ABPPSP: Working with Emergency Responders: What Every Clinician Needs to Know
Presented by: Jaime (Brower) Archuleta, PsyD, ABPP, Michael Pitrusu, and Rhonda Kelly
10 Hours / 10 CEs
On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training
This on-demand professional training program on Working with Emergency Responders: What Every Clinician Needs to Know is presented by Jaime Brower, PsyD, Rhonda Kelley, and Sgt. Michael Pitrusu, in partnership with The American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology (ABPPSP).
Our emergency responders make up an ever-growing group of law enforcement, firefighters, dispatch, emergency medical professionals, corrections/detentions, victim advocates, and others. This group is faced with unique challenges daily that impact both their own and their family’s mental health. This program provides core knowledge for all mental health clinicians interested in, or who may be already, working with our emergency responders.
This program promotes cultural competence, provides knowledge regarding the ethical and legal concepts associated with working with these populations, defines core proficiencies and terminology, and enhances an overall understanding of how each clinician working with this population can do so effectively and competently.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- 1 Describe the unique challenges faced by emergency responders
- 2 Describe how emergency services can have impacts on both responders and their families
- 3 Describe emergency responder cultural milieu
- 4 Describe the various core proficiencies each clinician may work within, while understanding limitations of such work and when to refer
- 5 Describe several guidelines and resources for competent and proficient practice with emergency responders
Training Instructors:
Jaime Brower, PsyD
Dr. Jaime (Brower) Archuleta, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist in Colorado and Wyoming. She is board-certified in Police & Public Safety Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and is currently the American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology’s (ABPPSP) President Elect and National Chair of Examinations. She is also the Founder and Owner of Brower Psychological Services & Consulting, Inc. (BPS).
Michael Pitrusu
Mike Pitrusu is a sergeant with a major city agency of 746 sworn officers that provides comprehensive police services to a diverse city of 374,000 residents. He’s currently serves as the Executive Officer to the Chief of Police where he supervises the department’s Employee Support and Wellness Unit (ESWU). During his 19 year law enforcement career, Sergeant Pitrusu has been assigned to the Patrol Division as a Patrol and Community Resource Officer; and the Special Operations Bureau as a Special Weapons and Tactics Team Leader, Sniper and Sergeant.
Rhonda Kelly
Rhonda Kelly draws on personal experience in her focus on mental health support for people in team-based work in extreme environments. She was a firefighter/paramedic for 17 years in Aurora, CO. She served for five years as the department’s Health and Safety Officer, working to implement culture change that would prioritize overall wellness and destigmatize mental health support.
We are proud to partner with
American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology
We are proud to partner with The American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology (ABPPSP) for this training. ABPPSP became a fully affiliated specialty board of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) on October 21, 2011. Police and Public Safety Psychology is concerned with assisting law enforcement and other public safety personnel and agencies in carrying out their missions and societal functions with optimal effectiveness, safety, health, and conformity to laws and ethics. It consists of the application of the science and profession of psychology in four primary domains of practice: assessment, clinical intervention, operational support, and organizational consultation.
CE Sponsorship Information
Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here.
American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.
Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).
Sponsorship Approval Statements
Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.