Sponsored by

2016

NATIONAL SURVEY
ON EMS MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES
By the National Association of Emergency
Medical Technicians (NAEMT)

Serving our nations EMS practitioners

Jenifer Goodwin, Editor

Communications Projects Manager,
National Association of Emergency
Medical Technicians

CONTENTS

Pam Lane, Executive Editor

Executive Director, National Association
of Emergency Medical Technicians

NAEMT THANKS THE MEMBERS
OF THE EMS WORKFORCE
COMMITTEE FOR CONTRIBUTING
THEIR INSIGHTS AND EXPERTISE
TO THE SURVEY AND REPORT.
Garrett Hedeen (Chair), Paramedic,
Indianapolis EMS
Sean Britton, Director of Public Health,
Broome County, New York
Terry L. David, Chief, Reno Co. EMS,
Hutchinson Regional Medical Center
Craig Dunham, Director of Risk
Management Programming,
RiskWatch Systems
R. Mark Heath, Chief Fire & EMS
Officer, Memphis Fire Department
Kris Kaull, Co-founder, EMS1
Jim Slattery, EMT,
American Medical Response
Mike Szczygiel, Senior Loss Control
Specialist, Markel Specialty Commercial
Jason White, EMS Consultant,
Mid-America Regional Council

INTRODUCTION

EMS practitioners face significant work-related stress.

6 
EMS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

A majority of EMS practitioners are not satisfied with the mental
health services provided.

7 
WHAT IS AN EAP?
 nd why are so many EMS practitioners hesitant to use them?
A

8 
GENERAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES
 ess than half of EMS agencies offer any health or wellness
L
services.

10 
IS MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY FOR
EMS AGENCIES?

EMS practitioners share their thoughts and perceptions.
11 
SETTING BENCHMARKS AND MEASURING
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES

Few EMS agencies measure the effectiveness of services
provided.

12 
WORD ON THE STREET

 hat EMS practitioners say about mental health.
W
14 
CONCLUSION

 ncourage EMS practitioners to speak up and seek help.
E
15 
RESOURCES

Information about suicide prevention, mental health first aid
and building emotional resiliency.

Serving our nations EMS practitioners

National Association of
Emergency Medical Technicians
PO Box 1400
Clinton, MS 39060-1400
www.naemt.org
www.facebook.com/NAEMTfriends
www.twitter.com/NAEMT_

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

Mental health
continues to be a
topic that people
would rather ignore,
especially
management.
Emergency services
still generally has
the attitude, suck
it up.
Survey respondent

INTRODUCTION

STUDIES LIMITED

EMS is an inherently stressful job. On any

given shift, EMTs and paramedics may be
called on to render care to people in horrific
circumstances. Many EMS practitioners
can tell stories of answering calls involving
violence, death, or abuse that continue to
haunt them.
Even on more routine calls, EMS
practitioners face the risks of being exposed
to infectious disease, bloodborne pathogens,
or other hazardous substances. And then
there is the stress of being subjected to
threats or violence from a would-be patient
who is under the influence of drugs or
alcohol, suffering from a mental health
disorder, or has criminal intent.
Combine all of that with sleep deprivation,
shift work, time pressures and work overload,
and its no wonder the world of EMS is rife with
anecdotes about the toll that working in these
unpredictable, emotionally charged conditions
can take on practitioners. Recently, the Code
Green Campaign, a grassroots effort to raise
awareness about mental health issues, struck
a nerve when it launched a website inviting
EMS practitioners to share their struggles.
Day after day, EMTs and paramedics post raw,
painful messages about struggling with panic
attacks, flashbacks, anxiety, depression and
suicidal thoughts. Their stories are interwoven
with memories of calls that left them feeling
hopeless or deeply disturbed by what they had
seen or experienced.
Some of that anguish is ending in tragedy.
Many EMS practitioners know of a colleague
who has attempted, or committed, suicide.
A 2015 survey by Fitch & Associates
Ambulance Service Manager Program
suggested that mental health struggles
and depression among fire and EMS
professionals are widespread. In the survey,
37 percent reported contemplating suicide,
nearly 10 times the rate of American adults,
while 6.6 percent reported having attempted
suicide. Thats compared to just 0.5 percent
of all adults.

Despite important work like the Fitch

survey and at the grassroots level to
provide information and support, gauging
the depth and extent of the problem
remains difficult.
Multiple studies indicate that healthcare
workers are exposed to high levels of
occupational stress, which contributes
to higher levels of substance abuse,
depression and anxiety. But there have
been few published studies looking at the
long-term mental health of U.S.-based
EMS practitioners, outside of the impact of
specific, high profile events such as Hurricane
Katrina or the 9/11 attacks.
Nor are official suicide statistics readily
available. In July 2016, the CDC published a
report analyzing suicide rate by occupation.1
Using data on 12,000 suicides that occurred
in 17 states in 2012, the analysis found that
among females, the highest suicide rate was
among women who work in the protective
services, including law enforcement
officers and firefighters. That was followed
by women in the legal profession, with
healthcare practitioners/technical
occupations third. (EMTs and paramedics
are included in the healthcare practitioner/
technical occupations category). Among
men, the suicide rate for those working
as police officers or firefighters ranked
fifth, behind farming, fishing, forestry,
construction and multiple other professions,
while the rate for those working in
healthcare professions was 12th. Yet males
accounted for more suicides than females,
with men making up 77% of the total.
Thus far, the granular tracking of suicides
in EMS has been up to the grassroots. The
Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, run
by retired firefighter and counselor Jeff Dill,
has a team of volunteers who collect and
confirm reports of EMS suicides. In 2014, Dills
group verified 104 suicides by fire and EMS
professionals more than the 87 firefighters
who were killed in the line of duty.

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 1, 2016, Suicide Rates by Occupational Group 17 States, 2012. (http://www.cdc.gov/
mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6525a1.htm#T2_down)

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

AWARENESS GROWING

ABOUT THE SURVEY

A common sentiment heard from EMS

practitioners is that mental health issues
arent something people want to talk
about, for fear of being seen as weak
or soft, or at worse, unfit to do their jobs.
There is little question that a reluctance to
talk about mental health issues remains
in EMS.
Yet awareness about mental health issues
in EMS is growing, thanks to the efforts by
groups such as the Firefighter Behavioral
Health Alliance, the Code Green Campaign,
and other individuals who have suffered from
PTSD or depression, and had the courage to
speak out.
To assist the EMS profession in determining
how best to address mental health issues,
NAEMT is pleased to present the results of
our 2016 national survey on EMS mental
health services. The results provide a
snapshot of the resources, programs and
services EMS agencies provide to EMS
practitioners to help them cope with the
stress of the job, to maintain their mental
health and wellbeing, and to seek help when
they need it.

The survey, developed by the experts

on NAEMTs EMS Workforce Committee,
was distributed electronically to more than
40,000 EMTs, paramedics, EMS managers and
medical directors in March 2016. We received
nearly 2,200 responses from all 50 states.
Some of the most revealing responses were
to an open-ended (qualitative) question asking
for comments about the services provided
by their EMS agency and about the issue of
EMS mental health generally. More than 500
respondents provided their thoughts. Many
indicated EMS mental health is an urgent
issue, and that far more needs to be done to
address it. Others shared personal stories of
struggling with PTSD, depression and other
mental health issues. Their comments are
summarized beginning on page 12.
We also asked EMS practitioners about their
perceptions of the importance their agency
places on mental health issues, whether
they know where to get help, and if they are
satisfied with the services available to them.
The survey revealed that the EMS profession
has significant work to do in demonstrating
to the EMS workforce that their struggles and
concerns matter, and in ensuring that EMS
professionals know where to turn when they
are struggling.

RESPONDENTS

The culture of
EMS must change
The stigma of mental
health issues is very
prominent.
Survey respondent

PARAMEDIC

50%

EMT

27%

EMS
TRAINING
COORDINATOR

EMS
MANAGER

8%

5%

MEDICAL DIRECTOR

0.4%

OTHER

4.6%

EMS DIRECTOR

5%

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

58% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed when

asked if they are satisfied with the EMS mental health services provided by their agency.
EMS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Mental health services is a broad term encompassing any
number of services intended to foster the mental health and
wellbeing of
the workforce,
DOES YOUR EMS AGENCY
and provide
PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH
assistance when
SERVICES?
an employee
2%
is struggling.
Being
Examples of
Developed
services include
37%
employee
15%
No
assistance
Unsure
programs
(EAP), critical
46%
Yes
incident stress
counseling,
chaplaincy
programs,
conflict resolution programs and peer support programs.
Despite the well-known stress and demands of working
in EMS, less than half of respondents said their agencies
provide any sort of mental health support.

Although 92% of respondents reported their

EMS agency has a written policy regarding alcohol
and drug use, only 26% provide a substance
abuse program to help those struggling with
dependence or addiction.
Multiple respondents referenced substance
abuse policies from their agency, which often
involve punishment rather than treatment.
Even if we fess up to it, substance abuse is grounds
for dismissal rather than assistance or treatment.
A coworker who was off due to a substance abuse
issue that he self-reported and sought help for was
disciplined and given unfair benchmarks to return to
work as a condition of employment.
The link between PTSD and substance abuse has
been disregarded for a long time.

TYPES OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED

By a wide margin, the
most common type of
mental health service
provided by EMS agencies
are employee assistance
programs (EAP).
86% of those whose
EMS agency provides
mental health services
report having an EAP.
E AP was followed by
critical incident stress
counseling (59%) as the
most common form of
mental health service
provided.

86%
59%

Critical incident stress counseling

28%

Peer support program

27%

Chaplaincy program

26%
24%
21%
9%

Substance abuse program

Crisis hotline access
Mental health awareness training
Social worker or therapist on staff

8%

Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment

8%

Conflict resolution program

5%

Employee Assistance Program

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

Resiliency training

RELUCTANCE TO USE EAP

EAP services are supposed to be confidential, but the
survey reveals that not everyone trusts those assurances,
and many are reluctant to reveal their struggles with any
counselor associated with their workplace.

Initiating mental health services through the

EAP is an invitation for mandatory competency
evaluation, grounds for dismissal.
Survey respondent

WHAT IS AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE

PROGRAM? (AND WHY ARE SO MANY
EMS PRACTITIONERS HESITANT TO
USE THEM?)
Employee assistance programs are employer-funded
programs, often created and administered through the
health benefits provider, designed to provide a variety
of services to employees in need. EAP elements can
include:
Financial, mental health or family counseling
Education assistance
Legal help
Wellness, smoking cessation or stress management
programs
EAPs are usually staffed by licensed professionals,
including clinical social workers, mental health
counselors and substance abuse professionals. EAPs
typically offer benefits at free or little cost to the
employee.

COUNSELING THROUGH EAPS

Confidential counseling, either by phone or in person,
is often a key benefit of EAPs. But counseling is usually
short-term (six free sessions is a common benefit.)
Employees who need more help may be referred
elsewhere for treatment, but this is not covered by
the EAP.
EAPs may also provide involuntary, or mandated,
counseling and assessment for employees with
behavioral problems or poor job performance. Often,
the EAP counselor will conduct the assessment, then
refer the employee out for treatment. In this case, the
EAP may serve as an intermediary between the outside
provider and the employer, monitoring the employees
compliance and progress in treatment and informing
the employer of the outcomes.

Most of the people in my organization do not

feel comfortable using any service provided by the
organization for fear that the information will come
back and be used against them in the future.
Survey respondent
Others are unsure about the types and availability of EAP
services offered by their employer or human resources
professionals. Additionally, due to a lack of knowledge about
how the program works, some employees might avoid
seeking help from the EAP because they fear that they might
somehow be demoted or even fired by showing the need for
assistance.

We can pursue mental healthcare through

the EAP, but not really sure how to access it
confidentially.
Survey respondent
Even among those willing to use the EAP, the short-term
nature of the counseling may be viewed as inadequate.

EAP provided for 3 sessions per incident. I

do not believe that to be adequate for someone
seeking help.
Survey respondent
In addition, counselors are unlikely to have ever worked in
EMS, and may not know much about what its like to work in
EMS, leading some to feel that EAP-provided psychologists
or therapists arent really able to understand their stress.

I have used the EAP and was not impressed

with the counselors understanding of the job I do
and the difficulty I was facing.
Survey respondent

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

GENERAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

SERVICES

road can all conspire against EMS practitioners in

heeding that advice.
When an employee is struggling or in crisis, counseling
The question for EMS agencies is: Are there resources
and other mental health services
agencies can provide to help EMS
can help provide care, support and
practitioners maintain their overall
DOES YOU EMS AGENCY
treatment to overcome the issues.
health and wellbeing, so that they
OFFER HEALTH AND
But are there steps EMS
have the resiliency to recover from
WELLNESS SERVICES?
practitioners could take to prevent
trauma they experience on the job?
depression or other mental
The extent to which any employer
health issues from arising,
can help employees live a healthy,
YES
NO
despite work-related stress and
balanced lifestyle is difficult to
other challenges?
measure. But many employers try, by
Though no one suggests that
offering health and wellness services
mental health issues can be fully
such as access to fitness centers,
prevented, advice often given by
tobacco cessation programs, stress
medical professionals (and backed
management classes, dietary and
up by research) is that there are
nutrition counseling, or access to a
some things people can do to
health clinic on premises.
protect their mental health. Those
These services are not a common
include getting regular medical care
feature at many EMS agencies.
to maintain overall health, seeking
According to the survey, less than
help for feelings of depression
half (47%) of respondents said their
or anxiety early on if symptoms
EMS agency offered any health
emerge, getting sufficient sleep,
or wellness services.
DONT KNOW
eating a nutritious diet and getting
Of those that did, the most
regular physical activity.
common resource was a fitness
Night shifts, irregular schedules, and long hours on the
center on the agencys premises (52%).

47%

42%

9%

TYPES OF GENERAL HEALTH/WELLNESS

SERVICES OFFERED
52%

Fitness center on premises

41%
33%
28%
25%
21%

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

Dietary/nutrition counseling
Substance abuse counseling
Membership to a local fitness center
Stress management classes

16%

Health clinic on the agencys premises

15%

Free access to a local health clinic

10%

Tobacco cessation program

Group exercise class

59% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they

know where to go for help within their agency if they need it, while 41% disagreed or
strongly disagreed.

AVAILABILITY OF MENTAL HEALTH AND

WELLBEING SERVICES WHILE ON DUTY
Being able to access mental health or general health and
wellbeing services while on duty may make it more feasible
for EMS practitioners to actually make use of them. This is
not a common practice in EMS, however.

Mental health services

About one-third (34%) of respondents reported their

EMS agency permits them to access mental health

services on duty.
About one-third (35%) are not allowed to access mental
health services while on-duty.
Another one-third (32%) didnt know.

General health and wellbeing services

37% reported their EMS agency permits them to access

general health and well-being services on duty.

45% are not allowed.

18% didnt know.

WORKERS COMP FOR MENTAL

HEALTH CRISES
Workers compensation insurance is a type of insurance
purchased by employers for the coverage of employmentrelated injuries and illnesses. Nearly all states require
employers with five or more employees to provide coverage.
But the specifics vary state to state. States determine what
injuries are covered, how impairments are to be evaluated
and how medical care is to be delivered, and the level of
coverage, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Mental health conditions may be eligible for workers
compensation, including psychiatric injuries from singular
events, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and
conditions arising over time, such as depression and
severe anxiety.
Many respondents (58%) were not sure if their EMS agency
provided workers compensation for mental health claims.
Only 15% said their agency did provide compensation, while
27% said no.

In the comments, several respondents expressed their

frustration with what they perceive as workers comp
limitations related to mental health claims.

Currently, acute emotional injuries and mental

health are not considered to be work-related by
workers comp.
Survey respondent

I was seeing a mental health professional for

PTSD after an ambulance accident that resulted in
the death of the driver in the other car Workers
comp denied my claimleaving me stuck with
the bills.
Survey respondent

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

Asked to rate the statement, My agency considers mental health important,

55% agreed or strongly agreed, while 45% disagreed or strongly disagreed.

IS MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY FOR EMS AGENCIES? PERCEPTIONS
OF EMS PRACTITIONERS
In the comments section of the survey, dozens of EMS
practitioners expressed a high degree of dismay, and even
disgust, with management and co-workers attitudes toward
mental health services.
The agency I work for sees mental health as a weakness.
If you ask for help you become verbally abused by co-workers,
supervisors and station managers. I needed help and was
told, thats why women dont belong in EMS. Theyre
overly emotional
There is absolutely no concern for the mental or physical
health of employees at my agency.
Field personnel are suffering mentally and physically and
morale is low. We keep coming back because we got in it to
help people and we love the job. However, we have no support
when it comes to taking care of our sick employees.

provided by the agency. Peer support, critical incident stress

management were mentioned fairly often, as were sessions
with trained counselors.
My company takes mental health seriouslyI am proud of
my agency.
I had to use mental health resources after a pediatric
trauma code. It took a few months for me to fully deal with it,
but the services provided helped greatly.
We have an established EAP program that can be used by
all employees and their immediate families for six free sessions.
They can access it for any issue, not just work related. We
found that it is used more frequently now that it isnt just for
job-related issues. We believe if an employee has issues in their
personal life it can affect them in their work life.

time with something.

But even those who had a more positive view about the
availability of services and the compassion and concern
showed by managers and co-workers, a common theme was
that the available resources werent enough.

To be sure, not every comment was negative. Some

praised the efforts of management to be there for
employees on a personal level, as well as the resources

I work in a poor area. Management is extremely supportive

and willing to provide any support they can. We just dont have
the funds to provide any extra.

I find it sad that my service doesnt seem to care or just

makes jokes about the employees if they are having a hard

SURVEY RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO

RATE THE STATEMENT: I FEEL COMFORTABLE
TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
DISAGREE
OR
STRONGLY
DISAGREE

AGREE OR
STRONGLY
AGREE

52%

10

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

48%

SETTING BENCHMARKS AND

MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
One of the most difficult questions for employers when
offering mental health services is determining which
services will provide the best return on investment that
is, if an employer pays for gym memberships, counseling
sessions, or time off to access mental health services, will
it result in a healthier workforce? Measurements indicating
a healthier workforce may include increased productivity,
fewer sick days or lowered costs related to disability claims
or healthcare.
Very few EMS agencies have set benchmarks or measure
outcomes related to the effectiveness of mental health services.

DOES YOUR EMS AGENCY MEASURE THE

EFFECTIVENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES?

76%
19%
2%
2%

NO
DONT KNOW

YES
BEING DEVELOPED

HOW CAN AN AGENCY MEASURE THE

VALUE OF AN EAP OR OTHER MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES?
While providing resources to help EMS practitioners
maintain their mental health and wellbeing certainly sounds
like a good idea, in deciding what to offer, employers
would like to know that their investment in providing these
services is having an impact. But with many variables, trying
to figure out what actually works, for whom, and in what
circumstances, isnt easy.
For example, critical incident stress debriefings gained
popularity in the 80s and 90s as a way to help responders
process and overcome trauma from harrowing calls. But
eventually, questions were raised about the helpfulness
of those interactions as it turned out, not everyone
benefitted from talking about what had happened. In
addition, the way in which the debriefing was conducted and
the qualifications of the facilitator could significantly impact
how participants felt about it.
So how can an employer measure the effectiveness of
EAPs or other mental health services?

HOW DOES YOUR AGENCY

MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES?
A total of 50 respondents said their agency
measures the effectiveness of mental health
services. The most common strategy was
measuring number of sick days used (57%),
followed by attrition rates (49%), number of
post-employment positive drug tests (26%) and
number of DUI arrests (10%).

Measuring utilization is one strategy, which can help

employers determine if theyre doing enough to get the
word out about the services offered. Another strategy is
surveys. Employers may anonymously survey employees
about their satisfaction with the services provided by an
EAP or other service. But this method has limitations liking
or appreciating a service doesnt necessarily mean its
effective. Employees may also not want to answer truthfully
because they fear their responses will be shared. And if too
few answer the survey, the results may not reflect whats
really going on.
A second surveying strategy is periodically gauging
employees feelings related to broad measures of mental
health. For example, employees could be asked to indicate
how strongly they agree or disagree with a set of statements
(like the ones listed below) covering a specified period
of time, then measuring aggregate changes over time,
suggests the Employee Assistance Society of America.
1. I had a hard time doing my work because of my
personal problems.
2. My personal problems kept me from concentrating on
my work.
3. Because of my personal problems I was not able to
enjoy my work.
4. My personal problems made me worry about
completing my tasks.
5. I could not do my job well because of my personal
problems.
Learn more about these strategies in Selecting and
Strengthening Employee Assistance Programs: A Purchasers
Guide, published by the Employee Assistance Society of
America. Free copies are available at easna.org.

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

11

WORD ON THE STREET: WHAT EMS PRACTITIONERS SAY ABOUT

MENTAL HEALTH
Some of the most revealing responses were to a
question asking respondents for comments about the
services provided by their EMS agency, or about the
issue of EMS mental health generally. More than 500
respondents provided
their thoughts.
Some told personal
stories about struggling
with depression and
PTSD, or of having
difficulty accessing
help when they needed
it. Many expressed
frustration that mental
health continues to be
stigmatized. In reviewing
all of the comments,
several themes emerged.

AMONG EMS AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE MENTAL

HEALTH OR GENERAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
SERVICES, THE DEGREE OF AVAILABLE
RESOURCES VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY.
Some, particularly those working for government or
hospital-based systems, wrote about having access
to a comprehensive EAP that includes an array of
services. Others had far more limited resources,
such as peer counseling only, free sessions with a
counselor from a local church, or grief counselors
when necessary.
STIGMA AND FEAR OF REPRISAL FOR ADMITTING
MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS REMAINS A MAJOR
BARRIER TO PEOPLE SEEKING CARE.
Mental health is a joke to management. They still operate on
the philosophy that if you cant handle it, youre in the wrong
line of work.
Attitude at our department is, if you cant handle it, get
out, sissy.
I strongly believe that in the workplace mental health is
viewed as taboo, not to be talked about and if found out,
viewed as weakness.
In seeking help you are shamed, made fun of by superiors,
and told to suck it up, its part of the job.

12

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF MENTAL

HEALTH SERVICES CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE,
FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FOR AGENCIES.
Just talking with a counselor doesnt fix anyones problem
but that is all our EAP provides. When we are referred to
someone else it comes out of the employees pocket.
We are a small volunteer agency... We have mental health
counselors we can recommend, but we cannot pay for this
service. They will have to access it using their own insurance.
Rural agencies that operate off monies strictly derived by
billing simply cannot afford to offer these types of services to
their employees.

THE DEMANDS OF WORKING IN EMS, COMBINED

WITH FAMILY AND SOMETIMES RESPONSIBILITIES
FROM SECOND JOBS, CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO
HAVE A BALANCED LIFE. MANY RECOGNIZE
THIS AS SETTING THE STAGE FOR MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES.
The biggest factor affecting mental health is EMS practitioners
are paid so little in my state that they have to work multiple jobs to
make ends meet, which means no family or personal time, no
opportunity to exercise, eat right or get any sleep.
Ive been in EMS almost 13 years and struggle daily with
what may be PTSD... With long hours and little rest, the
situation can be exacerbated and exhausting.
Throwing money at something isnt always the answer but
I feel that if we made a more respectable wage we wouldnt
have to kill ourselves working major OT and second jobs to get
by, which in my opinion is a large contributor to the issue of
mental health and burnout.

CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT OR

DEBRIEFINGS MAY HAVE A ROLE IN HELPING
EMS PRACTITIONERS COPE, BUT IT IS NOT
ENOUGH, AND THEY MUST BE CAREFULLY
CONDUCTED. WHILE SOME VALUE CRITICAL
INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT OR
DEBRIEFINGS, OTHERS DESCRIBED VERY
NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES.
In my other job I had a debriefing. It was horrible and I
would never do it again.
We have a critical incident management person. But when
she debriefs people... she jokes about the issue and has once
offered the solution to drink.
The few debriefings I have attended over 22 years, they
all bring back up what we are desperately trying to let go of
or bury.

EMS PRACTITIONERS WANT COUNSELORS

WHO UNDERSTAND THE JOB OF EMS. GENERAL
COUNSELORS, THERAPISTS OR PSYCHOLOGISTS
WHO ARE UNINFORMED ABOUT EMS ARE SEEN
AS OFFERING LITTLE USEFUL HELP.
We have an EAP program accessible to all city employees. I
believe there should be a separate and more specialized program
geared toward first respondersThis would include counselors
that have a background dealing with first responders.
The only mental health resource we have is our EAP. They are
not used to talking to EMS. Word on the street is that if you talk to
them regarding work issues, youll be counseled to leave EMS.
Wed like to talk to someone that understands EMS issues.

THERE IS WIDE AGREEMENT THAT TOO LITTLE

IS BEING DONE TO HELP EMS PRACTITIONERS
WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND THAT MORE
SHOULD BE DONE, INCLUDING EDUCATING
NEW PRACTITIONERS ABOUT MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES.

IN THE ABSENCE OF ADEQUATE RESOURCES,

MANY EMS PRACTITIONERS HELP ONE ANOTHER,
WHETHER ITS CHECKING IN ON COLLEAGUES
AFTER A BAD CALL OR TRYING TO BE THERE TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT TO COLLEAGUES WHO ARE
STRUGGLING.
We cope by talking to coworkers. There are a few unofficial
people that always check in with people who have had bad
calls. Its not nearly adequate.
We self-debrief and help each other when the
need arises.
We are a volunteer company and a very close-knit family.
Any issues that may arise we are comfortable talking to each
other about.
As a senior member of my organization, I speak openly
(formally and informally) with co-workers about my
experiences to lessen the stigma and encourage
self-identification to seek help.

EMS PRACTITIONERS WANT HELP.

We see death and trauma daily and our sleep is
interrupted on average 2 or 3 times after midnight every shift.
Please help.
If someone has a problem they may be seen as soft by their
peers. We need the tools and resources easily available to get
the help we need.
If I cant take care of myself, I am unable to take care of
others. I have found ways of coping with the stress that I
acquire on the job but many of my coworkers have not. Lets
face it, we dont get called because someone is having a great
day. It would be extremely beneficial to have a functioning,
non-biased mental health service within our EMS system to
help lighten the load and help us take care of ourselves first.

Mental health should be a fundamental part of the EMS

training curriculum so that EMTs, paramedics, first responders
all know what it is, how to identify it, how to deal with stress
and where to get help.
This is a silent epidemic. I have seen people depart the
profession and have seen profound damage done to
others You cant hand somebody an EAP card and expect
a result.

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

13

CONCLUSION

Managers
should encourage
EMS practitioners to
speak up and seek
help without fear of
reprisal, and support
them in their efforts
to care for
themselves, so that
they can continue to
take care of our
patients and
our nations
communities.
Survey respondent

14

From difficult calls involving injured

children, to horrifying calls involving violence
or abuse, to working in conditions where
practitioners themselves face the risk of
violence, the job of an EMS practitioner can
be extraordinarily stressful.
At the same time, EMS
practitioners also have to cope
with challenges outside of work.
Stressors faced by many
Americans include marital and
family problems, financial strain,
legal issues, conflicts among
co-workers and managers,
depression, preexisting
psychological or health
conditions, substance abuse,
child and elder care pressures
all of which can compromise
a persons mental health and
overall wellbeing.
Traditionally, EMS practitioners
have felt that they are expected
to simply deal with their stress,
showing no signs of weakness
or struggle an attitude that
the survey results indicate are
a continuing barrier to seeking
help.
Yet the large number of
anecdotal reports about the
stress and mental health
struggles of many practitioners,
combined with these survey
responses, illustrate that the
culture of EMS related to mental
health is in urgent need of
change.
EMS practitioners expressed
a strong desire for additional
mental health and general
health and wellbeing resources
to help them recover from
critical incidents. They also
expressed a desire for
resources to proactively help them maintain
their mental and physical health, so that they
are better able to cope with stress and less
likely to develop conditions such as PTSD,

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

depression and anxiety.

EMS agency management and
stakeholders must listen to EMS
practitioners, and take action to address
mental health issues. That includes
conducting research to determine the true
extent of mental health issues,
risk factors that contribute
and interventions that are
effective. The EMS profession
must also identify resources
that will help the EMS workforce
maintain their mental health
and wellbeing, build emotional
resiliency, and provide for the
early detection and treatment
of mental health problems.
Educating the EMS workforce
about healthy ways to handle
stress, staying safe on the job
and other topics related to
mental health and safety should
begin in initial training and be
incorporated into continuing
education.
EMS management must also
make it a priority to offer mental
health resources to the extent
budgets allow, and to measure
whether those services are
having a positive impact on their
staff.
There is no doubt that budget
restrictions will limit the
ability of many EMS agencies
to provide a full array of
services. But there is one thing
that all EMS agencies can do,
regardless of finances, and
thats letting go of the idea
that mental health issues are
shameful or a sign of weakness.
Managers should encourage
EMS practitioners to speak up
and seek help without fear of
reprisal, and support them
in their efforts to care for themselves, so
that they can continue to take care of our
patients and our nations communities.

RESOURCES
NAEMT Mental Health Resource Library To assist EMS practitioners in recognizing, managing and
seeking assistance for mental health issues, NAEMT has compiled a resource library of articles, tips and other
information about suicide prevention, mental health first aid, and building emotional resiliency.
Find the resources at naemt.org, under the EMS Health & Safety tab. We urge you to use these resources
to learn more about mental health issues, and to share them widely with your colleagues.
Code Green Campaign Visit codegreencampaign.org to read about others experiences with mental
health issues, and for a list of mental health resources.
If you are struggling, seek help.
Safe Call Now (206) 459-3020 A 24/7 hotline and referral service for first responders and their family
members to speak confidentially with other first responders who are trained in mental health crisis counseling.
They can assist with treatment options for responders who are suffering from mental health, substance abuse
and other personal issues. Visit safecallnow.org.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-8255 Available 24/7, the national suicide hotline will
connect you with a trained, experienced crisis counselor who is ready to listen and connect you with mental
health services in your area. Visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

2016 EMS Mental Health Services Survey

15

Serving our nations EMS practitioners

www.naemt.org
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ABOUT NAEMT
Formed in 1975 and more than 55,000 members strong, the National Association of Emergency Medical
Technicians (NAEMT) is the only national association representing the professional interests of all emergency
and mobile healthcare practitioners, including emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency medical
technicians, emergency medical responders, paramedics, advanced practice paramedics, critical care paramedics,
flight paramedics, community paramedics, and mobile integrated healthcare practitioners. NAEMT members
work in all sectors of EMS, including government agencies, fire departments, hospital-based ambulance services,
private companies, industrial and special operations settings, and in the military.