Press Call: Stand with First Responders, Support Resiliency & Welness
Washington, DC – The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how critical our first responders are to our communities. In this time of crisis, we rely on them more than ever.
However, before this pandemic, first responders were facing a resiliency and wellness crisis. For the last five years, more law enforcement and firefighters have been lost to suicide than lost in the line of duty. To discuss this crisis and potential responses, please join Congresswoman Kelly, first responders and experts for a press call on Tuesday, September 29th at 11:00a EST/10:00a CST.
What: Press Call: Stand with Our First Responders
Who:
· Congresswoman Robin Kelly, author of the First Responder Resiliency Act,
· Chief James Black, president of the Illinois Chiefs of Police Association and Chief of Police, Crystal Lake, IL, and
· Captain Jeff Dill, founder and CEO of the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (headquartered, Branson, MO) and retired Captain of the Palatine Rural Fire Protection District (Inverness, IL).
When: September 29th at 11:00a EST/10:00a CST
Where: Conference Call
How: RSVP for a unique call-in code here: https://myaccount.maestroconference.com/conference/register/OVX1GTY9ETE0NJ
To support first responder wellness, Congress has established two programs to fund job-related mental health programs. Despite these programs, job-related mental health programs and grant applications are few and far between.
To prevent departments from being forced to make an impossible choice: use limited matching funds to support wellness programs or invest in direct public safety programs, Congresswoman Kelly introduced the First Responder Resiliency Act (H.R. 6003). The bill would waive the matching fund requirement for job-related mental health programs under these existing projects to ensure resources are available immediately.
This legislation has been endorsed by the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Firefighters Behavioral Health Alliance, National Association of Hispanic Firefighters, National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NABLEO), Black Fire Brigade, National Black Police Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), National Police Suicide Foundation, Blue H.E.L.P., Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and American Society of Suicidology.