Assessing Mental Health and Suicide Risk in Emergency Management

Emergency management is a profession built on service, resilience, and the ability to perform under pressure. Whether responding to disasters, coordinating recovery, or planning for the next crisis, emergency managers routinely operate in high-stress environments. Yet conversations about mental health within the profession have often lagged behind the realities of the job.

A research poster presented at the 2025 International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Annual Conference helps bring this issue into sharper focus. The poster, Assessing Mental Health and Suicide Risk in Emergency Managers, examines mental health challenges within the emergency management workforce and highlights factors that may influence suicide risk.

Why This Research Matters

Emergency managers face unique stressors that differ from many other professions. Long hours, high responsibility, exposure to traumatic events, and the expectation to remain composed during crises can all take a toll over time. While first responder mental health has received increasing attention in recent years, emergency managers are often left out of these discussions despite experiencing many of the same pressures.

This IAEM research contributes to a growing body of evidence suggesting that mental health challenges among emergency managers deserve focused attention, organizational support, and proactive intervention.

Key Takeaways From the IAEM Poster

According to the poster’s findings:

• Emergency managers may experience significantly elevated levels of stress and suicidal ideation compared to the general adult population.

• Certain risk factors, such as personal or family history of suicide, can increase vulnerability, but workplace conditions also play a major role.

• Confidence in accessing mental health support was associated with lower reports of suicidal ideation.

• Organizational factors stood out as especially important. When emergency managers felt supported by their organization, they reported better mental health outcomes.

  
  

One of the most important insights from this research is that organizational support is a modifiable factor. Unlike some personal risk factors, workplace culture, leadership engagement, and access to mental health resources can be improved through intentional action.

Implications for the Emergency Management Profession

These findings reinforce the idea that mental health is not solely an individual responsibility. Agencies, jurisdictions, and leadership teams play a critical role in shaping environments where emergency managers feel supported, valued, and safe seeking help.

Practical steps organizations can consider include:

• Normalizing conversations about mental health at all levels of leadership

• Ensuring access to confidential mental health resources

• Training supervisors to recognize signs of burnout and distress

• Building policies that support work-life balance where possible

• Treating mental wellness as a component of operational readiness, not a separate issue

When emergency managers are mentally healthy, they are better equipped to serve their communities during times of crisis.

Moving the Conversation Forward

The IAEM poster highlights an issue that deserves continued research, open discussion, and action across the profession. Mental health challenges among emergency managers are real, and addressing them is essential for both individual well-being and organizational resilience.

By acknowledging these challenges and investing in supportive workplace environments, the emergency management field can take meaningful steps toward protecting the people who work tirelessly to protect others.

Source and Credit

This blog post is based on the IAEM 2025 Annual Conference poster:

Assessing Mental Health and Suicide Risk in Emergency ManagersPresented at the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Annual Conference Poster Showcase (2025)Lead author: Curtis Brown, MD, et al.

Original poster available via IAEM:https://www.iaem.org/Portals/IAEMconf/documents/2025/posters2025/Curtis-Brown-Poster%20.pdf