Strengthening mental health support for Washoe County’s EMS and first responder community
REMSA Health highlights its employee mental health resources and extends support to the first responder community by offering free stress management sessions happening Tuesday, Feb. 4.
Jan. 30, 2025 (RENO, Nev.) — To address mental health support for emergency medical services (EMS) professionals and first responders, REMSA Health is building upon its employee well-being program–Fit for Life Fit for Duty–to offer free stress management sessions to Washoe County’s first response community.
EMS, fire, law enforcement, and other first responder roles involve high-pressure, fast-paced environments in which every team member plays a vital role, including those not directly providing patient care or support on the frontlines. On the job, first responders can encounter stressful and jarring situations, which impact an individual’s mental health and well-being.
“As an organization, we recognize the challenges our teams and co-response and healthcare partners face and we seek feedback from and evaluate the broader needs of our employees,” said Adam Heinz, COO, REMSA Health. “We look forward to building upon the Fit for Life Fit for Duty program to make resources and learning opportunities like the stress management sessions with Mike Taigman a more frequent offering. We are committed to offering wellness tools for our team members to access that build resiliency and stress management skills that support them not only on the job, but also in their relationships and personal lives.”
REMSA Health’s Fit for Life Fits for Duty program encompasses a variety of resources designed to support mental wellness and resiliency for its employees including REMSA Health’s peer support network, gym membership reimbursement, free access to meditation and nutrition apps and employee assistance programs that help employees navigate stress, anxiety, grief, workplace challenges and relationships. Employees also have access to an on-staff mental health clinician. Resources are available to employees across all divisions and shifts.
The organization also assesses opportunities to support employees’ work-life balance. It schedules its ambulance providers to 10-hour shifts, moving away from the 12-hour shift that is standard for the EMS industry, to help employees spend more time with their loved ones. In addition, the organization adheres to industry best practices for mandatory shift cut-off times and mandatory rest periods between shifts.
REMSA Health employees and all first responders in the community are invited to attend one of two stress management sessions with first responder mental wellness expert and speaker Mike Taigman happening from 8-9:30 a.m. and 4-5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Renaissance Reno Hotel located at One Lake St., Reno, Nevada.
Mental health challenges are common among first responders and EMS professionals. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 20% of adults in the U.S. will experience a period of mental illness at some point in their lives––that rate increases to approximately 30% among EMS personnel.
As an employer of 600 EMS professionals, REMSA Health is dedicated to supporting the well-being and needs of its employees. In providing mental health support for the community’s first responders, the organization aims to equip its team members and co-response partners with the skills and resiliency needed to continue serving in their critical roles providing quality emergency care or assistance for every individual who calls 9-1-1 for help.
