The Trust’s programs were designed with one primary goal: the health of Colorado’s firefighters. Our programs allow members to ensure that their firefighters are ready for duty and service to their community. As you may be aware, the Trust Committee recently approved cancer screening cost to be included in the current Heart Health Grant Program, subject to a member’s participation in both the Trust’s Heart and Cancer Programs up to your districts grant balance.
Firefighter Heart Fitness Grant
The Firefighter Heart Fitness Grant (FHFG) provides funding to member fire departments for the purpose of providing heart health screening to their covered firefighters. This will allow those with heightened risk factors for qualifying heart issues to better manage their own cardiac health.
The Trust allocates $50 per enrolled firefighter to each member, annually. These funds can be used for Colorado State University’s CORE heart evaluation or any other heart evaluation meeting the minimum assessment requirement. These grant funds for heart assessments cost can be applied in full to any one firefighter or group of firefighters enrolled in the Trust. This allows for those with heightened cardiac risk within your organization to better manage their own health. Please note that the cost of the portable CORE heart evaluation will increase to $115 plus expenses. We will continue to reimburse up to the accumulated balance of your fire agency.
Prior Heart Incident Grant
The Prior Heart Incident Grant (PHIG) program allows covered firefighters who have previously had a qualifying cardiac incident to receive special levels of health management services and testing to help identify continued risk.
Every eligible firefighter can receive up to an initial $750 toward Colorado State University’s Heart Disease Prevention Program.
Behavioral Health Grants
$1,500 grants available for fire operations in rural areas for leadership to attend Peer Support training Apply today
$1,500 grants available for Behavioral Health Practitioners in rural areas to become culturally competent clinicians specializing in emergency responders support. Apply today.
The Colorado Firefighter Trust (CFT) is searching for behavioral health clinicians interested in becoming a member of the Behavioral Health Emergency Responder (ER) Peer Support Network, also known as ER Culturally Competent Clinicians
Firefighters and emergency responders work demanding jobs and are often faced with distressing or traumatic situations. For the firefighters and emergency responders we represent, specifically from rural communities, it has been challenging finding ER Culturally Competent Clinicians who understand the toll their job can take and how best to work with them.
We are looking to build a network throughout rural communities located 50 miles outside of the major metro areas of the state. Joining this network involves participating in relevant Culturally Competent Clinicians training, such as 911 Overwatch’s National Peer Support Academy. There are $1,500 in grant funds available annually for participating in this training or others and it can be completed either in person or online from other organizations. Please note that there is a preference for clinicians with:
- Some family relationship with an emergency responder
- Prior experience with emergency responders in the community
- A demonstrated interest in working with the issues of emergency responders
Typical EAP benefit programs fall short of providing the ER community the understanding they need. If you are interested in becoming better equipped to help emergency responders in your community, please complete and return a Behavioral Health Clinician Grant Form.
For help finding specific behavioral health peer support and training, visit 911overwatch.org or email us at cfhtrust@mcgriff.com
