U of R nabs multimillion-dollar contract to study effects of policing on mental health of RCMP

The RCMP has hired the University of Regina to study the "intense and unrelenting" pressures and stresses of policing and their effects on the mental health of RCMP officers.

• 'It's about time': Mountie says attention to mental health overdue

The goal of the study, which is expected to last a decade and is valued at up to $8.9 million for its first three years,is "to identify psychological and physiological signs of trauma and stress-related disorders, including post-traumatic stress," according to a press release issued by Public Safety Canada on Friday.

RCMPAssistant Commissioner Stephen Whitesaidmental health has been a focus of the force for the last few years.

He said since 2006,40 serving or retired membershave committed suicide.

The RCMP encourages employees struggling with mental health-related issues to make their issues known so theycan be addressed, White said.

"For us to be able to start working with themget them the support, the care they needwe need them to come forward, really minimizing the stigma, and I think we're making progress with regards to that. [We] still have work to do but I think we're making progress."

In 2014, more than 40 per cent of long-term disability claims for former RCMP members were related to mental health conditions.

"We initiated a mental health strategy in 2014. The first early years of that strategy really was around trying to create an environment in the organization that really minimizes the stigma around mental health," White said.

• RCMP plan to launch study on operational stress, PTSD in Mounties

Officers to sport 'wearable technology'

RCMP members will help the university by using "wearable technology."

Annual psychological assessments and self-reporting measures will also be used, through participation in the program will be voluntary. Data collected from individual officers will be kept anonymous.

Researchers will start by assessing cadets as they begin their training at the RCMP academy in Regina. They will continue to monitor over a 10-year period.

"We're going to be engaging in diagnostic level interviews. We'll be recording biopsychologicaldata, we will be recording the self-report data. We will be doing it at a size and scope that's completely unprecedented," said Nicholas Carleton, a professor at the University of Regina and theScientific Directorfor the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment.

Internal issues

OneRCMPofficer who listened to Friday's announcement thought the call for more study was unnecessary.

Insp. StephenGloadeis off dutyon sick leavefrom the service. He protested outsidefederal minister of public safety RalphGoodale's office on Friday.

He said studies on the well-being ofRCMPmembers have already done, and that members already have access to registered psychologists.

What needs to change, he said, is certain internal structures at theRCMPthat prevent that care from being accountable.

He gave an example.

"In the health servicesprogramthat oversee members that areoff duty sick, thepersonin charge of thatis an inspector," he said. "That person also oversees a doctor and a psychologist and they report back to the inspector. Really that has no business coming back to usa member or an employee's health issues.

"That should be dealt with completely separately, much like harassment allegations."

Study will serveRCMPand others says Goodale

The study itself had originally been announced in August but the contract was officially awarded to the U of R on Friday. The university won the contract over other, unspecified organizations througha competitive process.

Goodalemade the announcement at theRCMPdepot in Regina.

He said theRCMPis already providing access to mental health services and training to its members,but the results from the study should target what is needed

"The information that we will gain from this studywill hopefully make those servicesstronger and better and more effective over the long-term into the future," saidGoodale.

It's also hoped the results will potentially prove useful to other groups such as firefighters and paramedics.