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The city of Fort Worth and the American Warrior Association have launched a first-of-its-kind initiative that both are calling a significant milestone in the wellness for first responders.
R3 — Respond, Restore, Resolve is a comprehensive program designed to address “moral injury” through a public-private partnership, officials said during a kickoff Wednesday at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex.
Moral injury is a term used to describe the psychological, emotional, and spiritual distress that individuals experience as a result of actions, or the witnessing of actions, that infringe on deeply held moral beliefs and values.
“We have worked closely with all levels within our fire and police departments to ensure R3’s impactful deployment,” said Parker. “It’s time to change the stigma around mental health and start encouraging proactive mental health conversations to address the pain and anguish our first responders experience every day. This program can be one of the most monumental Public-Private Partnerships of our time.”
The American Warrior Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018, is based in Fort Worth.
Symptoms of moral injury can include guilt, shame, anger, self-condemnation, feelings of betrayal, spiritual distress, and a sense of alienation or disconnection from others. These symptoms can have profound effects on mental health and well-being, according to medical professionals, potentially leading to conditions like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
Moral injury is distinct from PTSD, though they can occur simultaneously.
R3 focuses on a holistic approach to wellness by integrating mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual support to address moral injury. It offers training, access to nonclinical preventative care resources, and culturally competent counseling, all with a goal to eliminate potential stigma and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of departmental support.
All programs are privately funded, according to city officials.
“Even before the formalization of this program, we have had officers attend this training with significant positive outcomes,” said Neil Noakes, Fort Worth police chief. “This training program can be life-changing and enables our folks to ultimately be better equipped to manage morally injurious events and provide our officers with expanded skills for managing public interactions.”
The R3 program is designed for scalability with the AWA ultimately guiding its expansion across the nation. The program here will serve as a model for addressing first responder wellness.
The AWA has also curated and underwritten a Culturally Competent Counseling program for both the fire and police departments. The program is run through the AWA and its network of counselors to ensure the confidentiality of employees.
“The health and wellness of our members is our top priority,” said Jim Davis, Fort Worth fire chief. “We are excited to partner with the AWA to provide additional opportunities for building a more resilient workforce.”