Mental Health Survey Results

Background

Last month our three organizations came together to discuss and survey the status of mental health support services available to LGBTQ+ public safety employees.  We recognize that even under normal circumstances stress from the job and from being a member of the LGBTQ+ community can be overwhelming and that mental health support specifically for LGBTQ+ public safety members can be hard to find.  

To confirm our suspicions, we conducted a survey of LGBTQ+ members of law enforcement, the fire service, and emergency medical services.  

Survey Results

We estimate that 10% of the people we invited to participate actually contributed to the survey.  The following data represents the input from 87 people.

Findings

The good news is that public safety agencies as a whole recognize the need to provide mental health support services.  While peer support programs are popular, LGBTQ+ employees more often prefer to seek help outside of the agency.  There are very few mental health services available specifically for LGBTQ+ public safety employees.  

The survey asked several questions and from those questions we found the following.

  • There are many options for accessing mental health services specific to public safety.
  • There are some, but not as many, mental health services specific to LGBTQ+ people.
  • It’s rare for find mental health services offering support specific to LGBTQ+ members of public safety.
  • Overwhelmingly, respondents said that mental health services specific to LGBTQ+ public safety employees is desperately needed.

These results did not surprise us, but confirmed there is a general lack of access to mental health support and that this support is highly desirable.  

Resources We Know About

  1. SAFE CALL NOW * HAVE A CRISIS LINE (POLICE/ FIRE/ EMS)  FAITH BASED, BUT LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
  2. CODE 9 PROJECT (POLICE/ FIRE/ EMS)
  3. BLUE HELP (L.E. SPECIFIC)
  4. SUICIDE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT (L.E. SPECIFIC)
  5. CODE 1 WELLNESS (POLICE/ FIRE/ EMS)
  6. SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCE CENTER (POLICE/ FIRE/ EMS)
  7. THE COLUMBIA LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT (POLICE/ FIRE/ EMS)
  8. REVIVING RESPONDERS * HAVE A CRISIS LINE (POLICE/ FIRE/ EMS)
  9. COP 2 COP (L.E. SPECIFIC)
  10. SHARE THE LOAD (FIRE & EMS SPECIFIC)
  11. HELPFORPOLICE.COM (POLICE/ FIRE/ EMS)
  12. LIFELINE CRISIS CHAT * HAVE A CRISIS LINE  (POLICE/ FIRE/ EMS)
  13. NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE ****NOT PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIFIC
  14. THE TREVOR PROJECT * HAVE A CRISIS LINE (LGBTQ+ SPECIFIC)
  15. TRANSLIFELINE.ORG * HAVE A CRISIS LINE (Trans* oriented, but NOT L.E. friendly!)
  16. THRIVE HOTLINE * HAVE A CRISIS LINE (LGBTQ+ SPECIFIC)  
  17. SAGE (ELDER lgbtq+) * HAVE A CRISIS LINE (LGBTQ+ SPECIFIC)  
  18. GLBT NATIONAL HELP CENTER * HAVE A CRISIS LINE (LGBTQ+ SPECIFIC)