Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Emergency Responders

Supporting emergency responders with mental health resources, best practices, and policy guidance

Community-based emergency responders are often responding to incidents involving families, environments and livelihoods. At the Arctic Emergency Management Conference in 2025, the Norwegian Red Cross shed light on the supports available to counter the challenges faced by its volunteers before, during, and after emergencies. This foundational project for EPPR will build upon the resulting conference dialogue by developing a reference guide of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) activities, tools, and resources available to emergency responders across the circumpolar Arctic region, and in other regions sharing similar characteristics. This guide will be complemented by a summary report, including best practices and policy recommendations, to inform decision-making.

Objectives:

• Build a MHPSS knowledge base through activities that facilitate information-sharing and cultivate an understanding of available resources applicable to Arctic contexts.
• Develop a MHPSS reference guide for program designers, operational personnel, trainers, policy-makers, and senior managers.
• Identify best practices, key lessons, policy recommendations related to MHPSS for emergency responders and decision-makers in the Arctic region.

Project leads are Canada and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).