SAMHSA's Disaster Technical Assistance Center - Supplemental Research Bulletin

First Responders: Behavioral Health Concerns, Emergency Response, and Trauma

This issue of the Supplemental Research Bulletin focuses on mental health and substance use (behavioral health) concerns in first responders.

It is estimated that 30 percent of first responders develop behavioral health conditions including, but not limited to, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as compared with 20 percent in the general population (Abbot et al., 2015).

In a study about suicidality, firefighters were reported to have higher attempt and ideation rates than the general population (Stanley et al., 2016).

In law enforcement, the estimates suggest between 125 and 300 police officers commit suicide every year (Badge of Life, 2016).