UCF RESTORES awarded $1.4M grant for additional mental health services to help first responders

ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF RESTORES received a $1.4 million First Responder Regional Support Center grant from the Florida Department of Children and Families to provide more funding for first responders, the University of Central Florida said in a release Thursday.

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This award will help establish the organization as one of six Regional Support Centers in Florida and expand peer support and suicide prevention training.

UCF RESTORES was also given an additional $270,000 to work with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University to build a statewide mental health toolkit.

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UCF RESTORES is a nonprofit clinical research center and trauma treatment clinic that was established in 2011. It houses the National Center of Excellence for First Responder Behavioral Health.

Some of its free services to first responders in need include a peer-support training called REACT, a suicide prevention course and a network of clinical professionals.

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Dr. David Rozek, assistant professor at UCF RESTORES, said this grant will help the community in a big way.

“UCF RESTORES has a proud history of providing support to Florida’s first responders. Serving as the Regional Support Center will allow us to reach even more first responders and their families in need,” Rozek said, who is also the director of the National Center of Excellence for First Responder Behavioral Health.

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