Fort Frances, Ontario – 2025/12/03 – The Rainy River District Paramedic Services (RRDPS) is taking more steps to support the mental health of staff. These improvements are part of its long-term work to build a healthy workplace and to make sure staff have support that fits the realities of emergency work.

Over the past year, the service has focused on creating mental health supports that are practical, easy to use, and shaped by the feedback heard from staff. They have partnered with Sharon Bak of Bak Emergency Management, a Registered Social Services Worker who understands the needs of trauma-exposed professionals. This partnership gives staff a private and confidential place to turn for support, follow-up care, and guidance. The clinician and the Peer Support Team work separately from management, which helps staff feel comfortable reaching out.

The four-member Peer Support Team includes Rob Altbauer, Donna O’Sullivan, Katrina Michaels, and Shae Felix. The team is active across the district and offers peer-to-peer support from co-workers who understand the job. Each member has completed or is working through training in peer support, psychological first aid, supportive communication, and referral practices. Staff also have access to the PeerConnect app, which provides confidential help from peers or a clinician at any time.

RRDPS has also received $30,000 in new wellness grant funding. This funding will support education and wellness programs, trauma-informed training to help staff manage stress, and resources for family members who play an important role in supporting frontline workers.

“Our goal is simple: to support our people with meaningful, evidence-based resources that help them stay healthy,” says Joshua Colling, Chief of Paramedic Services. “This is not about checking boxes; it’s about building a foundation of support that grows over time.”

Together, these efforts show the service’s ongoing commitment to a workplace that values both physical and mental safety. Staff now have clearer and more reliable paths to mental health support. The goal is to make sure help is easy to reach and trusted by the people who rely on it, especially given the demanding and often stressful nature of paramedic work. The service will continue to review and strengthen its mental health and wellness programming throughout 2026.