North Carolina initiative targets first responder mental health

Two years after an ambush in East Charlotte, North Carolina, killed four law enforcement officers, a mental health initiative created to support first responders is launching its first program, WBTV in Charlotte reported. Former Charlotte‐Mecklenburg police officer Dee John established the Pulse Renewal Project following the 2024 shooting, which killed four officers and injured four others. John subsequently surveyed 600 first responders about their mental health support needs and found that many did not want services delivered in clinical settings. John said first responders may associate clinical care with reaching a crisis point and can be reluctant to seek help because of a culture that equates needing assistance with weakness. Pulse Renewal will offer nonclinical support and help reduce mental health care stigma.