New York has launched an online course to help mental health professionals support firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians and 911 dispatchers. The training announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul is available statewide and focuses on suicide prevention and barriers that can keep first responders from seeking treatment.
The one-hour First Responder Mental Health and Cultural Awareness Training was developed by the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. It is intended for clinicians who work with first responders or are considering that work, according to the governor's office.
What the course covers
The course includes profession-specific suicide prevention videos, scenarios and interactive exercises. Its modules address the nature of first responders' work, risk and protective factors, barriers to care, recognizing and assessing suicidal thoughts, intermediate intervention and continuing care.
It is the second course in a series on first responder mental health and cultural awareness. Mental health professionals who successfully complete it can receive continuing education credits. The state said the course is available through the learning management systems of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the Office of Mental Health.
The training draws on the state's First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment, which collected input from more than 6,000 emergency professionals. Released in February 2025, that assessment found that more than half of respondents working in public safety reported high levels of stress, burnout and mental health challenges. It also identified a shortage of clinicians with cultural competence to treat first responders.
Hochul said people who counsel emergency workers need to understand the demands of their jobs. State emergency services Commissioner Terence O'Leary said reducing barriers to treatment and stigma around asking for help are central goals of the initiative.
Wider state suicide-prevention effort
The state Office of Mental Health's CARES UP program is offering webinars during Suicide Prevention Month, including sessions with first responders who have navigated suicidal thoughts and other challenges. The state said CARES UP has helped 53 emergency service agencies strengthen prevention and wellness programs, affecting more than 33,000 first responders.
Participating agencies work with the Suicide Prevention Center of New York on training in resilience, mental health, peer support and suicide prevention. They can then adapt programs to their own needs. The state has also published a Responder Wellness Program Primer for agencies seeking to create or expand wellness programs.
Earlier this month, Hochul announced a five-year state Roadmap for Suicide Prevention. It includes statewide goals, recommendations for groups at greater risk and an action plan for carrying out the work. The new first responder course is one part of that broader effort; the state did not identify a deadline by which clinicians must complete it.
New Yorkers experiencing a mental health crisis, struggling with substance use or worried about someone else can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The service is available around the clock, according to the state.
The governor's office said New York's 988 service handled more than 51,000 calls in August. That call volume is not a measure of the new course's effectiveness, which the state has not reported.
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