Stony Brook Medicine is leading a new initiative aimed at preventing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among first responders. The program, funded by a five-year, $3.3 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), will launch in 2026 and run through June 2030.
The project focuses on implementing Worker Resilience Training (WRT), an interactive four-hour workshop designed to educate firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) workers about the mental health impacts of traumatic events. The training includes strategies for coping with stress and promoting resilience through healthy lifestyle behaviors.
Dr. Adam Gonzalez, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Stony Brook University’s Renaissance School of Medicine, is serving as Principal Investigator for the study. He will work alongside Dr. Anka Vujanovic from Texas A&M University and Dr. Rebecca Schwartz, who leads data coordination at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health.
“First responders risk their lives every day to protect our communities. We are honored to have the opportunity to give back and to work collaboratively to support their physical and mental health,” said Dr. Gonzalez.
The WRT curriculum was developed by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. It aims to improve awareness of PTSD symptoms while teaching practical skills for managing stress.
A previous clinical trial led by Dr. Gonzalez involved 167 participants and found that those who completed WRT experienced fewer PTSD and depression symptoms compared to a control group over three months. Participants also showed improvements in stress management, physical activity, and other indicators related to resilience.
The new study will expand recruitment efforts to about 800 firefighters and EMS workers across New York—including Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland Counties—and Houston, Texas. Recruitment is scheduled to begin in early spring 2026.
Organizers believe that if this larger-scale evaluation demonstrates effectiveness, similar programs could be adopted nationwide as part of broader efforts to support first responder mental health.
For more information about the NIMH grant supporting this project, see this abstract.