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More Minnesota police, first responders seeking mental health help from local organization
Monday was National Law Enforcement Suicide Awareness Day, a day to remember law enforcement who died by suicide and raise awareness of the mental health challenges they face on the job.
FOREST LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Monday was National Law Enforcement Suicide Awareness Day, a day to remember law enforcement who died by suicide and raise awareness of the mental health challenges they face on the job.
Since 2020, the Invisible Wounds Project has steadily received more and more calls from first responders who need mental health services.
The group provides therapy services and resources to Minnesota’s military, first responders, frontline medical staff, corrections, dispatch, and their families, relating to mental health, PTSD and suicide issues free of charge. The organization is providing about five times more therapy sessions than last year.
Russ Hanes, the founder and executive director, said in large part it’s because Minnesota law enforcement have had a spotlight shined on them since the murder of George Floyd.
"Since George Floyd, we saw a lot of police officers leave with PTSD. We worked with a lot of people that were in the Third Precinct when it was overrun and burned," Hanes said.
He said many first responders finally decide to call for help when they're suicidal.
"We've lost officers in the area here. There's still a lot of people that don't reach out for help," he said.
Hanes is a former police officer and 911 dispatcher who understands their mental health struggles all too well.
"I started Invisible Wounds Project because I was struggling with PTSD, and I had to get out. And when I had to get out, there was nothing for someone like me," he said.
Hanes said it's that ongoing exposure to stress and responding to incidents that leave officers needing critical help.
"The average police officer, during the course of their career, will see 800+ critical incidents. The average person, the average citizen might see one," he explained.
Though many of the officers could get help through their departments, Hanes said they often don't feel comfortable doing so.
"It is not seen by most departments as a true injury," he said.
Hanes also says he supports the push happening nationally to designate suicide as a line of duty death, but he feels there's a lot of work internally to make departments understand how to treat mental health.
If you are struggling, please call or text the suicide lifeline at 988. Law enforcement officers can also call the COPLINE, which is run by trained retired law enforcement. That number is 1-800-COPLINE (267-5463).