First Responders Support Team (FRST) Midwest

PEER SUPPORT & CRITICAL INCIDENT DEBRIEF TRAINING

40 HOUR BASIC TRAINING
February 20-24, 2023  8am – 5pm
Pittsburg, Kansas

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 concerns, help to prevent and understand the effects of stress, and refer to outside resources, if needed. Throughout the training, participants will be expected to participate in peer support exercises which elicit personal information and feelings. Following this training, the Peer will be able to provide 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, provide instruction. Both work, almost exclusively, with first responders. They also assist multiple departments with their Peer Support teams. Experienced Peer Support members teach and provide valuable feedback during scenario - based training. See below for their bios.

Who should attend?

• Police, Fire, Dispatchers, Paramedics, Chaplains, Mental Health Professionals that work with First Responders

REGISTRATION IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED

• Training may be cancelled if not enough people sign up. You will be notified by the end of January if this happens.

Instructor BIOS:

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, 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 thirteen 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.

Peer Educators

Retired Major Jeff Bragg – Olathe PD, FRST Midwest Vice-President

Jeff Bragg was a police officer with the city of Olathe from 1993 until his retirement in December 2022. He has served in many capacities such as Tactical Team, Training Officer, Detective, and various supervisor roles. He retired as commander of the special operations division as a Major. Jeff was on the department’s peer support team since its inception in 2007 and retired as the team coordinator.

ASAC Angie Jones – Kansas Bureau of Investigation Wellness Coordinator, FRST Midwest

President Angie has been with the KBI since 2001. She worked crimes against children almost 17 years before being promoted as the full-time Wellness Coordinator. Angie worked to implement Peer Support at the KBI in 2007 and has been the program manager since. Angie has a master’s degree in Psychology, Clinical, and is passionate about bringing mental health awareness, opportunities for treatment and expertise to first responders. Angie has been instrumental in bringing peer support to communities across the metro and the state of Kansas.

DATE:

February 20-24, 2023  8am – 5pm  (lunch on your own)

LOCATION:

Memorial Auditorium
503 N Pine St
Pittsburg, KS 66762

CONTACT:

FRST Midwest/Jeff Bragg
913-238-8591
jbragg351@icloud.com

REGISTER AT:

Cost is $400 per student

Cancellation policy on website.