Portage County CISM

09/06/2026

08/03/2026

💙💛❤️

Every shift asks something of us.

Make sure you’re giving yourself the opportunity to recover, reset, and return ready for the next one.
Reach out. We are here.

The Code 9 Project is committed to helping first responders and military personnel build stronger systems of awareness, support, and prevention.

📲 Visit code9project.org to learn more about how we can support your department or team with training and resources.

08/03/2026

Post 67 Osp Ravenna is partnering with American Red Cross for Battle Of the Badges

06/08/2026

June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month—a reminder that strength includes taking care of your mind. Too many men struggle in silence with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, or burnout. Seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of courage. Your mental health matters, and healing starts with one conversation. 🧠💙👊

05/14/2026

May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, a critical time to highlight the unique, high-stress, and often traumatic experiences faced by first responders. This month focuses on reducing the stigma, promoting wellness initiatives, and providing resources for PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

💙 Key Aspects of First Responder Mental Health
Unique Challenges: First responders face extreme, daily stress, leading to higher rates of PTSD and mental health issues than the general population.
Addressing Stigma: The movement aims to break the stigma surrounding seeking help, emphasizing that "it's okay not to be okay".

💛 Proactive Support: Agencies are encouraged to implement peer support programs, wellness training, and specialized counseling to support staff.

❤️ Resources: The 988 Lifeline offers free, confidential support 24/7 for anyone in distress.

💙💛❤️ Portage County First Responders...To activate the Portage County CISM team or to speak with a coordinator regarding a potential callout or peer to peer call 330-678-HELP(4357) or KSU Dispatch 330-672-2212

"Not all wounds are visible."

05/14/2026

We often talk about resilience as if it is only an individual responsibility.

But research continues to show something important:
👉 the system around first responders matters.

A large scoping review examining organizational and peer support factors found that workplace culture, leadership, communication, staffing, and peer connection all play a major role in mental health and well-being among first responders.

The review identified common organizational stressors such as:
• high workload and demands
• exposure to trauma
• staffing shortages
• poor communication and unclear leadership

At the same time, some of the strongest protective factors included:
✔️ supportive leadership
✔️ positive organizational culture
✔️ open communication
✔️ access to mental health resources
✔️ strong peer support

One of the most consistent findings?
Peer support matters.

Connection, understanding, and shared experiences can help reduce stigma, strengthen resilience, and encourage help-seeking.

Mental health is not shaped by exposure alone.
It is also shaped by the environment people work in every day.❤️💛💙

Healthy organizations help build healthy responders.

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9658143/



Above information courtesy of First Responder Wellness Research

03/08/2026

Long shifts, tough calls, interrupted sleep, and constant adrenaline can take a toll on both your mind and body. The reality is that most first responders don’t have hours to dedicate to self-care , but small habits can still make a difference.

Even just 10 minutes can help reset your stress response and above all support your mental wellness.

Simple things like:
⭐️Taking a short walk after shift
⭐️Practicing controlled breathing
⭐️Checking in with someone you trust
⭐️ Stretching tight muscles after a long day in gear ir for dispatchers, standing up for 10 mins every couple of hours or standing up to stretch makes a difference.
⭐️Taking a quick break from the phone and radio noise. Walk the room or a hallway for a few minutes

These small moments help your nervous system downshift from constant “go mode.”

Mental wellness doesn’t require a complete life overhaul. Sometimes it’s just about building small resets into your day.

Drop your go to reset it in the comments. Your idea just might help someone else. 👇

02/07/2026

💙💛❤️🤍💚 What if....

What if being supported to care for yourself
was part of your duty to serve?

What if care wasn’t positioned as something that happens off the clock?

Long-term service depends on whether people are allowed to acknowledge limits, tend to their capacity, and remain human while they’re still in the role.

Support isn’t about easing the work.
It’s about whether the environment allows people to tend to their own capacity without penalty.

These questions aren’t meant to challenge commitment.
They’re meant to examine what actually sustains it.

The Code 9 Project is here to support first responders and military personnel with wellness tools, training, resources and community.

📲 Visit code9project.org to learn more about how we can support your department or team

12/31/2025

From all of us to all of you, wishing you a very happy & healthy New Year!