims to help more agencies acquire therapy dogs. In November, it will help select the winner of the First Responder Paws Therapy Dog Award.

About FHE Health
FHE Health provides behavioral health services to adults, ages 18 and up, from all walks of life and with a wide variety of addiction and mental health needs. From its headquarters in Deerfield Beach, Florida, FHE Health serves patients from around the country with integrated care, innovative neuro therapies, and specialized treatment programs.

Rami Sleiman
FHE Health
rsleiman@fhehealth.com
+1 954-421-6242
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