CAREgivers film — Promoting policies for staff wellness

Vic Compher 4/16/1811:39 AM

We are delighted that CAREgivers film is being used to promote public and professional awareness regarding the subject of vicarious trauma and staff wellness; AND we are now beginning to see early steps toward organizational change and the potential for new policies that can promote staff resilience.

Several exciting things are happening: firstly, public television broadcasts and screenings of CAREgivers film around that country are opening up important conversations about staff exposures to trauma and how to support our professional caregivers better. You can follow broadcast schedules at: http://caregiversfilm.com/screenings/broadcasts/ and some of the screening dates at: http://caregiversfilm.com/screenings/ You may also want to call your local PBS station to request a broadcast or you may choose to organize a live screening for your organization or community.

Secondly, we are pleased that our workshops are encouraging professionals in the development of staff wellness skills. Locations have included among others: Philadelphia, Wilmington (DE), Chicago, Washington (DC), Milwaukee, Boston, Providence (RI), Nashville, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego (upcoming). Please let us know if you’d like to arrange for a workshop by our team in your community. Workshops usually include a morning screening, with afternoon emphasis on how organizations can establish effective programs and meaningful policies of staff support.

Thirdly, inspired by CAREgivers film, Philadelphia’s City Council created a resolution declaring, February 15, as CAREGIVERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS DAY. In an expression of bipartisan support, each member of City Council read a sentence of the resolution which acknowledged the heroic work of the city’s professional caregivers and emotional and physical risks they may encounter. In honor of the day, Philadelphia’s public television station WHYY broadcast the film on that same afternoon. Councilpersons Derek Green and Helen Gym also have called for public hearings to address secondary trauma and ways to promote staff support and wellness in the workplace. These hearings will occur in the late spring or early fall.

Our team hopes that many other cities will consider celebrating their trauma workers — and promoting accessible, supportive programs for them. Please contact us, if you would like additional information or if you'd like to request consultation or a workshop on creating organizational programs for staff wellness.

Vic Compher, MSS, LCSW

Director, Co-Producer, Trainer

267-266-0842

viccompher@comcast.net

www.caregivesfilm.com

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Vic CompherMember

Thanks, Sylvia, for your kind note.

I recall your thoughtful interview of a couple of years ago. Since then, part of the shift for me in my workshops and other presentations is placing a stronger emphasis on organizations’ responsibility to assist their staff in developing intentional supportive programs that address secondary trauma and staff wellness vs. placing the responsibility for self care primarily on the back of employees as individuals. The latter is still the primary ethos of most service and educational institutions, it seems.

The position that organizations are indeed also responsible for offering emotional and physical care of staff in response to their trauma exposure leads us toward the kind of policy considerations we are starting to explore in Philly—namely universal availability of such programs to ALL of our trauma workers, not just a fortunate few, as is currently the case.

Thanks again for being in touch.

Best wishes in your fine journalistic work,

Vic

4/17/187:05 AM