ALBUQUERQUE — A new online mental health program is now available to first responders in a state where medical help could be hours away.
The University of New Mexico launched the First Responder ECHO program last month in response to increased rates of post traumatic stress disorder, compassion fatigue, depression and suicide among EMS service providers, firefighters and police.
“First responders serve all of us every day,” said Joanna Katzman, Senior Associate Director of Project ECHO. “I am so thrilled that Project ECHO can help to provide access to trainings for First Responders in New Mexico. My hope is to see this program grow throughout the country.”
First responders connect each week using the online platform, which allows them to connect anywhere in the state.
The ECHO Hub team includes a psychiatrist and emergency room physician, a pain doctor, an expert paramedic, a firefighter and a law enforcement officer.
Further reading
Psychological Trauma: The Silent Stalker
Survey Reveals Alarming Rates of EMS Provider Stress and Thoughts of Suicide
Groundbreaking Data Collected on Mental Health of First Responders
