The call for help came late on a frigid January night in Indianapolis. A car had crashed into a retention pond with a family trapped inside.

Indianapolis and Lawrence police officers rushed to the scene, where they found the vehicle 15 feet from shore and beneath 10 feet of icy water.

The officers, setting their own safety aside, entered the water to rescue a father and his two children. The children survived, but the father was lost.

The officers’ courage was remarkable, but calls to respond at a moment’s notice to life-threatening emergencies are routine and often traumatic for police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel.

The stress of responding in the face of danger and the cumulative trauma of witnessing tragedy after tragedy can exact a heavy toll — first responders are five times more likely to suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and depression than other Americans.

Our nation’s active duty military service members and veterans also are at significantly higher risk than civilians of PTSD, depression, substance abuse disorders and suicidal thoughts.

To help promote healing and wholeness among first responders, military personnel and veterans, this year’s Indiana Mental Health Roundtable Summit, hosted in partnership with the Sagamore Institute, will focus on supporting those who serve our communities and our nation on the frontlines of danger.

The summit, on Aug. 7 at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, will bring together mental health professionals, lawmakers, nonprofit leaders, military veterans and first responders to discuss the challenges and the opportunities for strengthening the mental health of the men and women who serve and protect.

Goals for the summit include:

• Educate mental health professionals, frontline responders, service members and state and local leaders on the mental health issues that affect those who serve.

• Promote conversations across sectors on mental and behavioral health insights relevant to veterans, police, EMTs and firefighters.

• Showcase solutions and innovations that are improving mental health outcomes for those who serve, with guidance on leveraging those practices in Indiana.

• Explore state and federal policies that shape how Indiana and the nation support the mental health of those who serve.

• Equip participants with resources to strengthen the mental health of first responders, military personnel and veterans.

Registration for the summit is still open but closes Wednesday. Please join us in supporting the mental health of those who answer the call to serve.

On our worst days they give their all — walking into fires, standing against violence, delivering life-saving medical care, defending our nation.

Their sacrifices come with a high price. We need to ensure they have the support they need after the crisis ends.

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