A Valley hospital is helping keep first responders up-to-date on their training.

Progreso police officer Roosevelt Jasso is keeping himself up-to-date on his first aid mental health and trauma response training.

Jasso spent the day with South Texas Health System McAllen’s trauma department learning about both new and familiar challenges first responders’ face.

Outside of mental health crisis response, in light of large scale traumatic events like 9-11, the COVID-19 pandemic and mass shootings, El Paso mental health crisis police officer Andres Rodriguez—who responded to the tragic Walmart shooting back in 2019—is using this symposium to reiterate self-care.

“They interacted with people with emotions and that somehow sticks with them and they can carry it along," Rodriguez said. "Self-help strategies is one of the things we stick around for them so they can help themselves out too.”

Officials with the hospital are hoping the strategies taught here are useful among Valley first responders, particularly after witnessing trauma.

While this symposium is an annual event, there are still several opportunities to get this training before the end of the year.

For more information, click here, or contact Veronica Ann Silva, LMSW Trauma Injury Prevention Coordinator, at 956-632-4929.