Strengthening first responder wellness through a national peer support network
January 22, 2025
First responders – including law enforcement officers, firefighters, corrections personnel, paramedics, and dispatchers – face significant mental health challenges. Often witnessing traumatic incidents, they are at a high risk of experiencing stress, anxiety, PTSD, and depression. A supportive peer network tailored to their unique needs is essential to help ensure they have access to the mental health support they require. A national peer support network, powered by tools such as the FirstNet Health and Wellness Coalition and Keel Mind, could help first responders across the U.S. connect directly with trained peers who understand their experiences. And it could provide them with the best tools, creating a vital safety net for first responder wellness.
Value of peer support in first responder communities
Peer support among first responders is uniquely impactful. Unlike traditional counseling, peer support offers a sense of camaraderie and understanding. Peer supporters who are also first responders can provide empathy and reassurance drawing from their personal backgrounds and experiences to help those seeking assistance.¹
Many first responders hesitate to seek help for fear of being perceived as weak or being judged. Peer networks help overcome this stigma. Speaking with another responder who has faced similar challenges lowers barriers and encourages open communication, enabling a faster path to recovery.²
My personal journey
As a third-generation police officer, I understand these challenges all too well. When I was 8 years old, my father took his life due to PTSD from his service in Vietnam and the pressures of the job. For much of my career, I dealt with the stigma surrounding mental health for first responders. It wasn’t until a chance encounter, during a random traffic stop, that I spoke with my dad's best friend from high school who was also a police officer. He shared with me how my dad returned from Vietnam a changed man and how the demands of police work only compounded his struggles. Those words changed my perspective. I no longer worried that my colleagues would see me as my father, allowing me to embrace my journey and the support I needed.
I can’t help but think that if we had tools like peer support and the Keel Mind platform back then, my father could have witnessed my family and career and watched his grandsons grow into great young men. We now can do things right, using technology that supports peer supporters and the peers they are here to help.
Facilitating peer connections
Keel Mind is a mental wellness platform designed to support first responders. It offers a peer network, educational resources and specialized tools to connect responders with peer supporters. Through the innovative feature called Keel Reels, peer supporters can share their personal stories, allowing responders to find someone whose experience resonates with their own. Listening to these short interviews helps responders get a sense of who each peer supporter is and the specific challenges they have overcome, whether related to critical incident stress, loss of a colleague, or handling multiple traumas throughout their careers.
This approach not only builds rapport but also allows responders to select someone they feel personally connected to before reaching out, encouraging the first steps toward getting help. In this way, Keel Reels strengthens the likelihood of a successful connection, providing the responder with a peer supporter they feel aligned with from the beginning.
Platforms like Keel Mind and the FirstNet Health and Wellness Coalition can work together to provide immediate access to essential resources
Building a supportive culture
Storytelling plays an integral role in Keel Mind’s approach to connecting first responders with the right peer support. In high-stress roles, a relatable story can help responders feel less isolated and more validated. Keel Reels gives peer supporters the space to share their challenges, showing others they are not alone. This level of relatability encourages first responders to open up about their experiences and feel more comfortable seeking help.
Lifeline for families and communities
A peer support network also benefits the families and communities first responders serve. When responders have access to mental health support, they are better equipped to focus on their duties, which enhances their ability to serve and protect the public. A peer support network that connects responders with those who have experienced similar challenges helps build resilience across the entire first responder community.
The future of peer support
The integration of technology into peer support networks is just beginning. Platforms like Keel Mind and the FirstNet Health and Wellness Coalition can work together to provide immediate access to essential resources, breaking down geographical barriers and ensuring responders in rural areas have access to the same quality of support as those in urban settings.
A national peer support network for first responders, supported by platforms like Keel Mind and FirstNet, Built with AT&T, can provide life-changing benefits. By enabling quick and personalized connections between responders and peer supporters, this initiative addresses mental wellness and fosters a resilient community that stands strong in the face of challenges. Together, we can ensure that no first responder faces their struggles alone.
Bob Stanberry, Chief of Police, (Ret.), and Director of First Responder Wellness at Keel Mind, brings decades of law enforcement experience to his role at Keel Mind, where he plays a crucial part in shaping mental wellness initiatives for first responders. As a leader, he uses his deep understanding of the challenges faced by those in the field to work with first responder groups throughout the country. For more information, please visit Peer Support at Keel Mind or email bobs@keel.digital.