There's a new program that provides mental health care for first responders struggling to cope with what they encounter on the job.
To give you some context, according to the Blue H.E.L.P, 40 current or former first responders in Colorado have died by suicide in the past six years.
"You really need to speak up, because there is that stigma,” said Andy Kaplan, a Marine Corps veteran who worked as a patrol officer with the Durango and Longmont police departments.
Kaplan said he struggled with mental health issues throughout his career. He didn't want to resign due to the stigma and was eventually let go in January 2022.
"With my PTSD from the military, I kind of just white knuckled it for 15 years. And then with law enforcement, even though I was OK with the stuff I was seeing, it was just adding to the trauma,” said Kaplan.