Fort Worth officials have teamed up with the American Warrior Association (AWA) to launch a new program aimed at helping first responders cope with mental health issues stemming from on-the-job stress and trauma, the city announced Wednesday. Dubbed R3 — standing for Respond, Restore, Resolve — the initiative, which was unveiled at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex, offers a holistic wellness support system for police officers and firefighters grappling with moral injury.
The program, which is privately funded and promotes mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual support in a bid to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health issues, is a response to the specific kinds of trauma experienced by first responders who often encounter situations that conflict with their moral or ethical beliefs, due to this issue, the program integrates a variety of services, including training, access to nonclinical preventative care resources, and culturally competent counseling, according to a statement from Mayor Mattie Parker, "It's time to change the stigma around mental health and start encouraging proactive mental health conversations to address the pain and anguish our first responders experience every day", as per the City of Fort Worth.
Police Chief Neil Noakes hailed the program as potentially life-changing, noting that officers who attended the preliminary training sessions saw significant positive outcomes; the program, he suggests, not only helps manage the stress associated with morally injurious events but also improves officers' abilities in handling public interactions.
Fire Chief Jim Davis reiterated the importance of the program to his department, expressing excitement at the partnership with AWA and emphasizing their dedication to creating a more resilient workforce, "We appreciate their dedication to the men and women of the Fort Worth Fire Department", per the City of Fort Worth. These programs are reviewed and approved by the R3 Partner Vetting Committee, ensuring suitable support and compliance with the department's goals, the AWA has also taken on the task of curating a Culturally Competent Counseling program which is being run through its network of counselors, aiming for utmost confidentiality for employees.
R3 is not just a local endeavor as it's designed to be scalable and potentially national in reach, with the AWA at its helm ready to guide similar programs across the country, making Fort Worth the pilot city for this innovative approach to first responder wellness, the philanthropic organization is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting military, veterans, and first responders, and it's their commitment that underpins the R3's mission for comprehensive care, as further elaborated in the announcement.
The city’s investment in the wellbeing of its public servants is clear; the Fort Worth Police Department boasts an authorized strength of 1,882 officers serving over 956,000 people, while the Fire Department, with its 1,049 uniformed members, covers 345 square miles protecting close to a million residents, both departments now receiving enhanced support for mental fitness — a move that's sure to have ripple effects throughout the community they serve.
