Responder Resources

9-1-1 — yes you may be a First Responder, but 9-1-1 is for you too!

988 — Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7

(206) 459-3020 or (877) 230-6060 — Confidential, 24/7, staffed by first responders for first responders and their families

Text BADGE to 741741

(888) 731-3473 — 24/7, run by the National Volunteer Fire Council

(800) 267-5463 — 24/7 confidential hotline answered by retired law enforcement officers

(866) 676-7500 — 24/7, answered by first responder call-takers

(800) 273-8255, Press 1 — Veterans, 24/7

(800) 985-5990 — All persons affected by disasters, 24/7

(800) 662-4357 — Mental health & substance use, 24/7, free

(571) 505-5615 — 24/7 on-call EMS/MIH-CP for Responders in Northern Virginia

A Northern Virginia-rooted nonprofit working to establish FORWARD Centers — outpatient wellness centers offering confidential, culturally competent clinical treatment, health and wellness services, financial counseling, and educational programs for active and retired first responders and their families. The Foundation's leadership includes current and former public safety professionals from Fairfax County and across the region.

EMERGILITY® occupies a unique position in the Northern Virginia public safety landscape: we are both a licensed first response agency and an organization whose work is built in direct service to the first responder community. 

As a Virginia OEMS-licensed EMS Agency (Agency Code 50537) and a DCJS-licensed Private Security Services Business, EMERGILITY® operates alongside law enforcement, fire, and EMS in an augmenting role — providing Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS), private non-transport EMS, and Advanced Life Support capability where it's needed most. We don't replace the public safety system. We extend it, protect it, and fill the gaps that traditional emergency services cannot.

At the same time, we recognize that first responders aren't just colleagues — they're clients. The men and women who hold the line for everyone else deserve access to care and support built specifically for them. That's why Responder Care™, our charitable Special Program, exists. It's why our training programs serve both new and experienced public safety professionals. And it's why, when a first responder or their family member needs help, EMERGILITY® answers with the same urgency they bring to every call.

We know this community because we are this community.

LFRF is an all-volunteer organization, and it’s through our corporate partnerships that we are able to serve this deserving community. Partnership of the LFRF provides a valuable means of enhancing your company’s credibility, prestige and overall image by supporting an organization that gives back to our community. This marketing tool broadens your competitive edge while building new business partnerships.

Founded by a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Captain, Ashes2Art offers first responders a creative outlet for resiliency strengthening — including art classes, open studios, and creative peer support. A unique and proven complement to traditional mental health support.

Provides free, confidential counseling to any first responder who reaches out — no diagnosis required, no paperwork required. Also offers peer support training for departments, with an adaptable framework built for public safety culture. Serves Virginia first responders.

Community Service Boards are publicly funded mental health, developmental, and substance use services. They function as single points of entry for services and can respond to mental health emergencies 24 hours a day. The following CSBs serve the Northern Virginia region (DBHDS Region 2):

• Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board 
• Alexandria Community Services Board
• Arlington County Department of Human Services
• Prince William County Community Services 
• Loudoun County Mental Health, Substance Abuse & Developmental Services 

The NVRPO coordinates Peer Recovery Specialist and Family Support Partner programs across Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William. Contact: 703-531-2150

The Virginia Office of EMS is passionate about eliminating the stigma surrounding EMS providers seeking help for mental health difficulties. According to our research, the majority of providers, at some point, will struggle with their mental health. Our goal is to remind providers and those who know and love them, that it is okay to take care of yourself and to reach out for help. Please take time to explore the various topics and resources surrounding provider mental health and resiliency.

The official online resource hub maintained by the DCJS Office of First Responder Wellness (OFRW). Organized by responder group — Law Enforcement/Corrections, Fire, EMS, and 911 Dispatchers — this site provides direct links to e-learning modules, toolkits, and wellness resources. A go-to clearinghouse for any Virginia first responder.

Established under Virginia Executive Order 38 (2024), the OFRW takes a public health approach to first responder wellness through prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery. The office offers training, resource mapping, e-learning, and funding through the First Responder Wellness Grant Program (up to $2.7M available to agencies and nonprofits). The OFRW serves law enforcement, fire, EMS, 911 dispatchers, and corrections officers. 📧 vafirstresponderwellness@dcjs.virginia.gov🔗 dcjs.virginia.gov/virginia-center-school-and-campus-safety/office-first-responder-wellness

VFRSS Trains first responders to support the emotional and mental health needs of fellow first responders. Courses cover suicide prevention, PTSD, and peer support — available to police, fire, EMS, and dispatch statewide.

Virginia CIT Coalition Promotes Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training statewide for law enforcement, fire/EMS, public safety telecommunicators, and behavioral health co-responders. CIT training is scenario-based and focused on real-world crisis response.

The Virginia Law Enforcement Assistance Program (VALEAP) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) committed to serving law enforcement officers and first responders who have undergone traumatic critical incidents in the line of duty or in their personal lives. 

The Virginia Peer Support Association (VAPSA) is a 501 (C) (3) nonprofit organization formed in 2006 and certified by the Office of Emergency Management Services (OEMS). With the purpose of training, certifying, and maintaining Professional Peer Supporters (PSPs) in the Commonwealth. 

VAFR has a proud legacy of supporting and advocating for emergency response agencies across Virginia since 1935. Today, we represent more than 350 agencies and approximately 22,000 members statewide. Our mission is to serve all first responders including EMS, fire, rescue, and police, by providing training, strong community connections, and advocacy that meets the evolving needs of today’s emergency response professionals. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment for responders from all backgrounds and levels of experience.

This easy-to-use collection of informational resources is where you will find current research on Behavioral Health, Cancer, Cardiac, Physicals, and Health and Wellness for “kitchen table talk” discussions, shift training, or as a starting point for building organizational best practices. Resources include articles, prevention tips, awareness training modules, PowerPoint presentations and more. Particularly valuable for responders transitioning from military service or navigating occupational health claims.

Since 2016, ResponderStrong has supported the mental health and overall wellbeing of Emergency Responders, including Healthcare Workers, and their families. Working across branch boundaries to represent all who work in Emergency Response, we partner with our allies: researchers, clinicians, educators, foundations, and other non-profits to better support our own. Built for Responders by Responders, check out our Resources and Programs.

The Code Green Campaign® is a first responder oriented mental health advocacy and education organization. Also known as Code Green, we serve all types of first responders. This includes firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers, police, corrections, air medical, and search & rescue. Our name is a combination of the color for mental health awareness (green) and the “code alerts” used in emergency services. If someone is having a stroke or heart attack, first responders will call a “code stroke” or “code STEMI”. The idea is that Code Green is calling a code alert on the mental health of first responders.

Mental health resources specifically designed for fire and EMS personnel, including a 24/7 help line, newsletter with coping strategies, and a directory of therapists who understand the fire service.

Affordable, compassionate and comprehensive care to individuals struggling with mental health and addiction related issues through a personalized blend of evidence-based and innovative therapies.