SFT-Review - Flipbook - Page 16
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
State Fire Training’s (SFTs) Behavioral Health & Cancer Awareness curriculum has
been updated. The new Behavioral Health & Cancer Awareness (2025) curriculum
will be available for scheduling at the beginning of 2026.
In 2020, State Fire Training (SFT) recognized the
Behavioral health training has proven to reduce stigma,
need to develop a course that teaches California’s
encourage early intervention, and foster resilience
frontline responders and supervisors how to take care
in stressful environments. Cancer awareness training
of themselves and their people. The answer to this need
empowers personnel to understand exposures, adopt
was the development of the FSTEP Behavioral Health
protective practices, and support prevention efforts.
and Cancer Awareness Series (1A, 2A, 3A). Since its
Together, these trainings build a culture of safety,
launch in September 2020, there have been 118 BHCA
wellness, and mutual care, ensuring that those who
1A course offerings, reaching over 2900 students.
dedicate their lives to serving others also safeguard their
own. This groundbreaking curriculum is saving lives.”
From Deputy State Fire Marshal III, Chief Caryn
Petty, who has taught this course more than 50 times:
In response to the dynamic evolution of mental health
“Emergency responders and support personnel face
services, cancer mitigation efforts, and wellness
risks that extend beyond incident response with two of
programs for first responders over the last five years,
the greatest threats to long-term health being behavioral
the BHCA cadre met again to revise this valuable
health challenges and occupational cancer. Training in
curriculum in 2025. Starting January 1st, 2026 –
these areas is essential – not only to raise awareness,
Behavioral Health & Cancer Awareness (2025)
but to equip all members with the knowledge and
curriculum will be available, and the 2020 curriculum
resources to protect themselves and each other.
will be retired.
“This ground breaking curriculum is saving lives.”
ANNUAL REPORT 2025
