JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – National First Responders Day is an opportunity to honor the men and women who help us on our worst days, but a leading Florida behavioral health system is marking the day by shedding light on new resources designed to help these heroes when they face their own issues.
In the last five years, more than 1,200 first responders in the U.S. have tragically taken their own lives, according to Blue H.E.L.P. Twenty percent of these first responders were from Florida.
LSF Health Systems is leading the charge in Northeast and Northern Central Florida for first responder mental health. Its First Responder Peer Support Program provides confidential, free mental health services to current and former first responders and their families. They need only call 211 and identify themselves as a first responder and they will be paired with a trained peer counselor within 24 hours.
First Responder Peer Support is available to current and former first responders in 20 Florida counties who either don’t have access to an internal mental health program or prefer not to directly engage with someone within their own department. This program also extends its support to family members of first responders.
“The most meaningful part of this program is the fact that the peer counselors utilized have also been first responders or in the military, and then undergone 144 hours of mental health training,” said Dr. Christine Cauffield, CEO of LSF Health Systems. “That means those who call in can count on less explaining and better understanding – quickly getting to the heart of what they’re facing with someone who has been there.”
Since June 2022, when the program officially started, more than 1,900 first responders or first responder family members in 20 Florida counties have called 211 seeking services ranging from basic needs referrals to getting connected to a first responder peer specialist. There have been a reported 1,087 connections between first responders and peer specialists trained to provide supportive counseling.
“Being a 911 dispatcher is incredibly stressful, and we face life-and-death situations with every call,” said Mary Jensen, a former 911 dispatcher and head of first responder peer support services at one of LSF Health Systems’ partner agencies. “Peer support services offer a vital lifeline, reminding us that we’re never alone in this challenging role.”
First responders – or their family members – can visit StayFitforDuty.org for more information or call 211 and identify themselves as a first responder to be confidentially connected with a peer specialist.
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., LSF Health Systems is a behavioral health Managing Entity (ME), contracted by the Florida Department of Children and Families, dedicated to overseeing behavioral healthcare for people who face poverty and are without insurance. For more information, visit www.lsfhealthsystems.org.
