First responders include police, emergency medical technicians, firefighters and 911 dispatchers. There are over 200,000 first responders in New York State.

Supporting the mental health needs of first responders requires specialized knowledge and understanding.

Recent research has highlighted a critical shortage of mental health professionals equipped to work effectively with this unique population.

This foundational training addresses that gap by providing essential insights into first responder culture, challenges and treatment considerations.

This training incorporates authentic scenarios, interactive exercises, and videos of six expert first responders describing their experiences to make this important topic come alive for the learner. It is provided in five chapters and will take about 60 minutes to complete. The chapters are: (1) Understanding the work of first responders, (2) First responder culture, (3) Stressors and barriers to care, (4) Understanding health disparities, and (5) Strategies to engage first responders.

By the end of this module, learners will be able to:

• Identify unique elements of first responder culture that impact treatment engagement,
• Recognize the stressors and health disparities that contribute to mental health challenges among first responders,
• Recognize barriers to care impacting first responders, and
• Describe key strategies for engaging first responders and supporting their continued treatment.

This course provides 1 self-study contact hour of Social Work, Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and CASAC/CPP/CPS Continuing Education and is an enduring material available for a maximum of 1 hour of Continuing Medical Education (CME).

To access this training:

• Log into the Learning Community using your username and password at: https://rfmh.csod.com
• Enter “First Responder Mental Health and Cultural Awareness” into the Search box
• Click on the module to begin