Longitudinal Study of Operational Stress Injuries

Closing Date: 31 August 2017 The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are seeking to undertake a Longitudinal Study of Operational Stress injuries (OSIs), including post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) as part of its mental health strategy for members. The services will be undertaken in Regina, Saskatchewan and the results delivered to the National Capital Region (NCR). Canada will make the RCMP Occupational Health and Safety 2015 Annual Performance Report and the RCMP Disability Management and Accommodation Framework available to bidders upon written request, to the Contracting Authority at article 7.5.1. The two documents are formatted in Adobe pdf format and sent via email. The services are required for the period of three years from date of contract award, with up to seven option periods of one year each. RCMP members are exposed to higher rates of traumatic events than the general public, particularly Operation Stress Injuries (OSIs). Veterans Affairs Canada defines an OSI as "any persistent psychological difficulty resulting from operational duties”. Examples of OSIs are depression, anxiety, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or substance abuse. OSIs can also affect others in the person's life, leading to marital and family problems. Finally, OSIs can produce physical symptoms such as stomach upset, headaches, or sleep problems, and they can also make chronic pain problems worse. The RCMP recognizes the importance of the mental health and has various prevention and intervention measures in place to improve psychological health and safety for all of its employees (http://www.rcmp.gc.ca/fam/strat-eng.htm). Despite these measures, the RCMP continues to lose the services of many members as a result of mental health related issues. For example in 2014, 41.7% of long-term disability claims for RCMP regular members no longer with the force (e.g., medical discharge) were related to mental health conditions. A study out of the University of British Columbia found that emergency personnel, including police, experience PTSD at twice the rate of the average population. The RCMP is seeking professional services to investigate and identify vulnerabilities and resiliencies (e.g., physiological and or psychological markers) for OSIs in RCMP members and to provide empirically sound data that will allow for the development of evidence-based interventions to protect regular member mental health. The results are expected to result in the development of long-term plans to support the overall mental health of its members.