HEALTH & WELLNESS

Workforce Advocacy

The mental health of the emergency services workforce is not a personal issue. It is a system issue. NCRETAC advocates for policies, practices, and resources that address it at that level.

The Case for Advocacy

The emergency services workforce faces mental health challenges at rates significantly higher than the general population. This is not a reflection of weakness. It is the predictable result of repeated exposure to trauma, high-stakes decision-making, chronic stress, and a culture that has historically discouraged seeking help.

NCRETAC’s position is straightforward: addressing workforce mental health is not separate from workforce sustainability, patient care quality, or community safety. They are the same issue. A workforce that cannot access support does not stay in the field. A workforce that leaves takes years of institutional knowledge and clinical skill with it.

The Data

Approximately 30% of EMS providers meet criteria for PTSD. More than 46% report high levels of emotional exhaustion. First responder suicide rates exceed line-of-duty deaths in many years. These are not outliers. They are consistent findings across multiple independent studies.

The Barriers

Providers consistently report significant barriers to getting help: fear of being seen as unfit for duty, stigma within peer culture, limited access to therapists who understand the work, cost and insurance gaps, and geographic isolation in rural areas.

The System Cost

Burnout is a leading driver of EMS workforce attrition. In a region where some counties are already struggling to staff ambulances, losing experienced providers to burnout is not a human resources problem. It is a public safety problem.

Statistics are consistent with published EMS workforce research, including findings from NAEMSP, the Ruderman Family Foundation, and the AHRQ systematic review on mental health and occupational stress in the EMS and 911 workforce. Sources available on request.

What NCRETAC Does

NCRETAC is not a mental health provider. As the regional coordinator for EMS and trauma services across nine northeast Colorado counties, NCRETAC’s role in workforce advocacy is structural: building the conditions under which providers can access support and stay in the field.

Advocate at the regional and state level

NCRETAC participates in SEMTAC and works with CDPHE to ensure that provider mental health is recognized as a system-level concern, not an individual one. We support policy initiatives that reduce stigma, expand access to care, and protect providers who seek help.

Connect providers to resources

The Health & Wellness Resources directory connects providers and their families to peer support programs, crisis services, counseling, and training, without endorsement or affiliation.

Support committee-level action

The Workforce Development & Support Committee has identified provider wellness as a priority. The Health and Wellness Committee develops programming, coordinates peer support, and advocates for policies that support the regional workforce.

Create space for honest conversation

Through events, publications, and communications, NCRETAC works to normalize conversations about mental health in the EMS and emergency services community. Asking for help reflects professional maturity, not personal failure.

Build regional peer support infrastructure

The Northeast Colorado Regional Peer Support Team is being developed to provide structured peer support across all disciplines and all agency lines in the region.

Coordinate critical incident support

NCRETAC maps critical incident support resources across the region, identifies gaps, and coordinates access for agencies that need a response after a significant incident. Learn more ›

For Agency Leaders and Policymakers

Workforce mental health is a governance and policy issue as much as a clinical one. These are the areas where leaders at the agency, county, and state level can make a real difference.

Agency Leaders

Review your agency’s mental health policies. Do they create barriers or remove them? Ensure all staff know what Employee Assistance Program benefits are available. Explore peer support program models. Talk openly about mental health as part of your crew culture.

County Commissioners

Support funding for behavioral health services in rural communities. Advocate for first-responder-experienced therapists in your area. Recognize EMS mental health as a public safety infrastructure issue, not a personal one. Connect with NCRETAC on regional coordination.

State Policymakers

Provider mental health should be treated as a workforce sustainability issue in EMS funding and policy. Rural providers face compounded barriers: geographic isolation, limited EAP access, and workforce shortages that make taking time off for care feel impossible.

Hospital and Health System Partners

Emergency department staff and transport partners share many of the same occupational stressors as EMS. Regional coordination of peer support and critical incident resources benefits the full spectrum of emergency care providers.

Get involved

To discuss regional coordination, workforce wellness programming, or how NCRETAC can support your agency or organization, contact us directly. We also welcome participation in the Health and Wellness Committee and the Workforce Development & Support Committee.

Contact: [email protected] | (970) 580-2668