Public Safety Wellness Program

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Counseling Program

The SAMHSA grant funding was also used to establish TEEX’s Public Safety Wellness and Counseling program in College Station. The program provides first responders with professional mental health counseling services using evidence-based practices to improve overall mental health and well-being. Through the program, licensed counselors also train other mental health professionals in providing trauma-informed care to first responders. A graduate internship program is available for master’s and doctoral students in the mental health professions.

Clients of the program complete an initial PTSD Checklist, a self-reporting tool to assess their PTSD symptoms, when beginning their counseling sessions. Of the 60 individuals counseled thus far, their scores have dropped from an average high initial score of 37 to an average score of 14 midway through their counseling, indicating a substantial drop in their PTSD symptoms.

To qualify for free counseling, individuals must experience one or more barriers, such as difficulty finding clinicians familiar with first responder issues, financial constraints, scheduling challenges due to shift work or reluctance to seek workplace mental health resources due to stigma.

The program also offers assistance during and after natural disasters or mass casualty incidents. For example, during the 2024 wildfires in the Texas Panhandle, the TEEX public safety wellness team traveled to Amarillo to assess needs, identify resources and assist first responders.


“Repeated exposure to traumatic events, unresolved stress and depression, and the stigma surrounding treatment for mental health concerns has plagued the public safety community for years. At TEEX, we want to be at the forefront of providing vital mental health services tailored specifically for law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, 911 telecommunicators, and others in public safety roles.”

–Alisa McDonald, Program Director and a Licensed Professional Counselor Specializing in First Responder Mental Health

Resources

  • Download Program Flyer
  • PTSD Checklist
  • Mental Health Support Reference

Contact Us

To bring the Support That Saves training course to your agency or department, or for questions, reach out to McDonald and her team below.