Bring the Love Initiative

the Love Initiative also supports the creation of a more trauma-informed society throughout Michigan—one where mental health stigma is dismantled, and those in need are empowered to seek the help they deserve.

​

Below is an overview of the program. Here’s how we make a difference:

​

• Building Strength Through Support: We understand the power of peer support. We are expanding the first and only peer support network for Michigan volunteer firefighters and first responders, connecting first responders with trained peers who understand their unique lingo, lifestyle, and challenges. Our goal is to train hundreds of Michigan first responders in peer support each year and equip them with the tools to help others in their mental health struggles. 

• Empowering Professionals: Building on peer support, we’re dedicated to connecting those on the frontlines with licensed mental health professionals who have been trained and certified in culturally competant care through our program in order to provide them with the knowledge and skills to support our first responders.

• Resoures and Support in Times of Need: We are provide a Critical Incident Response Program designed to provide mental health support to individuals and communities facing tragedies like natural disasters or mass shootings.This program is backed by the latest research in critical incident response. Our partner, UCF Restores, has supported first responders and communities following some of the nation’s darkest moments, including the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting, the 2017 Las Vegas concert shooting, and the 2021 condominium collapse in Surfside, FL.

• Transformative Treatment: Our pre-approved database of clinicians through our Redline Rescue Database,  are trained in comprehensive treatment approaches, including VR-assisted exposure therapy, post-traumatic event therapy, and individual treatment. Our program is designed to effectively address symptoms and empower individuals to reclaim control of their lives.

 

The Bring the Love Initiative is designed to provide essential resources and support to help our volunteers heal and cope with the ongoing stress and trauma they experience. This program is provided free of charge to departments throughout Michigan, starting with our pilot counties, Allegan and Charlevoix, and expanding from there.

​

Key components of the program

 

Pre-Initiative Training:

1. • County Liaisons and Program Therapists and Counselors will undergo thorough training to ensure they are well-equipped to oversee the program at the county level and provide necessary support. Each county will have at least one REACT-trained County Liaison who will work with all departments within the county to help direct them to peer support training and provide oversight for the program at the county level.

   • These Liaisons will act as peer support facilitators when peer support is not available for department-level support and serve as contacts for guiding individuals towards one-on-one support through our Red Line Rescue database of pre-approved therapists and counselors.

2. Remove the Stigma: Despite advancements in mental health services, the stigma around mental health persists. We have a 24-minute video that provides information on ending the stigma around mental health. This video will be made available to all Michigan volunteer firefighters as a first step in the initiative. The program is also available to all family members of volunteer firefighters and the community at large as we firmly believe that it “takes a village.”

3. REACT Training:

   • REACT (Recognize, Evaluate, Advocate, Coordinate, Track) training provides participants with the skills to offer effective peer support, recognizing stress injuries, and coordinating necessary follow-up care.

   • The program includes a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Post-Traumatic Event through the Critical Incident Response Program, designed specifically for volunteer firefighters. This SOP aims to provide structured resources for departments to access after a traumatic event as a first line of defense to help recover from stress injuries, or to determin if further help is needed. REACT training will also be available to family members of first responders free of charge and the community at large.

4. Red Line Rescue Database: A referral system of pre-approved therapists and counselors trained to deal with PTSD and stress-related injuries, who have also completed our Cultural Competency Training specific to the fire service that includes immersion training with various fire departments throughout Michigan.

​

Funding

The Bring the Love Initiative is funded through the Love Where You Live Foundation. We have a product line where 100% of profits go to supporting the Bring the Love Initiative. Donations can also be made through our website, and we also are working to secure private, state, and federal grant dollars to help support the program.​​​