40 HOUR BASIC TRAINING
Peer Support is a means for a department to show support to their employees, offering them opportunities to care for themselves and their families. Peer Support helps those, who without it, might turn to substances, illegal activity, poor performance, seeking a different career, mental health issues and even suicide.
Peer Support is an informal, private opportunity, for someone to speak to a peer, to assist with any issues the First Responder may be having difficulty. It helps clarify concerns and explore available resources. Peer Support is preventative maintenance.
This training will equip First Responders, Chaplains and Mental Health Professionals with listening skills to recognize, help to prevent and understand the effects of stress and refer to outside resources, if needed. Following this training, the Peer will be able to provide these services at their agency as well as assist and lead groups following critical incidents.
Dr. Jennifer Prohaska, Ph.D. and Pat Hinkle, M.A., LCPC, LCMFT will provide instruction. Both work almost exclusively, with first responders. They also assist multiple departments with their Peer Support teams. See attached for their bios.
Who should attend?
- Police, Fire, Dispatchers, Paramedics, Chaplains, Mental Health Professionals that work with First Responders
Registration: E-mail Josh Long at josh.long@renolec.com, to reserve your spot.
Cost: $350.00
Please provide attendee’s name, agency, email address and phone contact.
Dr. Jennifer Prohaska, Ph.D., is a native Kansan. She completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kansas in 2013. She completed her residency at University of Kansas Medical Center with a specialty in neuro-rehabilitation medicine, where her primary focus was addressing the immediate psychological needs of individuals undergoing major physical and emotional trauma in an inpatient medical setting.
After completion of her residency, also in 2013, she was hired as a Clinical Faculty Member at the University of Kansas Cancer Centers where her duties were to address the needs of terminally ill individuals with a variety of cancers and specializing in brain cancer.
In late 2013 she was presented with the opportunity to return to a trauma medicine-related practice when she entered private practice as a police and public safety psychologist. Since that time, she has worked primarily with individuals in law enforcement and the fire service in both clinical and educational settings. She enjoys complex casework that still allows her to use her medical knowledge while helping people return to their respective service positions. She very much enjoys teaching, risk assessment and evaluations, leadership coaching, and using psychological knowledge and skill to help organizations address complex personnel problems and create positive organizational change.
Pat Hinkle, MA, LCPC, LCMFT, founder of Hinkle & Associates, brings a distinctive background to his work as a trained counselor and therapist. Drawing from experiences gained throughout his three-year deployment in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps, and as a former Captain during his a 28-year career with the Lenexa, Kansas Police Department, Pat finds a natural connection with people confronting trauma, crisis situations and challenging life events.
As both a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist the past seven years, Pat’s practice is built on providing confidential and supportive therapy techniques. His background is extensive, including a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in counseling from MidAmerica Nazarene University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and a long-time instructor at Johnson County Regional Police Academy. In addition, he has clinical counseling experience at the Kansas City Salvation Army’s adult rehabilitation clinic, and Shawnee Mission Medical Center’s emergency room and in-patient mental health unit.
Pat’s work and leadership have been honored through various awards and appointments. These include a Bronze Medal of Valor from Kansas City Crime Commission/KMBC TV 9 in 1992, and positions on the National Alliance for Mental Illness Board of Directors (Johnson County, KS affiliate) and the Kansas Law Enforcement Council-Crisis Intervention Team. Pat has been featured in television appearances including 60 Minutes, The Paula Zahn Show, featured documentaries, and published interviews, sharing his insights on notorious criminal cases and related issues. He also is an active member of numerous government, professional and civic organizations at the local and state level.
