First Responders
Below our resources TMF has worked with or is a vetted source. We continue to update resources
Every day, police officers and firefighters and emergency medical technicians are called to the scenes of drug overdoses, blood-soaked vehicle collisions, homicides, suicides, natural disasters, mass shootings and crimes against children. The serious injuries and deaths that are witnessed by these professionals is unnatural and as a result they may experience unique stressors and emotions they weren’t prepared for. These experiences may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. For any first responder who may be experiencing the symptoms of PTSD, their are several organizations and programs that can assist you and your family in providing the effective help that you deserve.
Safe Call Now - 1-206-459-3020
A 24/7 help line staffed by first responders for first responders and their family members. They can assist with treatment options for responders who are suffering from mental health, substance abuse and other personal issues.
Programs, Resources and Education
Healing Our Own (https://healingourown.org/)
Firefighters standing together for healthy bodies and minds.
A comprehensive list of resources for firefighters that have been recommended by a member of the California fire service as a resource for their peers. Resources include: Crisis lines, National programs and Regional programs.
First Responders Support Network (http://www.frsn.org/)
Provides educational treatment programs to promote recovery from stress and critical incidents experienced by first responders and their families. *They also have a SOS Significant Others & Spouses program
Individual Resilience: Factsheet for Responders
Emergency responders know that disasters and emergencies can cause great destruction to infrastructure and damage people’s physical health. It can be challenging for responders to anticipate the behavioral health consequences of disasters for victims and for the responders themselves. This is because the emotional effects of disaster may not be seen in the tangible ways physical injuries might be. Effective coping with disaster has a lot to do with a responder’s individual resilience.
(https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/abc/Pages/resilience-factsheet-responders.aspx)
West Coast Post-trauma Retreats
The WCPR program is for first responders whose lives have been affected by their work experience. WCPR is one of only two residential treatment facilities of its kind in the world. The other program is the On-Site Academy in Massachusetts, with which WCPR is affiliated. The WCPR residential program provides an educational experience designed to help current and retired first responders, recognize the signs and symptoms of work-related stress including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in themselves and in others. FRSN prefers to identify PTSD as a post traumatic stress injury.
For first responders (communications, EMTs, police, fire, medical examiners) who witness, attend to or investigate the death of a child during their shift. Source: Badge of Life.
Code Green Campaign (http://codegreencampaign.org/)
The Code Green Campaign is a first responder oriented mental health advocacy and education organization. Also known as Code Green, we serve all types of first responders, including firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers, police, corrections, air medical, and search & rescue.
Bring awareness to the high rates of mental health issues in first responders and reduce them. Eliminate the stigma that prevents people from admitting these issues and asking for help. Educate first responders on self and peer care and to advocate for systemic change in how mental health issues are addressed by first responder agencies.
Share the Load Program (https://www.nvfc.org/programs/share-the-load-program/)
Program provides access to critical resources and information to help first responders and their families manage and overcome personal and work-related problems. This includes the Fire/EMS Helpline, which offers free 24-hour assistance with issues such as stress, depression, addiction, PTSD, and more.
Warriors Heart (www.warriorsheart.com)
Provides private treatment to adult men and women 18 and older who are seeking inpatient treatment for chemical dependency, alcohol abuse, and co-occurring psychological disorders relating to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or the psychological effects of MTBI (mild traumatic brain injury).
Warriors Heart is a privately funded treatment center located in San Antonio, where we only treat active military, veterans, firefighters, police, EMTs, and active members from across the United States that belong to organizations that protect and serve the citizens of the United States.
Due to the nature of our program, we’re only able to accept those who suffer from addiction by itself or in conjunction with psychological disorders such as PTSD.
The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program (https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/about.html)
is a limited federal health program administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is authorized through 2090. The Program provides no-cost medical monitoring and treatment for certified WTC-related health conditions to those directly affected by the 9/11 attacks in New York, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The Program also funds medical research into physical and mental health conditions related to 9/11 exposures.