Behavioral Health Program

Courses below are free and available to anyone, regardless of IAFF membership status or participation in a Peer Support Training.

IAFF Online Behavioral Health Awareness

This is a two-hour, self-paced online course that provides an overview of common behavioral health problems that impact fire service personnel.

Note: IAFF Peer Fitness Trainers (PFTs) can acquire 0.3 continuing education credits (CECs) for completing this course. Relevant information will become available upon completion.

Register for the Behavioral Health Awareness course.

Helping Members in Recovery

This is a two-hour, self-paced online course for fire service personnel who want to support a colleague who is engaged in or has recently completed treatment for a mental health or substance use disorder. The course provides a comprehensive overview of common behavioral health problems in the fire service, levels of behavioral health treatment, specific strategies to support a member in their recovery journey, and best practices for affiliate leaders to create a work environment that fosters recovery. See the course flyer for more information.

Register for the Helping Members in Recovery course.

Anger Management Training For Fire Service Members

This is an awareness-level, self-paced online course designed to help fire service members manage anger more effectively. This interactive training is comprised of seven short weekly modules and corresponding skills practice, intended to be completed over 7 weeks. Participants will learn evidence-based techniques to recognize, process, and respond to challenges on and off the job that provoke anger and other uncomfortable emotions. This course may be used alone, or as a supplement to other behavioral health treatment. IAFF affiliate departments may also recommend this course to members that would benefit from additional support in managing anger. See course flyer for more information.

Register for Anger Management Training For Fire Service Members

The stresses faced by fire service members throughout the course of their careers – incidents involving children, violence, inherent dangers of firefighting and other potentially traumatic events – can have a cumulative impact on mental health and well-being.

Peer support programs have been demonstrated to be an effective method for providing support to occupational groups, including fire fighters.

• The IAFF Peer Support Training Program is a two-day interactive course taught by experienced peers from the fire service and behavioral health clinicians. For a program overview, please see the IAFF Peer Support Training Overview.
• To learn more about building your peer support program, please see the IAFF program planning guide “10 Steps to Build Your Peer Support Program.”

Important:
It may be possible to obtain a grant through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program to fund the IAFF Peer Support Training.

For more information, log in to the IAFF website, visit the Grants Administration page and review the Grant Application Guidance for the IAFF Peer Support Training.

Despite increased awareness of behavioral health problems in the fire service, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, burnout and suicide continue to plague our ranks.

Building on the initial success of the IAFF Peer Support Training program, the IAFF Resiliency Training is the next behavioral health training to be offered by the IAFF.

This training is a one-day, eight-hour, in-person training focused on building individual and organizational resilience in the fire service.

Important: It may be possible to obtain a grant through the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) grant program to fund IAFF Resiliency Training.

For more information, visit Grants Administration and review the grant application guidance for IAFF Resiliency Training.

The IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery is a one-of-a-kind treatment facility specializing in behavioral health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health challenges exclusively for professional fire fighters, paramedics and dispatchers.

Partnering with Advanced Recovery Systems (ARS), a leader in behavioral healthcare management, the IAFF Center of Excellence is staffed by a highly experienced and specialized team familiar with the unique needs of our members and the fire service culture. Located outside Washington, DC, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, the Center opened March 5, 2017.

Learn more about the Center and the resources available to IAFF members.

For an overview of the treatment program offered at the Center, see the IAFF Center of Excellence Clinical Program Guide.

In addition, the IAFF has created a toolkit designed to provide affiliate leaders with information and resources to ensure IAFF members have access to the Center of Excellence.

Understanding the Fire Service for Mental Health Clinicians

This online, self-paced training is intended for behavioral health clinicians who are interested in working with fire service personnel in a clinical setting. Other healthcare providers may also benefit from this training. This course will provide clinicians a therapeutic foundation for working with fire fighters, by deepening their understanding of the fire fighting occupation and the fire service community. The National Board of Social Work (NASW) has approved this course 1.5 hours of continuing education. To register for the course, please visit the course homepage. To access the course flyer, click here.

Treating Fire Fighters in Behavioral Health Settings

This is a two-day, in-person training designed for mental health clinicians to build best practices when treating professional fire fighters. Clinicians will spend day one in a traditional classroom environment, followed by a second day of live fireground training, intended to provide direct exposure to the physical and psychological challenges of the occupation. Students who complete this training will have access to the monthly IAFF Clinician Consultation Group and can be listed in the IAFF Preferred Clinician Directory.

Live beta testing for this training was completed in fall 2022 with approximately 50 clinicians (view the flyer for the 2022 training here). The training is currently under final revision with delivery expected in spring 2023. Sign up here to be notified of training availability and dates.

Video Resources for Clinicians

• Understanding Peer Support in the Fire Service
  This 1.5-hour webinar is intended for clinicians and fire service personnel who want a deeper understanding of peer support in the fire service and the role of a clinician on a peer support team. This webinar is delivered in collaboration with the IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery.
• Trauma in the Fire Service
  This 1.5-hour webinar explores best practices for clinicians interested in working with fire service personnel coping with post-traumatic stress or PTSD. Fire service personal will learn more about what to look for in a clinician. This webinar is delivered in collaboration with the IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery.
• Suicide and Suicide Prevention in the Fire Service
  This 1.5-hour presentation from the 2019 Redmond Symposium/Barbera EMS Conference explores suicide postvention, suicide prevention strategies, evidence-based treatments for suicide, resources for suicide loss and the IAFF’s efforts to understand and address suicide. This workshop is intended for a general fire service audience, but is also recommend for clinicians who are interested in working with fire fighters.

To address the ongoing opioid problem, the IAFF – with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) – has launched an online series to provide an in-depth understanding of opioid epidemic impacting the United States and Canada. This series is designed for fire service personnel and civilians. Each segment includes at least one video and corresponding podcast to provide more in-depth discussion and commentary.

Topics include:

1. Opioid Use Disorder: A Disease
2. Treating Opioid Addiction
3. Treatment Considerations for Fire Fighters
4. Responsible Approaches to Pain Management
5. Stories of Recovery From Opioid Addiction
6. Addressing Substance Use in Your Department
7. Situational Awareness When Responding to Opioid Incidents
8. Managing Exposure Risks
9. Community Approaches to the Opioid Crisis
10. Managing Compassion Fatigue

Click here to access the series.

• Conducting Outreach After a Potentially Traumatic Event: Peer Team Guidance (flow chart)
• Understanding Reactions to a Potentially Traumatic Event (trifold brochure)
• Building Resilience Through a Pandemic
• IAFF Center of Excellence Spouse and Family FAQ Guide
• IAFF Center of Excellence Family Resource Guide
• Fire Fighter Suicide: How to Cope With Grief and Loss
• How to Talk About Fire Fighter Suicide
• Understanding the Difference Between PTS and PTSD
• Understanding the Difference Between PTS and PTSD (French)
• Coping with Grief
• Finding the Right Clinician
• Burnout and Self Care During a Disaster Relief Operation
• Resources for Talking to Kids:
  • Talking to Kids About LODD and Tragedy
  • Talking to Your Kids After Disaster
  • Talking to Kids About Your Addiction
  • How to Tell Your Kids You Are Going to Rehab
  • Talking to Kids About Close Calls
  • Tough Talk: Active Shooter – Talking to Your Kids in the Aftermath
• Creating a Behavioral Health Program: A Checklist
• How to Support a Crew Member From Treatment
• IAFF Peer Support Training Program Brief
• 10 Steps to Build Your Peer Support Program
• Recruiting Members for Your Peer Support Team

Resource Guides and Articles

• Building Resilience During a Pandemic: An EMS Guide
• Coping With Grief During COVID-19: Saying Goodbye to Loved Ones
• Spiritual Connection During COVID-19
• Staying Sober During COVID-19
• Coronavirus Guidance for Peer Support
• COVID-19 Behavioral Health Considerations
• IAFF Guide to Managing Coronavirus Anxiety
• What to Expect in Quarantine
• Helping Your Family Cope With COVID-19
• Is Telemental Health Right for Me?

Podcasts

• Podcast: Tackling Behavioral Health During COVID-19

Free Telemental Health Services

The Warriors Research Institute (WRI) – run by IAFF Behavioral Health partner Dr. Suzy Gulliver – is offering telemental health services at no cost to all IAFF members in the United States. Learn more here.

For more information, contact [email protected]

International Association of Fire Fighters
Attn: Health and Safety Department
1750 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006-5395

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-TALK (8255) connects callers to local crisis centers and has information on suicide prevention.