Advances in First Responder Mental Health

Volume 1
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-3-032-27977-4
Verlag: Springer

Buch, Englisch, 355 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm

Reihe: Advances in First Responder Mental Health

This book brings together scholars and practitioners to examine research, training, and clinical practice aimed at improving first responders’ mental health. Police officers, firefighters, correctional personnel, emergency dispatchers, and crime scene investigators face mental health challenges at rates far exceeding those of the general population. Continuous exposure to trauma, high-stakes decision-making, and organizational stressors contribute to elevated risks of anxiety, depression, substance use, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The book is organized into three major sections: Mental Health Research, presenting recent studies on occupational stress, help-seeking behaviors, and innovative interventions such as Virtual Reality therapy and specialized assessment tools; First Responder Training, detailing evidence-based programs including Crisis Intervention Teams, Co-Responder models, and specialized curricula for responding to individuals with severe mental illness, dementia, or communication barriers; and Clinical Practice, offering guidance on culturally competent care, technology-enhanced wellness strategies, and ethical considerations in therapeutic work with first responders.

By integrating empirical findings with practical applications, will serve as an essential resource for psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, public safety administrators, and policy makers committed to safeguarding the mental health of those who protect our communities.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Van Hasselt, Vincent B.

Bourke, Michael L.

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Psychologie Psychotherapie / Klinische Psychologie
• Sozialwissenschaften Psychologie Psychologische Disziplinen Kriminalpsychologie, Forensische Psychologie
• Rechtswissenschaften Strafrecht Kriminologie, Strafverfolgung

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1: Mental and Occupational Health of Fire Rescue Personnel: A Model for Conducting Organizational Health Assessments.- Chapter 2: Building Trust in Employee Assistance Programs for Public Safety Personnel: Trust in Employee Assistance Programs for Police and Firefighters.- Chapter 3: Crime Scene Investigators: Findings from the National Wellness Survey for Public Safety Personnel.- Chapter 4: Virtual Reality Treatment and Training: An Evaluative View of the Research.- Chapter 5: Law Enforcement Stress Survey (LEOSS): Validation and Clinical Utility.- Chapter 6: Co-Responder Training for Law Enforcement.- Chapter 7: Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training for First Responders.- Chapter 8: Responding to Alzheimer's Disease Emergencies: Crisis Intervention Training for Law Enforcement.- Chapter 9: Police Training for Crisis Intervention with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community.- Chapter 10: The Interdiction for the Protection of Children Program in Indian Country.- Chapter 11: Peers as Law Enforcement Support for Correctional Officers: A Model Demonstration Program.- Chapter 12: Training Police Officers in Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention.- Chapter 13: Mental Health Training for Police Officers.- Chapter 14: Understanding Clinical and Non-Clinical Trends and Observations Among Public Safety Candidates.- Chapter 15: Clinician’s Awareness Program: Training in Firefighter Culture for Mental Health Practitioners.- Chapter 16: Using Simulations, Games, and Apps to Support the Mental Health of First Responders.- Chapter 17: The Right Stuff: How Clinicians Can Offer What First Responders Need.

Über Autor(innen)

Vincent B. Van Hasselt , Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology, President’s Distinguished Professor, and Director of the First Responder Research and Training Program in the College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University.  He has served as a consultant to numerous law enforcement agencies, such as the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Behavioral Science and Crisis Negotiation Units of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Over the past three decades, Dr. Van Hasselt has conducted research and training efforts concerning mental health of first responders, including police, firefighters, correctional officers, emergency communication operators, and crime scene investigators.  He is also a Certified Law Enforcement Officer in the State of Florida.

Michael Bourke is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist and retired U.S. federal law enforcement officer.  He spent eight years interviewing, evaluating, polygraphing, treating, and researching sex offenders at a federal prison, and then served for the next 13 years as the Chief Psychologist for the United States Marshals Service (USMS), where he created and ran the USMS Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU).  He co-authored the “Butner Study” and published seminal work on the use of tactical polygraph with sex offenders.  He has also conducted studies in the area of resilience and employee wellness, and has co-edited several books addressing behavioral criminology and first responder mental health. He has been a member of the forensic psychology faculty at The George Washington University since 2016.