Australasian College of Paramedicine International Conference (ACPIC 2022)

ACPIC 2022 delivered a wide range of clinical and research sessions from experts and leaders in paramedicine. Hosted in Brisbane (September 2022) the program was designed to inspire, educate and broaden horizons.

Conference theme: Embracing Strengths | Shaping Futures

Social connection & building communities: The strong role of social supports in promoting mental health and wellbeing of first responders

• An overview of Fortem Australia

• The mental health and wellbeing impact to the people who protect and care for our community

• Social support: The protective role that family and social supports provide first responders

• Specialised supports: The positive impact of designing, implementing, and evaluating specialised wellbeing and mental fitness support to first responder families

• ‘Good’ transition’: a healthy and timely transition honours past service and recognises the ongoing capabilities of first responders within the community

Biography:James Maskey

James Maskey is a celebrated social impact professional, striving to enhance the mental, physical, and social wellbeing of the first responder community. James is currently the 'Sector Specialist' of Fortem Australia. Fortem Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that supports the mental fitness and wellbeing of first responders and their families – the people who protect and care for our community. James is a retired front-line Queensland Police Officer with a service history including General Duties and the Child Protection & Investigation Unit. In 2013, James was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and subsequently transitioned out of the Queensland Police Service in 2015. James was also formerly the National Engagement Manager of Beyond Blue’s Police and Emergency Services Program. James is deeply committed to driving cultural change, high-value policy reform, and additional government support to support positive mental health and wellbeing in the first responder sector. Additionally, James is an advocate for individual first responders and works tirelessly to increase help-seeking behaviours, remove barriers to accessing supports such as entrenched stigma, and ultimately create mentally healthy workplaces within the first responder sector. For his ongoing mental health advocacy efforts in the first responder sector, James was recognised as one of Pro Bono Australia's 'Impact 25 Award' recipients for 2019, honouring the social and human services sector's most influential people for their significant and positive impact in Australia and around the world. James is currently undertaking a Master of Leadership degree at Deakin University, researching mental health leadership in the first responder sector.

Moderated by: Tim Andrews, MICA Paramedic, Ambulance Victoria and Teaching Associated, Monash University