Project Summary:
The goal of our one-day Mental Health Wellness Conference is to improve the health and resilience of Wisconsin’s first responders by creating a safe space to learn about the hidden burdens of the job and by equipping participants with practical tools to thrive. We anticipate that healthier responders will translate into safer communities through reduced burnout, fewer crises, and stronger peer support across departments. Need: First responders and their allies from firefighters, EMS providers, law enforcement and dispatchers to district attorneys, healthcare workers, clinicians and mental health professionals—face relentless occupational demands.
The 2024 WI Fire & EMS Mental Health Survey documented widespread anxiety (17.2%), depression (15.1%), moderate-to-high burnout (59.2%), and secondary trauma (53.5%), with 23.1% unsure where to find support and lower comfort among those who experience suicidal ideation. Without an intentional and inclusive wellness space, respondents endure unrelenting pressure that undermines their ability to serve. Objectives: Participants will: identify three signs of secondary traumatic stress and recovery strategies; practice destigmatizing language and commit to peer support; demonstrate how to navigate departmental and community resources; learn three nutrition actions for sustained resilience; summarize three brain–body implications of traumatic brain injury (MCW BRAVE content); record three definitive care resources (Rogers Behavioral Health virtual IOP, MCW BRAVE IOP, Chateau, IAFF Center of Excellence); recognize post-discharge vulnerability and learn at least three ways to support peers through that critical period; parse distinctions between PTSD and moral injury within the overarching wellness frame; map next steps into their daily operations and pledge one departmental wellness improvement.
This year’s conference further expands its cross-disciplinary reach by integrating additional professional groups and peer supporters. Alongside returning first responders, the 2026 program engages mental health providers, district attorneys, healthcare workers, and academic partners, with sessions tailored to their unique needs. The event especially welcomes those serving public safety clients or acting as peer supporters, emphasizing inclusive, collaborative wellness strategies. Organizations: For 2026, outreach has broadened to include not only municipal fire departments, EMS, police agencies, and healthcare systems, but also more peer support networks, nonprofits, and academic institutions. New this year, participants can join region- and discipline-specific peer networks, with resources and support offered via an interactive web portal to ensure ongoing engagement and knowledge sharing beyond the event.
Community Partners: RescueRD, LLC, Chateau Health and Wellness, MCW Brave Program