Assessing First Responder Mental Health
First responders face unique stressors, including exposure to traumatic incidents, long and irregular work hours, disrupted sleep, and the potential for significant physical and emotional strain. These factors contribute to elevated risk for conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, and suicidal ideation.
Since 2020, Rogers Research Center has partnered with the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Charitable Foundation (PFFWCF) to administer a mental health needs assessment survey to professional and volunteer fire and EMS professionals across Wisconsin. The survey examines the impact of on-the-job critical stress and potential behavioral health consequences that arise as a result. The anonymous survey considers community type, role, professional status, work schedule, sex, years of service, critical incidents or traumatic events experienced, thoughts of self-harm or suicide, sleep issues, substance use, utilization of mental health services, and perceptions about mental health stigma in the field.
In 2022, the survey was expanded to include an optional Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) questionnaire that measures compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. More than half of participants opted to complete the ProQOL for the past two years, resulting in one of the largest samples of firefighters to have been assessed using this tool.
This year, the survey is expanding to include law enforcement respondents, and Rogers Research Center will continue to work alongside the Firefighters’ foundation in the collection and analysis of the survey data to help support advocacy, prevention, and intervention strategies to combat the mental health challenges of first responders across Wisconsin. Entering its fifth year, survey participation continues to grow and provides a clearer picture of the prevalence of these challenges, progress toward reducing the stigma of mental health burdens in first responders, and the effectiveness and utilization of peer support and employee assistance program resources.
Since 2020, Rogers Research Center has partnered with the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Charitable Foundation (PFFWCF) to administer a mental health needs assessment survey to professional and volunteer fire and EMS professionals across Wisconsin. The survey examines the impact of on-the-job critical stress and potential behavioral health consequences that arise as a result. The anonymous survey considers community type, role, professional status, work schedule, sex, years of service, critical incidents or traumatic events experienced, thoughts of self-harm or suicide, sleep issues, substance use, utilization of mental health services, and perceptions about mental health stigma in the field.
In 2022, the survey was expanded to include an optional Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) questionnaire that measures compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. More than half of participants opted to complete the ProQOL for the past two years, resulting in one of the largest samples of firefighters to have been assessed using this tool.
This year, the survey is expanding to include law enforcement respondents, and Rogers Research Center will continue to work alongside the Firefighters’ foundation in the collection and analysis of the survey data to help support advocacy, prevention, and intervention strategies to combat the mental health challenges of first responders across Wisconsin. Entering its fifth year, survey participation continues to grow and provides a clearer picture of the prevalence of these challenges, progress toward reducing the stigma of mental health burdens in first responders, and the effectiveness and utilization of peer support and employee assistance program resources.
