Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board Launches Veterinary Professional Assistance Program and Work-Life Services

Friday, November 13th, 2020 -- 10:31 AM

(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -The Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board has launched the Veterinary Professional Assistance Program and Work-Life Services, a confidential program designed to help licensed veterinarians and certified veterinary technicians manage the physical and mental challenges associated with the profession.

The VPAP is a professional assistance and wellness program for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. It offers guidance and assistance with family issues, finding child and adult care, workplace concerns, legal and financial issues, stress, health and wellness, and other issues. Examples of wellness issues include chemical dependence, psychiatric illness, professional burnout, and compassion fatigue.  Meanwhile, the VEB assumes all costs for the program, which was launched in partnership with Humana. VPAP services are confidential and available to veterinary professionals and their household members 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the veterinary profession has a disproportionality high suicide rate when compared to the general population, which may be caused by burnout, anxiety and depression.

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