Resources and Counseling for First Responder Families

Status: Code 4, Inc. (SC4i) provides free, confidential counseling and support resources for the family members of Colorado first responders. Services include family and couples counseling, along with materials built specifically to help families understand and cope with the demands of a first responder career.

Can families of first responders get counseling

Yes. SC4i's Trauma Healing Therapy program includes family and couples counseling, using the Prepare and Enrich model, alongside individual counseling for spouses, partners, and children of current or former first responders. These services are free and confidential, delivered by clinicians who understand first responder culture directly, since many are current or former first responders.

Why family support matters

A first responder career affects the whole household, not just the person on shift. Exposure to repeated trauma, unpredictable schedules, and the emotional toll of the job can strain relationships and family stability in ways that are hard to navigate without support built for this specific population. SC4i's work with departments has also driven the development of family-specific resources directly from feedback: departments requested more information for family and loved ones, which led SC4i to partner with Pikes Peak Prevention Organization to create a dedicated family guide for first responder families, and to give departments the option of inviting employees' adult loved ones into training sessions.

Why this training matters

The need is significant. Over 90% of Colorado departments have less than $8,500 budgeted annually for mental wellness training, and 46% of agencies have no mental health budget at all. Meanwhile, national research on first responders finds 80% cite stigma as a barrier to seeking care, and 78% worry peers will view them as unreliable if they do (Jacobowitz et al., 2025, NYS First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment). Training that normalizes these conversations at the department level is one of the most direct ways to lower that barrier before a crisis point.

What resources are available specifically for families

Family and couples counseling (Prepare and Enrich model)
A First Responder and Family Packet that contains the First Responder Kids and For Them Book.
Access to SC4i's self-assessment tools, which family members can also use
"The Aftermath," a first responder grief booklet co-developed with the Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership
Family orientation sessions and wellbeing assessments through SC4i's First Responder Transition Assistance Program (FR-TAP), for families navigating a first responder's transition out of service

What resources are available specifically for families

One first responder shared that SC4i not only helped him personally, but also improved his relationship with his children. Feedback like this reflects a broader pattern SC4i has built its family programming around: healing is rarely an individual process, and the people closest to a first responder are often carrying weight of their own.

How to get started

Contact SC4i at (719) 822-3387 or contact@sc4i.org to ask about family or couples counseling, or to request a First Responder Family Packet.