ALBANY – Negative impacts on first responders have increased in alarming numbers resulting in State Senator Peter Harckham (D, Mt. Kisco) calling on his colleagues in both the Senate and Assembly to approve New York’s First Responder Peer Support Act that would establish a statewide mental health and peer support training program tailored to the unique needs of first responders across New York.

The State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services recently released the results of a survey conducted as part of the state’s inaugural first responder mental health needs assessment. The survey found 80 percent had negative impacts to home life from their work as first responders, 79 percent reported negative impact on physical health, and 72 percent reported challenges to family and i

See Full Page