September is Suicide Prevention Month, which has local advocates speaking out on the need for increased mental health resources for the first responder community.
Western New York Law Enforcement Helpline, a hotline specifically serving law enforcers and their families, is receiving a $10,000 state grant through State Assemblymember Pat Burke.
There needs to be more cohesive effort toward helping all first responders, but also their families, said Tony LeBrun, a retired Buffalo police officer who works with the helpline.
“It really doesn't matter what color uniform you're wearing at the time that you go through that trauma or that stress. So, we need to, kind of, look at it from that perspective because I know for many years now everybody's been kind of in their own silo, right?" he said. "But we need to look beyond that. We need to make sure that we're assisting everyone across the board.”
An important part of the hotline is that callers can stay anonymous, which might provide the feeling of confidentiality needed, LeBrun added.
The grant is just one step along the way toward prioritizing first responders’ wellbeing, according to Burke.
“Obviously, the stress and pressure that is put on people in law enforcement and first responders is incredible," he said. "The things they see, the things they have to take home, how it impacts their families, can't be under said and can't be understated.”
More than a third of first responders report overtime and injury risks increase their stress levels, according to a 2025 mental health needs assessment by The Benjamin Center of SUNY New Paltz. The report adds 75% of respondents say they lack access to mental health care.
