The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health is supporting first responders across Idaho through a $25,000 grant to the League of Idaho Cities, the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the Association of Idaho Cities.

The funding will support four regional Crisis Intervention Team trainings and a three-day Critical Incident Stress Management certification course in the Spring 2024.

Mental health issues and burnout are critical issues that impact first responders. These trainings address those topics and build skills for first responders, which aligns with our mission of giving back to Idaho. Mental health and supporting healthcare workforce needs and access, especially in rural Idaho, are among our priorities.

The goal is to train 80-100 first responders at the regional trainings and certify 25-30 new first responders in the Critical Incident Stress Management course. This would nearly double the number of first responders trained and certified by the program last year.