San Mateo County Board of Supervisors affirm support for 1st responders’ mental health

“We gather to take an important step forward in acknowledging and addressing a challenge that has too often been overlooked: the mental health and well-being of our first responders,” Canepa said at Tuesday’s board meeting.

About 20% of firefighters and paramedics experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder at some point in their careers, according to a 2016 study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

“They bear witness to tragedies and emergencies that most of us can barely imagine,” Canepa said. “Yet, in the midst of their heroic work, they carry a silent burden: a toll on their mental health.”

Members of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District spoke at the meeting so the board could hear directly from firefighters who experience firsthand the mental health impacts faced in their field.

“First responders have a real problem in mental health and it’s not going away,” Battalion Chief Jason Martin said.

The county also has a Federal Emergency Management Agency team consisting of local firefighters who have responded to national emergencies like Hurricane Katrina and more recently, the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles.

“Not only do we have the regular stresses in San Mateo County but we get all those extra stressors around the country that can be quite alarming for our mental health,” Martin said.

The Menlo Park fire district in particular was invited to speak because it has a robust wellness program that focuses on optimizing first responder mental health. The program includes annual health screenings, therapy dogs, and mental health support with a full-time therapist.

There is no universal standard for mental health support programs within fire departments across the state.

“Each department is sort of doing their own thing,” Tom Calvert, a retired battalion chief with the Menlo Park district, said. “There are best practices, and we’ve become one of those in all the ways that we’re addressing it.”

One of the reasons that the district is able to provide more mental health services to its first responders compared to other departments is because it is an independent special district funded primarily from property taxes. The district serves Menlo Park, Atherton, East Palo Alto and some unincorporated areas in the county.

Supervisor Ray Mueller questioned whether other departments in the county can afford similar mental health services.

“Can other districts afford it? The Menlo Park Fire Protection District is an independent district. It’s very well funded, different from the city-funded fire districts in our county,” Mueller said.

Calvert suggested that each agency in the county could come together to pool financial resources and develop a regional mental health support program for first responders.

“Just bring it all together in one big program,” Calvert said.

Supervisor Jackie Speier agreed that steps need to be taken by the board to develop a countywide service dedicated to prioritizing the mental well-being of firefighters and paramedics.

“I’d like to recommend that we have a mental health program within the county,” Speier said. “We need to look at the services that are being provided in Menlo Park and to what extent they’re being provided in other districts. Then, how we can bring all those services together?”