News & Events
2026 CIPSRT Conference
The 2026 CIPSRT Conference is taking place May 5–6, 2026 in Calgary, AB – and registration is open.
We’re excited to share that a preview of the Conference schedule is now live on our website. This year’s program features evidence-informed presentations, engaging keynote addresses, and opportunities to connect with researchers, clinicians, leaders, and public safety professionals from across Canada.
From trauma and sleep to innovative treatment approaches, implementation tools, and knowledge mobilization, this year’s Conference highlights timely topics and practical insights designed to support the mental health and wellness of public safety personnel.
For more details about the Conference, be sure to stay tuned to CIPSRT’s social media channels and the 2026 CIPSRT Conference website.
Welcome to the Team: Brian Schafer!
We want to wish a warm welcome to Brian Schafer, PSPNET’s new Operations Manager!
With over 26 years of experience in emergency services, including fire service leadership, paramedicine, provincial emergency management, and peer support, Brian brings a strong commitment to operational excellence and first responder wellbeing.
Brian is a nationally respected leader, CISM Peer Support advocate, and recipient of the Governor General’s Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal. We’re proud to have him as part of our team.
After spending the past few months with us, Brian shared this message:
“Life throws up roadblocks along the way. Find ways around them — detour and don’t quit. PSPNET’s confidential, self-guided and therapist-guided programs can help you get back on track.”
Please join us in welcoming Brian to the PSPNET team!
Meeting RCMP recruits—one brochure at a time
Hundreds of RCMP cadets at Regina Depot were greeted with warm smiles and branded giveaways as part of CIPSRT’s quarterly visit to promote the importance of mental health.
Outreach Coordinator Renee LeGrand and interns Kendra Madriaga and Ashveen Kuhr met with about 400 police recruits Jan. 27.
“We were busy!” says Renee. “The cadets were excited to see us, and many of them remembered us from our last visit in October. We handed out CIPSRT pens and postcards with a QR code so they could learn more about how to protect their mental health once they begin their careers.”
Kendra and Ashveen think visits like this should be mandatory for every new employee.
“It connects the work we do with the people who are making a difference,” says Kendra.
Pub night focuses on mental health
Mental health is moving out of the shadows and onto centre stage.
Bushwakker Brewpub hosted another Science Pub Series event Jan. 15 featuring CIPSRT’s own Dr. Kimberly Bitz and Staff Sergeant Casey Ward of the Regina Police Service.
The informal event focused on how first responders and other public safety personnel (PSP) need to be proactive and build a mental health toolkit before mission critical sets in. This includes creating an emergency contact list of friends, loved ones, and a therapist.
Kimberly says mental health is a spectrum and not a case of black or white, where you can be fine one moment, then tend to a bad call and not be fine. Staff Sergeant Ward echoed those remarks and spoke about battling many foes in his long career—including his own mental health.
Read the full article here.
New Resources for you
- Dogs in the detachment – Canine-assisted interventions in the workplace
A video recording of Animal-assisted therapies for public safety personnel is now available. This webinar explores the ways therapy dogs are being used to assist in stress management and support wellbeing among law enforcement officers.
- Exploring issues impacting PSP families with Garnet Families
Take a closer look at our latest discussions with military and public safety families in the Garnet Families Interactive Series. Learning resources, including event and visual summaries are now available for recent discussions about the unique caregiving needs of public safety and military families, and the challenging dynamics of family sleep.
- Firefighting and mental health – what we learned from wildland firefighters
Video recordings and learning summaries from our recent discussions about wildland firefighting are now available. Learn more about the increasing demands wildfires place on both wildland and municipal firefighters, and the intergenerational expertise Indigenous wildland firefighters, Elders, and Fire Knowledge Keepers hold about wildfire and forest management.
Book a Presentation for your Team this Spring
The CIPSRT and PSPNET teams are ready to support your upcoming events—virtually or in person! Whether you’re organizing a conference, expo, workshop, or team session, our experts deliver engaging, research-informed presentations tailored to public safety personnel.
Examples of our most in-demand presentation topics include:
- Supporting a Colleague – Practical strategies for building a supportive workplace culture.
- Self-Care – Tools and techniques to maintain wellness in high-stress environments.
- Sleep – Evidence-based guidance to improve sleep and overall performance.
- Signs and Symptoms of PTSD – Awareness and understanding to support early intervention.
Presentation slots fill quickly—book now to secure your date.
If you’re interested in arranging a session, or if you know of an upcoming opportunity for our teams to connect with your organization, please contact Communications.CIPSRT@uregina.ca as soon as possible.
Social Commerce website getting more free resources into PSP hands
CIPSRT’s social commerce website has become the place to turn for free mental health resources for first responders and other public safety personnel (PSP).
The s-commerce website wrapped up 2025 on a high note.
“Since the time we first launched in September to the end of December, we received a total of 735 orders and distributed 14,603 print materials. It’s quite the accomplishment,” says Mauricio Tathibana, CIPSRT’S web and social media communications specialist.
Since then, the website has shipped more than 15,000 print materials across Canada.
“More people are turning to the website for mental health resources than ever before,” says Mary Erolyn (Ero) Garcia, Client Services Manager. “My team has worked incredibly hard in getting this project off the ground. It’s worth celebrating!”
The most sought-after materials include sleep and general mental health cards, plus an accordion brochure with QR codes connecting people to various mental health resources.
The provinces of Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan ordered the most materials, while the top requesting agencies include Canada Border Services Agency and Corrections Canada, followed closely by requests from individuals and the RCMP.
“We’re still in Phase 1 of our website where we print, package, and ship materials from our home base in Regina,” explains Ero. “Later this year, we’ll be moving towards drop shipping, where materials will be printed and shipped from communities closer to where the requests are coming from. It will allow us to decrease inventory and print on demand.”
Celebrating more research opportunities for students
Saskatchewan university students now have more opportunities to study real-world problems thanks to a renewed agreement with the province, the two universities, and CIPSRT.
Known as the Collaborative Research Agreement (CRA), government ministries provide funding so university researchers and their students can delve into mental health issues within criminal justice and policing. CIPSRT facilitates these opportunities, knowing the research has the potential to benefit public safety personnel (PSP).
Dr. Adam Vaughan from the U of R says the CRA gives his students the chance to work with real data and not fictitious scenarios developed for learning purposes.
Read the full article here.
CIPSRT Welcomes Intern
The 2026 CIPSRT Conference team has been bolstered by the addition of two interns working under Project Manager Derek Shogren.
Kendra Madriaga is serving an advanced practicum and will graduate this year with her Bachelor of Human Justice.
Kendra brings conference planning skills to the table, having recently organized a Justice Student Exhibitors’ Conference—the first student-led conference in Canada.
“Working at CIPSRT is boosting my confidence as I reach out to potential sponsors and exhibitors,” she says. “This is forcing me to get out of my comfort zone to be an instigator. I have to reach out every day to make those contacts and get people on board.”
Lucky for Kendra, she has the skills to make those connections. Kendra took Advanced Placement (AP) college-level courses throughout her senior high school years. In fact, she didn’t have to take any English classes in university because she earned credits as a teen.
“Being at CIPSRT has made me more self-aware of what public safety personnel go through when it comes to their mental health,” she adds.
Kendra is hoping to pursue her Master of Public Policy degree and then go to law school.