ADVOCACY

Championing First Responder Wellness

First responders face immense challenges, often carrying the weight of traumatic experiences that can lead to moral injury. The R3 Program is committed to transforming the culture surrounding mental health in emergency services by:

Two men sitting in a dark room with blue and red lighting. One man is wearing a camouflage jacket and an orange cap, looking thoughtful. The other man is wearing a hoodie and a baseball cap, reading a piece of paper with a serious expression.
A smiling police officer sitting in a police car during daylight.
Four police officers are standing in a circle, talking and smiling in a room with gray walls and a closed door.
Black and white Rockstar Games logo with the text 'R*3' and a star in the middle

Leading the Charge in Mental Health Advocacy and Cultural Transformation

A firefighter in uniform and a cap, sitting inside a vehicle, operating a metal control lever.

Destigmatizing mental health discussions within departments.

A group of people gathered around a campfire outdoors at night with mountains and trees in the background.

Promoting proactive, non-clinical wellness resources tailored for first responders.

Group of police officers standing in front of police car with flashing lights inside indoor police training facility.

Fostering a culture of care that prioritizes mental resilience and support

A firefighter wearing tan protective gear and a black helmet with red details, sitting in front of a fire truck.

Understanding Moral Injury

Moral injury occurs when someone witnesses or participates in an event that violates their deeply held moral beliefs—and is often accompanied by guilt, shame, grief, or a loss of meaning.

For first responders, this kind of trauma is more common than we’d like to admit—and it’s one of the leading contributors to emotional burnout and suicide.

Texas Lawmakers Unite to Recognize May 14 as Moral Injury Awareness Day Statewide

State Joins Growing National Movement to Recognize Unseen Wounds of First Responders 

We've witnessed life-changing outcomes when first responders use R3 Program resources to address moral injury, and we believe it's crucial to gather qualitative data to understand and capture the impact of this change.

Measuring What Matters: The MIOS Tool

To truly advocate for change, we need to understand and prove impact. That’s why R3 integrates the Moral Injury Outcome Scale (MIOS) into our program evaluation.

MIOS is a validated, anonymous self-report scale that captures the severity of moral injury outcomes after potentially morally injurious events.

R3 participants complete the MIOS twice: once at the time of applying for a resource, and again within 24 hours of completing their training.

Two firefighters in tan turnout gear and helmets standing in front of a fire truck, with one of them raising his hand in a gesture.

Track real-time healing and resilience outcomes

Provide compelling evidence to policymakers and partners

Continuously improve the way we serve those who serve us

“Instead of waiting for a crisis in your life, get out in front of it and address things as they're building instead of when they're already exploding. That to me would be a huge benefit to our department.”

Greg Dykes — Fort Worth Fire

  • A smiling male police officer with a beard, wearing a uniform with badges and a name tag that reads Wheeler, in front of a dark background with blurred lights.

    “R3 just means I'm being proactive about my own development. I'm being a better me, husband, father, police officer.”

    Buck Wheeler — Fort Worth Police

  • Firefighter standing in front of fire truck inside fire station

    “Seeing guys let go of burdens they’ve been carrying for so long is worth the trip.”

    Cliff Weaver — Fort Worth Fire

  • Firefighter standing in front of fire truck, wearing uniform and holding helmet, smiling.

    “Don’t let the stigma hold you back. It’s okay to ask for help and take care of your mental well-being.”

    Brandon Randel — Fort Worth Fire

  • A police officer from Fort Worth Police Department stands in front of police cars at night.

    “Get out to R3 and talk to somebody about your experiences — you’ll learn that you’re not alone.”

    Kyle Wilcox — Fort Worth Police

  • A male sheriff's deputy in uniform sitting in front of a police vehicle with emergency lights on at night.

    “The real vision is to make it okay for people to ask for help.”

    Eric Mekosch — Fort Worth Police

  • Black and white photo of a bearded man wearing sunglasses, a cap with a logo, and a button-up shirt, standing in a dimly lit indoor setting.

    “You need to give yourself some you time. You have to be mentally and physically healthy enough to help others.”

    Ward Robinson — Fort Worth Police

Join us as we revolutionize mental health support for first responder

Whether you're a police chief, fire captain, or city official, you have the opportunity to bring lasting change to your department. We’ll guide you through every step.