A Proactive Approach to Wellness for First Responders

Project Description Narrative:

The mental health of first responders in Wisconsin is a critical public health issue due to their heightened risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicide. These professionals face mounting stress from frequent exposure to traumatic incidents, disrupted sleep patterns, and limited social support, which significantly impact their well-being and ability to deliver emergency services effectively.

The Center for Suicide Awareness will expand their resilience training program to equip more first responders with evidence-based tools from the FBI Academy Master Resilience Training model. By training 200 additional trainers and implementing community-wide awareness campaigns, the project aims to enhance mental resilience among 1,000 emergency medical service workers. This approach will include hybrid training formats and partnerships with key stakeholders to ensure widespread accessibility and sustained impact.

This initiative has potential to significantly improve the mental health of first responders across Wisconsin, reducing PTSD and suicide rates while enhancing emergency service delivery.

Community Partner: Motherlode Global