PTSD coordinator needed on P.E.I., says psychologist

A P.E.I. psychologist who works with first responders struggling with post traumatic stress disorder would like to see the province pay for a PTSD coordinator.

Caroline LeBlanc is one of 20 volunteers with the P.E.I. Critical Incident Stress Management Network. The group is made up of social workers, nurses, psychologists, youth workers and peer support people.

LeBlanc said while these different professions get their own specialized training, often new treatments are not passed on to others. LeBlanc thinks a paid coordinator could help.

"This is a very specialized area, but it's not a coordinated effort across the province," she said.

"There are agencies that are doing excellent work with trauma but they're not all necessarily talking to each other, and I think having a coordinator would help that happen within P.E.I."

This volunteer network has helped 300 first responders over the past six years, despite having no provincial funding.

Justice Minister Janice Sherry is considering offering the network some money after backbench Liberal MLA Pat Murphy raised the issue in the Legislature.