Ontario public safety personnel experiences of workplace mental wellness supports

In Canada, the rates and costs of psychological injury for public safety personnel (PSP) have been rising for the past decade. Public safety organizations often support the mental wellness of their employees with individually focused interventions, neglecting the impact of organizational factors. This study aimed to understand the mental wellness and organizational experiences of PSP in the province of Ontario, Canada, including border services officers, communicators, correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers. This cross-sectional convergent mixed methods study included an online survey (June-December 2024) and follow-up virtual semi-structured interviews (January-February 2025). Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and framework analysis, respectively. The 644 survey participants showed a low to moderate risk of serious mental illness, an above average risk of work-related stress, and a low to average level of work engagement on standardized measures. Border services officers and correctional workers showed a pattern of higher work stress and mental distress, with lower work engagement, while firefighters and police displayed the opposite pattern. Available employer-funded supports included internal peer support programs (83%), critical incident debriefing (62%), external mental health supports (61%), and extended health benefits (77%). The 15 follow up interview participants identified low staffing, low control at work, and conflict between supervisors and coworkers as chronic work-related stressors. Overall, survey and interview participants had low to moderate intentions for the use of internal resources and supports and conflicting views of their trustworthiness and effectiveness, and endorsed the need for more tailored internal mental wellness supports as well as a preference for the use of extended health benefits. This study is the first to capture Ontario public safety employer efforts to support employee mental wellness and employee experiences of these efforts, revealing mixed perceptions of quality. Findings can be used to consider the most impactful use of organizational resources.