Event Description
June is PTSD awareness month, be the Teal Light with us and shine bright in support of first responders and veterans with PTSD!
Do you support our first responders and veterans? Do you know our firefighters and police officers are dying by suicide at a rate that has exceeded death by service? PTSD is an invisible wound that affects many of our first responders and veterans, it's something that isn't always talked about because of the stigma of anything mental health related but we are here to break that stigma. It's ok to not be ok, it's ok to tell someone that you are not ok, it's ok to need a little help.
Help us break the stigma by joining us in a weeklong, all ages and abilities, VIRTUAL EVENT that you can do in your own backyard, city or gym. Take this journey on your own or form a team of friends and family that will share in your passion and our cause. Fundraise and walk your walk for June's PTSD awareness month, in particular first responder and veteran PTSD.
Be sure to make your fundraising page and get the word out about your involvement in our cause. The more we talk about it, the less those suffering will feel judged, ashamed and/or less than.
* * * * WHO ARE WE? * * * *
OUR MISSION
Across All Lines is dedicated to bridging the gap in relation to mental wellness resources and access for first responders & veterans with PTSD.
We focus on advocacy, public awareness and creating access to service and emotional support dogs through our coaching division, Across All Lines K9 Coaching and our partners.
Advocacy. We advocate for better mental wellness training, benefits, and treatments for first responders and veterans in all 50 states. We reach out to State legislators in person and via written communications urging them to take mental health as serious as physical health. Raising awareness of PTSD in our first responders and veterans. We share stories from first responders/veterans and their families to show the impact their service has made on their mental health and of those who love them. We also aim to educate during events, fundraisers, community festivals and while out with our service dogs.
Resources. Building relationships with different resources and other nonprofits that supply mental health support services that are not tied to a department, they are separate entities.
Service Dogs. Service dogs are often a wonderful addition to a treatment plan for PTSD but are often unattainable due to cost and 2-3 years of wait list time. Through our coaching division, Across All Lines K9 Coaching, first responders and veterans get to train their dogs, hands on, through the whole process of becoming a service dog. In this program we coach our service dog teams through owner training their service dog as defined by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).
ESTABLISHED IN 2016
Firefighters With PTSD was founded by Matt Doughty in 2016 when he wanted to help first responders, like himself, fill the gap in relation to access and resources for these brave men and women suffering from PTSD.
It started with his book, A Revelation, where he writes about his own life experiences. When writing this book he was trying to decide how he could move that drive and passion to the next level. As a “firefighter with PTSD” it occurred to Matt that this was the cause, the cause that had a large need and was not flooded with other organizations help.
In efforts to be more inclusive to the first responders & veterans we serve we changed our business name to, Across All Lines, in April 2022 to match our K9 division.
For more information or resources visit our website www.AcrossAllLines.org
