Written by: Elaine Knight, MBA, SPHR
The mental health of our staff is always a top priority. Our mobile crisis responders are at the heart of our BHL team and stand as the unsung heroes, supporting those with behavioral health crises across Georgia. But the job they do is tough and often comes with the added weight of emotional distress. We’ve witnessed firsthand the toll this influential work can take on our team-burnout and compassion fatigue are realities we face together.
In our ongoing commitment to supporting the well-being of our team members on the front lines, we’ve developed a set of strategies rooted in our experience. We aim to foster a supportive environment where our responders can thrive professionally and personally.
Do any of these signs and symptoms resonate with how your staff is acting? When the signs can be recognized, the help can be fostered to bounce back from burnout:
- Emotional exhaustion: Have you noticed someone feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or struggling with daily stressors?
- Depersonalization: Is there a growing detachment or a lack of empathy toward the clients we care so deeply about?
- Reduced personal accomplishment: Do some of us feel ineffective, questioning our impact in the roles we hold so dear?
- Physical symptoms: Are troubling signs like fatigue, headaches, or sleeplessness becoming more common?
- Behavioral changes: Have irritability or cynicism crept into day-to-day interactions?
BHL’s approach to addressing these challenges includes:
- Promoting a culture of support: At BHL, we champion mental health support, ensuring it’s as normal as seeking medical care for physical ailments.
- Resources to support self-care: At BHL, we provide all staff with access to the Calm app along with access to telemental health services.
- Employee assistance programs: We provide confidential counseling and support groups, reinforcing our commitment to our team’s mental health.
- Encouraging necessary breaks: We encourage staff to take accrued vacations and sick leave for rest and recovery.
- Regular debriefing sessions: These meeting times allow us to share experiences and collectively process the complex cases that deeply affect us.
- Celebrating every victory: We take every opportunity to celebrate our team’s positive impacts, big and small.
Beyond addressing burnout and fatigue, BHL also follows these proactive steps to prevent burnout inside and outside work:
- Encouraging self-care: We advocate for regular exercise, nutritious eating, and ample rest.
- Cultivating a supportive work environment: Open communication and peer support are pillars of our workplace.
- Ongoing training and education: Stress management and resilience workshops build our collective strength.
- Balancing workloads: We ensure that caseloads are manageable, allowing for thorough documentation and follow-up.
- Setting clear boundaries: We encourage everyone to maintain a healthy separation between their professional and personal lives.
By recognizing the signs and taking meaningful action, we support our responders and bolster the quality of care they provide. Investing in their mental health is an investment in the fabric of our community. Together, we grow more robust, more resilient, and more compassionate.