Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT)

Helps people process traumatic experiences, understand trauma responses and develop strategies to manage symptoms.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Uses structured memory processing techniques to reduce distress associated with traumatic experiences.

Prolonged exposure (PE)

Helps people gradually and safely approach trauma-related memories, feelings and situations they may be avoiding.

Cognitive processing therapy (CPT)

Helps people identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that can develop after trauma.

This study explored the experiences of mental health providers who support first responders and identified opportunities to strengthen treatment delivery.

Key findings:

• Emergency service workers have unique experiences, workplace cultures and treatment needs that clinicians need to understand.
• Clinicians benefit from specialised training in trauma-informed assessment and evidence-based treatments.
• Ongoing professional support, resources and connection between clinicians can help improve care for emergency service workers.

These findings support Responder Assist’s focus on emergency service worker-specific care, clinician training and building a network of professionals who understand occupational trauma.

This study explored the experiences of current and former Victorian police members who accessed specialised mental health services, identifying opportunities to improve access, treatment and support.

Key findings:

• Concerns about confidentiality, stigma, knowing where to access support and wait times can create barriers to seeking help.
• Trust and an understanding of emergency service culture are important parts of effective mental health care.
• Emergency service workers benefit from evidence-based, trauma-focused support delivered by clinicians who understand occupational trauma.

These findings support Responder Assist’s focus on accessible, confidential and specialised care designed around the needs and experiences of emergency service workers.

This review examined existing research on mental health prevention and treatment approaches for first responders, identifying which interventions have the strongest evidence and where further research is needed.

Key findings:

• TF-CBT and EMDR have the strongest evidence for treating PTSD symptoms in first responder populations.
• Emerging approaches, including mindfulness-based interventions and imagery-based trauma prevention training, show promise but require further research.
• More high-quality research is needed to understand effective early intervention and prevention approaches for emergency service workers.

These findings support Responder Assist’s focus on evidence-based trauma treatment and help identify opportunities to improve prevention, early intervention, and future support options for emergency service workers.

This study explored how lived experience support could help first responders navigate mental health care, reduce barriers to accessing support and feel more confident seeking help.

Key findings:

• First responders identified lived experience guides as a way to provide trusted support from people who understand emergency service culture and mental health challenges.
• Privacy, confidentiality and independence were identified as important factors for building trust and encouraging help seeking.
• Effective lived experience support requires clear role definition, appropriate training, resources and ongoing evaluation.

These findings support Responder Assist’s commitment to integrating lived experience insights alongside clinical expertise and research to improve access, engagement and support for emergency service workers.

This study examines the Responder Assist service model, including how specialist trauma support can be designed and delivered for emergency service workers.

Key focus areas:

• Creating accessible pathways into trauma-informed care
• Supporting clinicians to understand emergency service culture
• Delivering evidence-based treatment in real-world clinical settings
• Using outcome monitoring to evaluate and improve services

This research helps demonstrate how specialised services can support emergency service worker mental health and provides insights that can guide future service development.

This study uses Responder Assist clinical outcome data to better understand how emergency service workers improve during treatment and when meaningful changes occur.

Key focus areas:

• Understanding recovery pathways over time
• Identifying when people experience meaningful improvements
• Evaluating treatment duration and outcomes
• Informing future approaches to care planning

Findings will help strengthen treatment planning and ensure support continues to meet the needs of emergency service workers throughout their recovery.