Orange County secures over $430K to expand First Responder wellness
Orange County Emergency Services has been awarded major grant funding to expand wellness, resiliency, suicide prevention and peer support initiatives for first responders.
“This funding is a vital investment in the wellness of our first responders and perfectly complements the recent creation of our Peer Support Coordinator position,” said Commissioner of Emergency Services Peter Cirigliano. “It ensures our police, fire, and emergency communications teams have the support they need to stay strong, both on and off duty.”
Funding through the New York State Office of Mental Health’s CARES UP Program includes $30,000 annually to support suicide prevention and wellness programming, in addition to $82,750 annually for fire service training, $32,500 annually for police service training, and $11,474 annually for emergency communication training.
According to officials, funding will directly benefit sworn police officers, dispatchers, and firefighters across Orange County, providing education, peer support, and wellness resources tailored to the unique challenges faced by first responders.
“I am proud to work in a county where the mental and physical well-being of those who ensure our safety is prioritized,” said Lacey Trimble, Commissioner of the Orange County Departments of Social Services and Mental Health. “Our first responders and dispatchers in Orange County go above and beyond every day for our residents, and the Cares Up funding awarded by the New York State Office of Mental Health will allow the First Responder Peer Support Program to continue strengthening the way we support them countywide.”
Support Hudson Valley news + events
ADVERTISEMENT:
