Since 2014, Dr. Kuhlman has specialized in providing thoughtfully-crafted services to public safety employees. She has a passion for supporting first responders, and has worked with law enforcement, fire, dispatch, coroners employees, EMS, and more. Our clinicians train diligently to best understand the unique needs of first responders.
Services
Therapy
It's important to have a therapist that understands the work you do. The hours and the shiftwork. The horror stories. The culture. Tele-therapy, when clinically appropriate, is offered on a HIPAA-compliant platform to serve clients located outside of the Phoenix-metro area.
Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations
When an employee or student is engaging in behaviors in the workplace or at school that are causing disruption and/or an inability to perform job functions, due to mental health issues, a fitness-for-duty evaluation determines if they are fit, not fit, or fit with considerations to perform their duties AND what procedures or steps should be taken by both the agency and the individual to restore fitness.
Pre-Employment Evaluations
Dr. Kuhlman has conducted over 2000 pre-employment evaluations for public safety agencies or high-risk occupations. This includes a battery of tests, thorough clinical interview, and when appropriate, review of mental health records. Hiring recommendations are then made directly to the agency within 24 hours, with a thorough written report provided in less than one week.
Violence Risk/Threat Assessment/ Consultation
Recent trends suggest that public safety agencies, schools, and workplaces are beginning to form threat assessment teams, which have proven to prevent violence. We can help at the beginning stages, as you develop your team, consult on policies, as well as difficult cases or employees. We provide a detailed analysis on the individual's pathway to violence, seriousness of threat(s), and recommendations on mitigating and preventing escalation.
Disability/Retirement Evaluations (PTSD)
A career in public safety takes its toll not only physically, but emotionally as well. More responders are claiming disability due to PTSD. Because PTSD does not manifest physically like medical disabilities, proving that the job caused PTSD can be difficult. An evaluation takes a thorough look at history, medical and mental health records, psychological testing, and in-depth interview.
Wellness Programming and Wellness Checks
Many agencies have chosen to be proactive in public safety employee mental health by viewing mental health wellness checks similar to annual physicals. Wellness programming includes training on optimal wellness and performance, while wellness checks are a confidential meeting to discuss factors related to wellness including job stressors, relationship, substance use, sleep, and more! Wellness checks are not therapy, and only attendance is reported back to the department.
Check out Dr. Kuhlman's interviews with Ret. Chief Brian Manley on the Off Duty Management podcast!
Critical Incident/OIS Debriefing
Officer-involved shootings, deadly MVAs, child deaths, suicides, and other calls can take a toll on your officers, deputies, firefighters, and dispatchers/call-takers. It has been proven that education and debriefing, along with timely follow-ups, can prevent or at least reduce, trauma long-term.
In-Service Training
We have experience and expertise in Peer Support, CIT, Stress Management, Surviving and Thriving in the Fire Service, Evaluation and Mitigation of Threat, Conflict Resolution, and more! In-service trainings can be individually crafted to suit the needs unique to your department.
It's important to have a therapist that understands the work you do. The hours and the shiftwork. The horror stories. The culture. Tele-therapy, when clinically appropriate, is offered on a HIPAA-compliant platform to serve clients located outside of the Phoenix-metro area.
Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations
When an employee or student is engaging in behaviors in the workplace or at school that are causing disruption and/or an inability to perform job functions, due to mental health issues, a fitness-for-duty evaluation determines if they are fit, not fit, or fit with considerations to perform their duties AND what procedures or steps should be taken by both the agency and the individual to restore fitness.
Pre-Employment Evaluations
Dr. Kuhlman has conducted over 2000 pre-employment evaluations for public safety agencies or high-risk occupations. This includes a battery of tests, thorough clinical interview, and when appropriate, review of mental health records. Hiring recommendations are then made directly to the agency within 24 hours, with a thorough written report provided in less than one week.
Violence Risk/Threat Assessment/ Consultation
Recent trends suggest that public safety agencies, schools, and workplaces are beginning to form threat assessment teams, which have proven to prevent violence. We can help at the beginning stages, as you develop your team, consult on policies, as well as difficult cases or employees. We provide a detailed analysis on the individual's pathway to violence, seriousness of threat(s), and recommendations on mitigating and preventing escalation.
Disability/Retirement Evaluations (PTSD)
A career in public safety takes its toll not only physically, but emotionally as well. More responders are claiming disability due to PTSD. Because PTSD does not manifest physically like medical disabilities, proving that the job caused PTSD can be difficult. An evaluation takes a thorough look at history, medical and mental health records, psychological testing, and in-depth interview.
Wellness Programming and Wellness Checks
Many agencies have chosen to be proactive in public safety employee mental health by viewing mental health wellness checks similar to annual physicals. Wellness programming includes training on optimal wellness and performance, while wellness checks are a confidential meeting to discuss factors related to wellness including job stressors, relationship, substance use, sleep, and more! Wellness checks are not therapy, and only attendance is reported back to the department.
Check out Dr. Kuhlman's interviews with Ret. Chief Brian Manley on the Off Duty Management podcast!
Critical Incident/OIS Debriefing
Officer-involved shootings, deadly MVAs, child deaths, suicides, and other calls can take a toll on your officers, deputies, firefighters, and dispatchers/call-takers. It has been proven that education and debriefing, along with timely follow-ups, can prevent or at least reduce, trauma long-term.
In-Service Training
We have experience and expertise in Peer Support, CIT, Stress Management, Surviving and Thriving in the Fire Service, Evaluation and Mitigation of Threat, Conflict Resolution, and more! In-service trainings can be individually crafted to suit the needs unique to your department.
Services offered through Nicoletti-Flater Associates
Dr. Kuhlman is also a Consulting Psychologist through Nicoletti-Flater Associates, an established Colorado-based Public Safety firm that is known internationally for providing exceptional services to public safety employees.
