Hello, I'm going to be working on obtaining a 3rd class medical, and am trying to understand and interpret the following Medxpress instruction: "Consultations with your employer-sponsored employee assistance program (EAP) unless the consultations were for substance abuse or unless the consultations resulted in referral for psychiatric evaluation or treatment." I'm employed in law enforcement. About 10 years ago when I was new, I went to my first gory traffic fatality. Following this incident, one of the senior training officers asked me to see a law enforcement psychologist who was part of the employee assistance program. It was explained to me that this was done with most new officers at the time of their first traumatic incident, as part of being a new employee. I saw the psychologist, who didn't perform any kind of tests but just spoke with me for maybe 15 minutes. I admitted that the incident had bothered me, and that I avoided patrolling that specific location for a few days afterward. I was asked to return a week later. I did so, explained that I had discussed the incident with family and was feeling better about it. There was no further follow up. I was never given any type of paperwork documenting this, and my insurance was never billed for anything. Is this something that needs to be disclosed on the Medxpress? To be quite honest, the training officer who referred me has since retired and I don't even remember the name of the psychologist other than the city they were in. My police powers were never suspended and I was never reassigned, so this was not a fit for duty consultation. I'm not even sure if there is a record anywhere for me to hunt down on this, if I needed to. Thanks.
The instruction reads: Routine dental, eye and FAA periodic medical examinations and consultations with your employer-sponsored employee assistance program (EAP) may be excluded unless the consultations were for your substance abuse or unless the consultations resulted in referral for psychiatric evaluation or treatment. What’s your concern? It very specifically says you can exclude the consultation. It wasn’t for substance abuse and you weren’t referred to a psychiatrist, right?
The FAA recognizes people have issues in everyday that are resolved by people talking about it. Debt, bad marriages, loss of loved ones, and for cops working around blood and death.
This is also a question that asks about visits in the past 3 years, and this was 10 years ago. For the OP and everyone else, read the questions and the instructions and provide only the information required.
I know someone who WANTED to be diagnosed with PTSD, thinks it will help in her divorce. In her mind she has it, with the ‘help’ of her therapist. So far it hasn’t helped her, she has zero plans to fly an airplane.
I hate the term PTSD. It's a catch-all, one acronym that relieves anyone of personal responsibility. I've been shot at. I have confirms. I got over it. So did most of my compatriots.
So, the ones who didn't "just get over it" don't deserve assistance? Not everyone is wired the same way. PTSD is a range of conditions, like heart disease. You can have "just a little" or "a lot".
Everybody in a bad situation (or even not) deserves assistance. I'm just saying that condition doesn't constitute a free get out of jail card.
