Paramedic Chiefs of Canada – Paramedicine, mental health, and crisis calls in the community: Highlights for leadership

Resources mentioned during the webinar:
Slide deck

There has been growing attention to the responses that emergency services provide for people, in particular, individuals with a range of mental health needs, when they are in crisis. There has been an increasing demand for paramedic services to respond to mental health-related calls, and it’s becoming even more important to respond appropriately to these calls. In this session, we will consider some of the current research and evidence with respect to what paramedic leaders need to know and what they can do to implement evidence-informed improvements. An evidence-informed framework for crisis care will be shared, along with areas for potential practice change. Areas for practice change include alternative care options (outside of ED), response team approaches, community paramedicine, and post-care follow up. Finally, identification of which mental health-related continuing medical education and training is pertinent, including recommendations for continuing education going forward.

Dr. Polly Ford-Jones is a Professor in Allied Health at Humber Polytechnic in Toronto and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto in the Paramedicine Collaborative at DFCM. She is a social scientist and interdisciplinary health services researcher with front line experience in paramedicine. Her program of research explores emergency mental health needs in the community, including response to acute crises, follow-up, and supportive prevention. Her research is rooted in critical, qualitative methodologies, and engages in issues of health equity and the social determinants of health.

Facilitators:

Nikki Little, Field Training Officer | Paramedic Education Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Services

Todd Stout, Founder & President | FirstWatch

Webinar Date: December 5, 2024