Retreat Behavioral Health Launches New Treatment Program for First Responders

Healing Our Heroes will provide specialized care that addresses the unique behavioral health challenges that first responders face.

Healing Our Heroes logo

Retreat is launching Healing Our Heroes, a new behavioral health program specifically for first responders and veterans. The program offers inpatient and outpatient services that address the unique challenges facing frontline and emergency professionals. Healing Our Heroes identifies and provides treatment for depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance use, stress and trauma response, and suicidal thoughts. 

"We're proud to expand our services and extend our skills to serve to the individuals who have given so much to help us and keep us safe when we are in need," said Peter Schorr, founder and CEO of Retreat Behavioral Health. "We take this responsibility seriously, and will work with the compassion, care, and sensitivity needed to become a trusted partner to these professionals." 

Healing Our Heroes is a response to the growing research on the behavioral health challenges that first responders, emergency personnel, law enforcement professionals, and veterans face. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA), these professionals may face an increased risk of mental health and substance use issues because of the high-stress environments and dangers they face daily. Additionally, professionals in these fields are less likely to seek help because they fear being seen as weak. 

The program will consist of individual and group therapy, holistic therapy activities (gardening, yoga, art, etc.), family engagement, medication management and/or detoxification, and access to cutting-edge therapies like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and BrainsWay deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS). Staff for the program will be comprised of former or current first responders who are specialized in peer and clinical training. 

The program was developed in consultation with Dr. Robert J. Cipriano Jr., a licensed psychologist who has worked within the South Florida community for the last 20 years. Dr. Cipriano is board certified in Police and Public Safety Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and has worked directly with clients experiencing trauma-based symptoms. He has provided an array of clinical services to the Trauma-Intensive Care Units (ICU) and inpatient behavioral health units at a Level II trauma center and has provided several hundred critical incident stress debriefings for a variety of staff in law enforcement and hospital professionals for the last 20 years. 

Healing Our Heroes will be offered at Retreat locations in Connecticut, Florida, and Pennsylvania. 

ABOUT RETREAT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Retreat Behavioral Health is a leading provider of substance use and mental health treatment services with a number of locations along the East Coast. Retreat specializes in inpatient and outpatient mental and behavioral health services, and always strives to provide patients with the highest quality of care in a holistic and peaceful environment. For additional information, visit www.retreatbehavioralhealth.com or follow Retreat Behavioral Health on LinkedInTwitter, and Facebook.

Source: Retreat Behavioral Health