Understanding the Long-Term Impact of Concussive and Non-Concussive Injuries on the Mental Health of Officers

Monday, October 20, 2025

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM MT

Location: 405/406, Colorado Convention Center

Research has shown that both concussive and nonconcussive brain injuries can produce symptoms that closely resemble those associated with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Failing to consider an officer’s history of contact sports, exposure to firearms, flash bangs, defensive tactics, or service in specialty units increases the risk of misdiagnosing brain injury-related symptoms as purely mental health issues. These injuries can lead to behavioral, mood, cognitive, and motor changes—many of which are often attributed solely to psychological conditions. This presentation will offer new insights into officer mental health and outline best practices for the law enforcement community, particularly in relation to impulsivity, high-risk behavior, officer retention, and suicide prevention.

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Stephanie Samuels, M.A., MSW, LCSW

Psychotherapist
The Counseling and Critical Incident Debriefing Center/CopLine
Freehold, New Jersey, United States

Speaker(s)

James Engall

Neuroscientist, Co-Founder and President
Blast Analytics and Mitigation Inc.
Beth Murphy, M.D., Ph.D.

Medical Director, Mood, Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma Track, LEADER Outpatient Clinic
McLean Hospital/Harvard University
Belmont, Massachusetts, United States