Mental Health and Wellness Services

The National Fraternal Order of Police (NFOP) has made the national behavioral treatment center FHE Health its primary provider of choice. (Read the announcement here https://fherehab.com/news/fhe-health-and-fraternal-organization-of-police/) This move signifies the NFOP’s strong commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of its more than 346,000 members, at a time when America’s police officers and families are suffering from disproportionately high rates of PTSD and other mental health conditions:

• 30 percent of first responders—namely, police officers, fire fighters and EMS personnel—will develop a behavioral health condition like PTSD as a result of their job.
• The number of cops who took their own lives in 2017 was three times that of the number of cops who were killed in the line of duty, according to a 2018 USA Today report.
• The rate of attempted suicide among first responders is steadily increasing to more than 10 times the national average.

Within this network, FHE Health is a primary provider of choice for members with intensive behavioral health needs and for their immediate family members. Here are some unique features of FHE Health that are helping us to prioritize the mental health needs of our members in Colorado:

• Expedited access to high-quality and affordable inpatient care, via FHE’s specialized treatment program for police officers and first responders (known as “Shatterproof”).
• Peer support groups consisting exclusively of police and other first responders (because these achieve better treatment outcomes for police and first responders).
• A focus on job security and retention, by taking client privacy very seriously and utilizing union affiliation and best practices.
• Trauma-based therapies that address PTSD and trauma-related mental health conditions.
• Neuro treatments that therapeutically target areas of dysfunction in the brain and speed the recovery process— so that our members can get back to helping their families and communities faster.

Shatterproof at FHE (formerly Florida House Shatterproof) employs evidence-based therapies, innovative medical care, and a comprehensive wellness program to address symptoms of PTSD, among other mental health conditions. The goal is to help police and first responders successfully manage their condition and/or achieve life-long recovery from drugs and alcohol.

Shatterproof is designed to help patients overcome specific obstacles and increase their ability to manage emotions during stressful situations without turning to self-medication. FHE’s medical team works to customize a care plan that treats the underlying issues that contribute to substance use disorders and other mental health conditions. Patients in the program meet with therapists whose experience is specialized to meet their treatment needs.

FHE’s evidence-based, holistic treatment approach addresses every individual’s physical, neurological, mental, social, emotional and spiritual well-being. The program also utilizes a peer-support group model— to improve outcomes by placing patients in a therapeutic setting where they are among their peers. This also allows patients to feel more comfortable sharing and processing sensitive experiences.

As Director of “Shatterproof,” Dr. Sachi Ananda, Ph.D., LMHC, MCAP, is responsible for providing clinical direction to FHE Health’s specialized treatment program for first responders. Her #1 goal in her job is to help first responders return as soon as possible to their roles as public servants in their communities and families.