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By rdnewsNOW staff

developing web-based resources

Alberta funding more mental health supports for first responders, military

Jun 25, 2020 | 4:30 PM

The Alberta government will provide funding to help first responders and members of the military dealing with mental health issues.

The funding, $362,000, will go to the Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC).

The funds will be used to develop web-based resources to build resilience among first responders and expand clinical trials using virtual reality to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military members and veterans to a sample of other first responders, including law enforcement and health-care providers, reads a government news release.

“AHS Emergency Medical Services is grateful to see this funding provided to HiMARC for ongoing research and treatment of mental health issues in military, veterans, first responders and their families. Paramedics on the frontlines will benefit from the increased resiliency and treatment as they deal with difficult situations every day,” said Dale Weiss, executive director, EMS Operations, Alberta Health Services.

Premier Jason Kenney and Jason Luan, associate minister of mental health and addictions, held a roundtable discussion with representatives from first responder agencies and the HiMARC organization.

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HiMARC was established through the Chair of Canadian Military and Veterans Clinical Rehabilitation in Canada at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine to develop and implement innovative solutions to improve operational readiness, resilience and growth, as well as health and well-being of organizations, military members, veterans, public safety personnel, and their families.

HiMARC’s 3MDR project uses an immersive virtual reality system, including exposure therapy, psychotherapy, virtual reality imagery and treadmill walking, to treat PTSD, moral injury and other mental health conditions.

The new online platform will include resources and resilience-building activities, as well as a trial of virtual group activities.