Steve Hough: Officer Mental Health & Suicide

Tactical Breakdown

Here’s a sobering reality - the law enforcement world sees more death by suicide than officers killed in the line of duty. On the latest episode of the Tactical Breakdown, Blue H.E.L.P. co-founder Steve Hough discusses mental health, officer suicide, his own healing journey, and the mission of Blue H.E.L.P at the 2021 ILEETA Conference. In December 2011, while working with a violent fugitive task force, Steve was shot three times, twice in the left leg and once in the face. So began his journey of healing, leading him to eventually co-found Blue H.E.L.P. and assist others in the battle with critical incident stress management. Blue H.E.L.P. brings mental health awareness to the forefront by collecting data around law enforcement and corrections suicides. They offer training and readily available resources and usable data to guide law enforcement and their families on the path to developing resiliency and maintaining wellness. See The Numbers. Something to take away from this eye-opening interview – you need to have an outlet, whether it is a friend, partner, significant other, or counselor. Choose the right people to support you in your healing journey. Not every mental health counselor is created equal, and some are not equipped with the right tools to communicate with first responders. You can only work as good as your mind lets you work. Contact Blue H.E.L.P. Connect with Steve on LinkedIn More about Blue H.E.L.P. https://bluehelp.org/ Blue H.E.L.P. is an organization devoted to reducing mental health stigmas through education, advocating for benefits for those suffering from post-traumatic stress, and acknowledging the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers lost to suicide, assisting officers in their search for healing, and bringing awareness to suicide and mental health issues. Recently, Blue H.E.L.P. has begun collecting data for ALL first responders to include: law enforcement, corrections, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and 911 Telecommunicators Take The Pledge: Commit to eradicating the stigma. Publicly show your support for prevention of law enforcement suicide; support for the officers who are suffering and; honor the memory of those we have lost. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.