First Responders/Community Professionals
- Firefighters
- Police Officers
- Medical Professionals
- 911 Operators
- Probation/Parole Officers
- Emergency Medical Services
- Mental Health Professionals
This is just a shortlist of all the amazing people who dedicate their lives to serve others. These jobs can be very difficult and can easily spill into our personal lives. We feel a sense of disconnect from our friends and families because our jobs have unique pressure only understood by others in similar professions. It goes against the very nature of our jobs to reach out for support but in truth, our types of professions are in need of support the most. First responders and their families have an increased risk of depression, anxiety, relationship problems, and PTSD. If you feel disconnected, depressed or even just unlike yourself give us a call as a confidential resource.
For a few statistics about why it’s beneficial to process these events, click here
The Ruderman Foundation studied suicides among first responders. This is what they found:
- That police and firefighters take their lives 20% more often than the general public.
- PTSD rates among this group found to be as much as 5 times higher than within the civilian population.
“First responders are heroes who run towards danger every day in order to save the lives of others. They are also human beings and their work exerts a toll on their mental health,” says Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation, “It is our obligation to support them in every way possible – to make sure that they feel welcome and able to access life-saving mental health care.”