911 first responders do some of the most important work in our society, but that work comes with a lot of emotional challenges and traumatic experiences. Many first responders struggle with PTSD, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health concerns.
We’ve compiled a list of resources that can help first responders who are dealing with these and other problems. This list is not all-inclusive, but we hope it helps you and your team members find the care, training, and other help you need.
Counseling and Peer Support Services
- First Responder Wellness. This organization provides trauma-based substance abuse and mental health treatments. They integrate substance abuse treatment with PTSD, anxiety, and depression treatment alongside family systems support.
- First Responders First. This state-of-the-art inpatient facility only serves first responders. First Responders First takes most forms of insurance and offers a wide range of services, including individual therapy, group therapy, detoxification, 12-step facilitation, EMDR, family therapy, equine therapy, and aftercare.
- Sunshine Behavioral Health. This organization offers anxiety and addiction resources, including holistic therapies, 12-step programs, SMART Recovery programs, and more. Their treatment programs extend from inpatient rehab centers to intensive outpatient treatment and beyond.
Mental Health Training and Education
- Lighthouse Health and Wellness. This confidential, anonymous service helps first responders find mental healthcare and wellness resources. Lighthouse also offers wellness assessments, addiction awareness tools, and wellness initiatives.
- 911 Training Institute. This organization offers 911 professionals resilience training. The goal is to help first responders take care of themselves and each other while dispatching with excellence.
- International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. (ICISF). ICISF offers trainings, events, and other resources to help people learn how to cope with critical incidents.
- Warrior’s Rest Foundation. This organization provides mental health counseling, peer support crisis intervention, and education to help first responders deal with crises.
- Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI). LESI is an assessment, consulting, and training organization that helps first responders and their organizations with wellness and resilience.
- FireFlex Yoga. FireFlex is a functional yoga and tactical mindfulness program for first responders and government agencies. It integrates with mind-body awareness to increase mental resilience, decrease acute stress, and support on-the-job safety.
- 1st Responder Conferences. These conferences are two-day seminar and networking events that provide education, mental health tools, and other resources for agencies, individuals, and family members.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. It focuses on education, support, and advocacy to help improve the lives of Americans affected by mental illness.
Other Mental Health Resources
- Cordico. Cordico provides wellness technology for high-stress professions, including dispatchers. Their customized wellness platform solutions give first responders handheld access to anonymous self-assessments, peer support, instructional videos, geo-mapping of vetted therapists, one-touch calling, and other tools.
- Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.). C.O.P.S. helps families and coworkers of officers who have passed away in the line of duty to rebuild their shattered lives. The organization offers counseling, peer support, hands-on programs, help with survivor benefits, and more. There is no membership fee to join.
- PTSD911 Presents podcast. This podcast is made for first responders and covers topics that relate to mental health, trauma recovery, wellness, and other topics of interest.
About Russ Bassett
At Russ Bassett, we help 911 dispatch centers and other mission-critical organizations with custom console furniture and space planning. Our dispatch consoles address your team’s unique pain points, including technology integration and ergonomics.