Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled the findings from New York’s first responder mental health needs assessment. The assessment was developed to better understand the mental health-related challenges facing individuals working in public safety fields and strengthen programs and services for these professionals. More than 6,000 individuals in law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire services, emergency communications and emergency management from every region of the State completed a voluntary anonymous survey, and five follow up focus group discussions were held. The assessment showed more than half of the participants experience high levels of stress, burnout, anxiety and depression related to their jobs, and that they may not seek help due to their fear of facing stigma. As part of the 2025 State of the State, Governor Hochul announced new initiatives to protect and support New York’s first responders, including launching a first responder counseling scholarship program to create a sustainable pipeline of mental health professionals uniquely equipped to support the responder community.
“Our first responders go above and beyond the call of duty to protect our communities — their wellbeing is a reflection of our collective strength, and we must do everything we can to support them,” Governor Hochul said. “I initiated the first responder mental health needs assessment to help address and further tackle the mental health crisis among our first responders, and I’m committed to continue breaking down barriers to care and get them the resources they need.”
Recognizing the unique mental health challenges that first responders face, Governor Hochul announced several new initiatives aimed at supporting and protecting first responders. Governor Hochul proposed launching a first responder counseling scholarship program through the State University of New York (SUNY) that would help close gaps in care due to a shortage of counselors familiar with the responder community. Financial barriers often deter first responders from pursuing counseling degrees, limiting the availability of culturally competent mental health professionals. This initiative will support first responders pursuing counseling degrees and offer micro-credentials in areas like trauma-informed care and peer support leadership. In return for scholarship support, recipients will commit to serving as counselors in New York State, creating a sustainable pipeline of mental health professionals uniquely equipped to support the responder community.
Governor Hochul also understands staffing shortages may lead to increased challenges to first responders’ mental health. That is why she proposed in her 2025 State of the State to eliminate outdated barriers in public safety recruitment that have limited public safety agencies’ ability to attract qualified candidates, excluding individuals with valuable experience and worsening staffing shortages. Governor Hochul will modernize occupational standards to expand pathways for qualified candidates. This includes raising the New York State Police retirement age to 63 and removing the 35-year-old maximum age restriction for law enforcement recruitment, as well as allowing non-New York residents to apply for correctional officer positions. These changes will ensure agencies can draw from a broader and more diverse pool of applicants.
Many New Yorkers also face barriers to pursuing public safety careers due to misaligned training programs and limited opportunities for advancement. Governor Hochul will partner with SUNY and the City University of New York (CUNY) to award academic credit for public safety training programs and integrate these credits into degree pathways. These efforts will attract more candidates to public safety careers and provide advancement opportunities for those currently working in public safety.
New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “First responders are exposed to traumatic situations in the line of duty every day, which lead to mental health issues that affect their personal and professional lives. This assessment gave us important insights into the specific challenges they face and will help us provide them with the resources they need to help manage those stresses.”
New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “Understanding the extreme stress and cumulative trauma our first responders typically experience on the job is a critical starting point for us to address burnout and other negative impacts they encounter. This survey and the subsequent focus group discussions have provided us with critical information to advise our efforts to support the mental health needs of the first responder community and their families.”
Some of the report’s key findings include:
- Stress was experienced by more than two-thirds of first responders (68 percent), followed by burnout (59 percent) and anxiety (52 percent).
- A majority of first responders reported having experienced symptoms associated with the mental health condition depression (53 percent) and approximately 4 in ten first responders experienced symptoms associated with the mental health condition PTSD (38 percent).
- Thoughts of suicide were reported by 16 percent of first responders, which is four times higher than the general population in New York State.
- More than 90 percent reported that services such as individual therapy, couple and family therapy, and peer support groups would help improve first responder mental health, if they were free and easily accessible.
- However, 80 percent reported that stigma is a major barrier to seeking help, and 78 percent cited not recognizing the need for help as a barrier, along with 75 percent reporting the lack of mental health providers who understand the needs of first responders as a barrier. Additionally, 72 percent reported concerns about confidentiality.
- Emergency communications personnel had among the highest ratings for stressors and mental health impacts relative to other first responder occupations.
Benjamin Center at SUNY New Paltz Director of Education Projects Robin Jacobowitz said, “We want to extend our deep gratitude to the more than 6,000 first responders across New York State who gave their time and insights for this study. We know it is not always easy to talk about mental health, especially in a professional context. Your willingness to discuss your ideas, experiences, and challenges help bring this critical issue to light and will fuel the interagency, statewide effort to enhance support structures for New York’s first responders.”
Institute for Disaster Mental Health at SUNY New Paltz Executive Director Amy Nitza said, “This assessment documents not only the tremendous toll that the work takes on first responders, but also the significant barriers they encounter in getting the help they need. IDMH is committed to collaborating with our partners throughout New York State, including responders themselves, to remove those barriers and ensure that all our first responders have access to the support and care that enables them to continue serving their communities so well.”
The assessment was commissioned by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) and conducted by the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz’s Institute for Disaster Mental Health and the Benjamin Center.
Governor Hochul announced the launch of the survey last April as part of her $1 billion comprehensive multi-year plan to overhaul the continuum of mental health care, and DHSES highlighted the preliminary findings in May. Early results of the assessment showed that 80 percent of survey-takes experienced negative impacts to home life due to work, while 79 percent reported negative impacts to physical health and 72 percent cited challenges with family relationships.
As a result of the survey, New York State is working to identify and advance a variety of wellness efforts. For example, as part of her 2025 State of the State, Governor Hochul unveiled a number of proposals aimed toward supporting first responders, one of which includes launching the First Responder Counseling Scholarship Program through SUNY. Additionally, DHSES, the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and other agencies are continually working to identify and offer wellness-related training opportunities for New York State’s first responders. DHSES and OMH are also partnering to develop a training on first responder cultural competency for mental health professionals.
Mental Health Resources To Assist First Responders
First responders experiencing mental health distress can seek support from a number of existing available resources.
Most importantly, individuals experiencing thoughts of suicide or experiencing any other type of mental health crisis can call, text or chat with the State’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988 is completely free, confidential and is available 24/7. Managed by OMH, anyone in need of services or interested in learning more about the hotline can visit their website at https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/crisis/988.html.
Additionally, OMH’s Suicide Prevention Center hosts an initiative called CARES UP that focuses on improving the mental health and wellness of law enforcement, firefighters, emergency services personnel and veterans. Learn more at https://nycaresup.com.
DHSES collaborated with OMH to expand the state’s Disaster Mental Health Response, which comprises state and local teams of licensed professionals and volunteers trained to provide crisis counseling and other mental health services to individuals and responders impacted by disasters and other crisis situations.
DHSES worked with the Institute for Disaster Mental Health (IDMH) at SUNY New Paltz to create a Managing Stress Workforce to help first responders and other public safety personnel better identify, understand, and manage stress. Originally developed for DHSES staff, the workshops have been expanded to include other State and local agencies. DHSES is also expanding training at the State Preparedness Training Center (SPTC), to include peer support team training. Peer support teams are comprised of individuals who have received specific training to provide emotional, social, and practical support to their peers, when needed. Peer support teams are often used within public safety organizations to help individuals deal with job-related stress and following critical incidents. DHSES is also in the process of creating a Peer Support Team to serve as a resource for agency staff and potentially other first responder organizations. More information about available training can be found on the DHSES website.
About the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) provides leadership, coordination, and support to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate disasters and other emergencies. For more information, follow @NYSDHSES on Facebook, Instagram and X, or visit https://www.dhses.ny.gov.