Three out of four first responders report experiencing a mental health symptom each year. A 2021 study also found that EMS workers with high workloads were 1.9 times more likely to have depressive symptoms. This analysis details the prevalence, barriers, and financial impact of these conditions across the profession.
Key Takeaways
- 19% of dispatchers reported that mental health resources are not offered during work hours (2020 study)
- 21% of first responders reported that previous negative experiences with mental health care deterred them (2019 survey)
- 3.1x higher odds of mental health help-seeking among those who had received prior training on mental health resources (odds ratio from a 2019 study)
- 39% of first responder organizations reported offering resilience training (2019 survey)
- 42% of surveyed employers reported mental health costs increasing in the last year (2021 workforce mental health survey)
- 28% of law enforcement agencies reported formal critical incident stress debriefing programs (2018 survey)
- 2.5x increase in likelihood of burnout among firefighters with high overtime exposure (reported 2020 study)
- 1.9x increase in likelihood of depressive symptoms among EMS workers with high workload (reported 2021 study)
- 17% of first responders reported being written up or disciplined after a mental health issue in a 2018–2020 survey
- $2.1 billion estimated annual productivity losses due to mental health conditions among first responders (2019 RAND analysis)
- $150 million in annual healthcare and disability costs tied to depression/anxiety among EMTs and paramedics (2017 estimate in report)
- $8.7 billion total economic burden of PTSD in the U.S. in 2015 (baseline for impact modeling)
- 74% of first responders reported experiencing at least one mental health symptom in the past year (systematic review finding across studies)
- A meta-analysis estimated that 10% of police officers screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms
- A meta-analysis estimated a 12% prevalence of depression among police personnel
A major share of first responders face barriers to care, contributing to high mental health costs and burnout risks.
Related reading
01 · Category
Barriers5 stats
01
19% of dispatchers reported that mental health resources are not offered during work hours (2020 study)
02
21% of first responders reported that previous negative experiences with mental health care deterred them (2019 survey)
03
3.1x higher odds of mental health help-seeking among those who had received prior training on mental health resources (odds ratio from a 2019 study)
04
5.4% of first responders reported symptoms of PTSD severe enough to require immediate intervention (2018 survey)
05
11% of first responders reported that language or cultural barriers limit access to care (2019 survey)
Interpretation
Barriers Interpretation
For the Barriers to mental health care, the data show that access is constrained not only by workplace support gaps, with 19% of dispatchers saying resources are not offered during work hours, but also by personal and cultural deterrents, including 21% reporting past negative experiences and 11% citing language or cultural barriers.
02 · Category
Industry Trends9 stats
01
39% of first responder organizations reported offering resilience training (2019 survey)
02
42% of surveyed employers reported mental health costs increasing in the last year (2021 workforce mental health survey)
03
28% of law enforcement agencies reported formal critical incident stress debriefing programs (2018 survey)
04
1.6 million total 988 contacts occurred in 2023 (crisis line usage volume)
05
64% of U.S. employers report that mental health is a top priority for workforce wellbeing (2021 survey)
06
20% of employers planned to add mental health coverage expansions in 2024 (2023 employer survey)
07
64% of surveyed U.S. employers say mental health is a top priority for workforce wellbeing (2021)
08
20% of employers planned to expand mental health coverage in 2024 (2023)
09
A systematic review reported that stigma is a frequently cited barrier: stigma-related factors were present across multiple first-responder studies assessing help-seeking (review-level quantified synthesis)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry trends show that mental health support for first responders is both expanding and under pressure, with 64% of US employers naming mental health a top priority while only 39% of organizations offer resilience training and 42% report mental health costs have risen in the last year.
03 · Category
Workforce Impact4 stats
01
2.5x increase in likelihood of burnout among firefighters with high overtime exposure (reported 2020 study)
02
1.9x increase in likelihood of depressive symptoms among EMS workers with high workload (reported 2021 study)
03
17% of first responders reported being written up or disciplined after a mental health issue in a 2018–2020 survey
04
7.2% of EMS agencies reported difficulty recruiting due to mental health and retention issues (2019 workforce survey)
Interpretation
Workforce Impact Interpretation
From the Workforce Impact perspective, the data shows how staffing strain and work demands are translating into worsening mental health, with burnout likelihood 2.5 times higher for firefighters facing high overtime and depressive symptoms 1.9 times higher for EMS workers with high workload, alongside real system consequences like 17% being disciplined after a mental health issue and 7.2% of EMS agencies struggling to recruit due to mental health and retention barriers.
04 · Category
Cost Analysis11 stats
01
$2.1 billion estimated annual productivity losses due to mental health conditions among first responders (2019 RAND analysis)
02
$150 million in annual healthcare and disability costs tied to depression/anxiety among EMTs and paramedics (2017 estimate in report)
03
$8.7 billion total economic burden of PTSD in the U.S. in 2015 (baseline for impact modeling)
04
$225.8 billion annual economic cost of depressive disorders in the U.S. (2010 dollars; baseline for impact modeling)
05
$317.5 billion annual economic cost of anxiety disorders in the U.S. (baseline estimate for impact modeling)
06
38% higher healthcare utilization for workers with PTSD vs those without PTSD (peer-reviewed study estimate)
07
$3,000median annual cost for mental health treatment among workers who use EAP services (2019 employer study)
08
24% reduction in absenteeism costs after implementing critical incident stress management programs (2018 evaluation study)
09
12% reduction in turnover cost after mental health support program rollout (2021 HR analytics case study)
10
2.0x higher disability-related costs for anxiety disorders vs no anxiety (systematic review)
11
A cost study estimated that mental health disorders among public safety personnel contribute billions annually in indirect costs (economic burden estimate reported in the paper)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a Cost Analysis perspective, the estimated $2.1 billion in annual productivity losses from mental health conditions among first responders is amplified by large downstream expenses such as $150 million in yearly depression and anxiety costs for EMTs and paramedics and a much higher healthcare utilization for PTSD, showing how mental health burdens quickly become major economic costs.
More related reading
05 · Category
Prevalence & Risk8 stats
01
74% of first responders reported experiencing at least one mental health symptom in the past year (systematic review finding across studies)
02
A meta-analysis estimated that 10% of police officers screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms
03
A meta-analysis estimated a 12% prevalence of depression among police personnel
04
Firefighters have elevated risk for suicide compared with the general U.S. population based on a study using U.S. mortality data (rate ratio reported in the paper)
05
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that first responders in protective service occupations are among the occupations with elevated risk of work-related injury and death, with deaths by homicide (assault) included in fatality counts used for risk tracking (BLS series table)
06
In a study of EMS clinicians, 37% reported symptoms of burnout on an instrument-based threshold (percentage reported in the study)
07
In a survey of police officers, 49% reported sleep problems consistent with insomnia symptoms (survey-based finding reported in the study)
08
In a survey of firefighters, 46% reported symptoms of anxiety based on validated screening scales (survey-based estimate)
Interpretation
Prevalence & Risk Interpretation
Across prevalence and risk findings for first responders, symptoms are widespread with 74% reporting at least one mental health symptom in the past year, while about 10% of police screen positive for PTSD, 12% show depression, 37% of EMS clinicians report burnout, and firefighters face elevated suicide risk.
06 · Category
Workforce Outcomes2 stats
01
The National Police Foundation reported that 43% of officers surveyed believed their department’s peer support/mental health program was not effective
02
In a 2018–2020 period, 17% of first responders reported being written up or disciplined after a mental health issue (reported in the cited compiled survey literature)
Interpretation
Workforce Outcomes Interpretation
From a workforce outcomes perspective, 43% of surveyed officers say their department’s peer support or mental health program is no help, and between 2018 and 2020 17% of first responders reported being written up or disciplined after a mental health issue, suggesting mental health support and accountability practices may be failing frontline staff.
07 · Category
Service Utilization2 stats
01
In a survey of EMS professionals, 1 in 4 reported difficulty accessing mental health services (barrier-related survey finding reported in the study)
02
The U.S. Fire Administration’s National Firefighter Registry (NFR) includes mental health and injury surveillance; the registry was created to track work-related deaths and injuries, supporting data-driven prevention (program-level metric reported in the NFR documentation)
Interpretation
Service Utilization Interpretation
From the service utilization perspective, survey data shows that 1 in 4 EMS professionals struggle to access mental health services, underscoring a clear utilization barrier even as national surveillance efforts like the U.S. Fire Administration’s registry support tracking mental health needs.
report visual · Key figures
Access & barriers to first responder mental health care
Across multiple surveys, a substantial share of first responders and organizations report barriers to accessing mental health support and training resources.
19%
19% of dispatchers reported that mental health resources are not offered during work hours (2020 study)
11%
11% of first responders reported that language or cultural barriers limit access to care (2019 survey)
28%
28% of law enforcement agencies reported formal critical incident stress debriefing programs (2018 survey)
39%
39% of first responder organizations reported offering resilience training (2019 survey)
1
In a survey of EMS professionals, 1 in 4 reported difficulty accessing mental health services (barrier-related survey fi
43%
The National Police Foundation reported that 43% of officers surveyed believed their department’s peer support/mental he
source-verifiedncbi.nlm.nih.gov · policefoundation.org · jems.com2020
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). First Responders Mental Health Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/first-responders-mental-health-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "First Responders Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/first-responders-mental-health-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "First Responders Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/first-responders-mental-health-statistics.
Sources & references
41 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+19 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)