10/01/2026
👏👏👏 WUDA applauds Governor Kathy Hochul for putting first responder mental health where it belongs — among our priorities. 👏👏👏
There is something powerful about seeing government not just acknowledge a problem, but listen to the people experiencing it and take meaningful steps to address it.
Governor Hochul’s latest initiative — a new statewide First Responder Mental Health and Cultural Awareness Training for mental health professionals — is another important step in recognizing that treating first responders requires an understanding of the unique culture, experiences and challenges that come with the job.
This training specifically addresses first responder culture, occupational stressors, barriers to seeking care, health disparities and strategies for engaging first responders. It is designed for mental health professionals who work with, or want to work with, firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement officers and 911 dispatchers.
And this didn't happen in a vacuum.
Governor Hochul's administration previously commissioned New York's first First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment, with more than 6,000 public safety professionals statewide participating. That assessment found that more than half of respondents experienced significant stress, burnout and mental-health challenges — while also identifying stigma and a shortage of mental-health professionals who understand first responder culture as major barriers to getting help.
For those of us who work in emergency communications, that recognition matters.
911 dispatchers are first responders. We hear the calls. We give instructions while people are having the worst moments of their lives. We send help into dangerous situations. We experience tragedy, trauma and cumulative stress — sometimes without ever leaving the communications center.
For years, first responder mental health has too often been something people talked about after a tragedy.
That needs to change.
WUDA members want to sincerely THANK Governor Hochul and the agencies involved in these initiatives for recognizing that first responders need to be taken care of, too.
We appreciate seeing the State invest in understanding the problem, developing culturally competent mental-health resources, expanding wellness programs and working to break down the stigma surrounding asking for help.
Politics aside, this is the kind of leadership first responders notice and appreciate.
When elected officials recognize an issue, listen to the people doing the work and take tangible steps to address it, we should acknowledge that effort and say thank you.
On behalf of the members of WUDA, thank you, Governor Hochul, for recognizing that the people who spend their careers taking care of New Yorkers deserve to have someone taking care of them, too.
The work isn't finished. But recognizing there is a problem — and committing to change it — is an important place to start.
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the release of a new online training for mental health professionals working with or considering a career helping first
