First Responders and Mental Health

First responders include police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians. Given occupational demands, first responders are chronically exposed to stress and potentially traumatic events in the line-of-duty. An emergent literature has documented the mental health sequelae of first responding. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of mental health among first responders, including a review of prevalent mental health conditions, discussion of risk and protective factors related to mental health and well-being, and discussion of the efficacy of evidence-based mental health treatments. This article will also discuss clinical applications and research recommendations regarding first responder mental health.