American Board of First Responder Behavioral Healthcare (FRBH)
The Gold Standard for Responder Behavioral Health
Responder behavioral health has never had a unified national authority—until now.
The American Board of First Responder Behavioral Healthcare (FRBH) is the national accrediting body that establishes and enforces the standards responder behavioral health systems must meet.
For the first time, public safety has a national benchmark built specifically for high-risk, trauma-exposed professions—one that defines what it means for a system to take responsibility so responders never have to ask for help.
[About FRBH] | [FRBH National Standards] | [Explore Accreditation]
The Crisis
Responder trauma isn’t just a workplace issue—it’s a public safety crisis.
Any call, any shift, any moment can bring trauma. Unlike the general public, responders face this exposure repeatedly, often for decades.
Yet most behavioral health programs still rely on general population models not designed for chronic, operational trauma.
The result: uneven support, inconsistent care, and systems that depend on responders to recognize distress and ask for help.
FRBH exist to change that—through national standards and accreditation that place responsibility on the system, not the responder.
The National Standard
The American Board of First Responder Behavioral Healthcare (FRBH) establishes the nation’s only system-based standard for responder behavioral health—built on Sustained Functional Resilience™ (SFR).
It defines how systems are designed, governed, activated, and sustained so access to care does not depend on self-disclosure or crisis.
Unlike reactive wellness models, FRBH sets the infrastructure agencies must have in place before harm occurs—protecting confidentiality, continuity, and trusted access across the responder career lifespan.
FRBH sets system-level accreditation and professional competency standards; it does not provide direct clinical care, treatment, or diagnosis. This is not a program. This is the national framework for how responder behavioral health must function.
Sustained Functional Resilience™ (SFR) is a protected trademark. The FRBH National Standards are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced, distributed, or implemented without authorization.
Introducing Sustained Functional Resilience ™ (SFR)
A system where responders never have to ask for help—because the system takes responsibility.
Sustained Functional Resilience™ (SFR) is a systems-based organizational framework that embeds proactive, culturally aligned behavioral health support into everyday operations. It shifts the burden from responders having to self-identify distress to systems that identify strain early and activate support consistently and automatically.
Because no responder should carry the responsibility of asking for help—the system should already be taking care of them.
What Makes SFR Different
Unlike traditional wellness programs, SFR strengthens the behavioral health system itself—not just individual services. It creates a unified, proactive approach that is culturally aligned, consistent, and designed for the realities of high-risk, trauma-exposed work.
Core Components of the SFR Framework
Proactive Readiness: Support is embedded into operations, not dependent on self-advocacy.
Culturally Aligned Support: Designed for responder culture so engagement is natural and stigma-resistant.
Clear Accountability: Defined roles close gaps before responders fall through them.
Role Clarity: Every participant understands their responsibility in the system.
Stable System Performance: Designed to withstand leadership changes and operational disruption.
Built for Trauma-Exposure: Treats cumulative trauma as a constant—not an exception
First responders face repeated, high-intensity trauma—but their systems were never built for that reality. SFR is the first unified, organizational framework designed specifically for modern public safety.
Why It Matters
Despite the demands of responder work, most agencies still lack consistent, responder-specific behavioral health standards.
1 in 3 first responders develops post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—nearly double the general population. (SAMHSA, 2018)
85% report symptoms of depression, anxiety, or substance use. (University of Phoenix Survey, 2017)
Suicide remains a leading cause of death in multiple responder fields. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021; First H.E.L.P., 2025)
The average adult experiences fewer than 3 traumatic events in their lifetime—responders face hundreds over a career.
These outcomes are not inevitable. They are the result of systems that place the burden of recognition and action on the individual. FRBH establishes the standards that prevent that burden from falling on responders.
What FRBH Does
We accredit public safety agencies that meet the national behavioral health standards rooted in Sustained Functional Resilience™—verifying that systems are accountable, consistent, and operationally sound without relying on responders to ask for help.
FRBH accreditation is voluntary, independent, and non-government, yet recognized as a national benchmark for responder behavioral health system integrity.
We certify clinicians, chaplains, peer professionals, program administrators, and social workers trained in responder-specific behavioral health—establishing the national competency benchmark for those who support trauma-exposed workforces.
We conduct research, publish guidance, and shape policy reforms that embed behavioral health standards into public safety at the state and national levels.
FRBH integrates operational public safety leadership, behavioral health science, and systems engineering to inform evidence-aligned national policy.
We expand access to accreditation, training, and certification through scholarships and financial support—ensuring rural and under-resourced agencies are not excluded.
Who We Serve
Fire Service
EMS & Paramedicine
Law Enforcement
Dispatch / 911 Communications
Corrections
Emergency Management
Search & Rescue
Crisis Response & Social Services
These professions face repeated, high-intensity trauma—and deserve systems designed specifically for the realities of their work.
What Makes FRBH Different
FRBH is the only organization that:
Establishes national standards built specifically for public safety behavioral health
Recognizes responder trauma as a chronic exposure requiring system-level solutions
Anchors standards in Sustained Functional Resilience™—where systems—not individuals, activate care
Accredits agencies based on structural, cultural, and clinical readiness
Certifies responder-competent professionals across disciplines
Integrates culture, leadership, clinical practice, and operations into one unified system
Supports continuous system monitoring and functional readiness
Provides the first unified Behavioral Health Ecosystem for Public Safety
FRBH operates under independent governance, formal standards review, and conflict-of-interest protections to preserve the integrity of accreditation and certification.
The FRBH standards framework is designed to scale alongside national and international quality assurance expectations.
FRBH brings to behavioral health the same rigor that accreditation brought to hospitals, fire training, policing, and emergency management.
A National Movement for Accountability and Care.
FRBH is defining the future of responder behavioral health—one unified national standard built on system responsibility and Sustained Functional Resilience™. Through our Behavioral Health Ecosystem for Public Safety, we align science, standards, and compassion to create systems that support responders automatically and consistently.
Those who protect us deserve a system worthy of their service.