Old Dominion EMS Alliance is pleased to offer the NAEMT Mental Health Resilience Officer (MHRO) Course on September 2, 2026.
EMS professionals routinely work in difficult environments and are exposed to both direct and vicarious trauma. The NAEMT Mental Health Resilience Officer course is designed to help EMS agencies build, strengthen, and support the mental health resilience of their personnel.
The course prepares EMS professionals to serve as their agency’s Mental Health Resilience Officer (MHRO). In this role, an MHRO can help colleagues better understand mental health and resilience, recognize peers who may be experiencing mental health stressors or crises, connect personnel with appropriate resources, and help foster an agency culture that supports mental health resilience and emotional wellness.
Course Information
Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: Old Dominion EMS Alliance
7818 E Parham Rd., Suite 911 (Basement)
Henrico, VA 23294
Course Fee: $125
Class Size: Limited to 10 students
Instructors:
Mike Garnett
Chris Vernovai
What You Will Learn
The NAEMT MHRO course provides participants with information and practical strategies for supporting mental health resilience within an EMS organization. Course topics include:
- The role of the Mental Health Resilience Officer
- The impact of EMS work on mental health and emotional well-being
- Mental health resilience at the individual, interpersonal, and agency levels
- Communication strategies for engaging colleagues about mental health
- Case studies involving mental health in EMS
- Key components of an effective agency mental health resilience program
- Strategies for building or strengthening an agency mental health resilience program
- Resources available to support the Mental Health Resilience Officer
Who Should Attend?
This course is designed for EMS practitioners who meet the following qualifications:
- Current state certification or licensure as an EMT, at minimum
- At least three years of full-time practice, or equivalent experience, at the EMT level or above
- Strong interpersonal communication skills and an interest in serving in the Mental Health Resilience Officer role
- Prior experience with critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) and/or motivational interviewing is preferred
Why Attend?
Supporting the mental health and resilience of EMS professionals requires more than responding after a difficult call or critical incident. Agencies also need personnel who understand how to recognize concerns, communicate effectively with their peers, connect people with appropriate resources, and help build an environment where seeking support is accepted and encouraged.
The MHRO course gives experienced EMS professionals a framework for helping their agencies develop that support.
Registration
Space is limited to only 10 students, so early registration is strongly encouraged.
Course Fee: $125
Register Today
For questions regarding the course or registration, contact:
Phone: 804-560-3300 x102