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Telecommunicator
July 27, 2026 - July 29, 2026
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Emergency Telecommunicators
Capital Area Council of Governments - Cedar Training Room
Venue Phone: 512-916-6000
Venue Website: https://www.capcog.org/
Venue Address:
Description:
Enter the classroom through the CAPCOG training entrance, which is located under the metal awning near the main parking lot.
Walk down the long hallway to the room. Signs will be posted to help with direction.
Course Description:
Mental Health is the central issue facing 911 telecommunicators. From stress and burnout to ADHD to PTSD/PTSI and other critical issues, dispatchers face a multitude of mental health challenges on a daily basis. This program provides telecommunicators with the tools and techniques to recognize and process their stressors. This program is delivered by multiple instructors, including a licensed therapist who works with 911 dispatchers.
TCOLE Hours: 24
Instructors: Miranda DiBenedetto, LPC, and Joe Serio, Ph.D.
Miranda DiBenedetto, LPC
Miranda DiBenedetto, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, specializing in trauma, grief, crisis response, peer support, and mental health wellness within public safety populations. She currently serves with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Personnel Support Division as a department-embedded counselor and Clinical Coordinator for the Peer Support Team.
She is also a Clinical Director for the Post Critical Incident Seminar through the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas and serves as a mental health professional on the State Critical Incident Debrief Deployment Team. Miranda is trained in multiple trauma-informed modalities, including EMDR, and owns a private practice specializing in first responders and their families, as well as individuals navigating complex trauma and grief.
Joe Serio, Ph.D.
Joe Serio, Ph.D., has trained thousands of 911 dispatchers across the United States and Canada in areas of leadership and well-being. He is the founder and host of the 911 Mental Health Workshop held at the Mayan Ranch in Bandera, TX. The three-day version of this program is now available around the country.
He is also founder and host of the 911 Leadership Training Event, Transforming Culture Workshop, 911 Best Practices: Leadership in Action, and the 911 High Performance Academy, all of which are held at the Mayan Ranch.
Joe is co-author of Dispatcher Stress: 50 Lessons on Beating the Burnout, Dispatch Supervisor: 50 Lessons on Being a Great Leader, Dispatch Culture: 50 Lessons on Inspiring Excellence, and Dispatch Trainer: 50 Lessons on Being a Great Teacher.
Special Instructions:
Dress Code: To promote a professional training environment, CAPCOG requires proper attire. Attendee must provide their PID # to receive TCOLE credit for courses taken through CAPCOG. CAPCOG provides training for the Emergency Communication Centers (ECC) in our region at no cost to 9-1-1 telecommunicators and their departments. When space is reserved for a 9-1-1 training class offered by CAPCOG, students or the supervisor who made the reservation must cancel such reservation at least two business days prior to start of the class.
For Questions
Contact Chanita Castilla, CAPCOG. 9-1-1 Training & Public Education Specialist.