Exploring perceptions of burnout, compassion fatigue, and coping: An implementation science approach to responder stress.

Abstract

In recent years, the emergence of alternative response models (ARMs) in the United States has shifted greater responsibility to behavioral health (BH) professionals instead of police officers when responding to BH crises. Louisville (Kentucky) Metro launched the ARM Crisis Call Diversion Program in March 2022, which provides an alternative response to certain 911 calls involving a BH crisis. Overarching goals are to deflect BH-related calls from police and reduce unnecessary institutionalizations. Utilizing the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, semistructured interviews were conducted between December 2022 and June 2023 with 47 ARM responders (i.e., 35 first responders; 12 alternative responders). Interviews emphasized negative experiences related to program rollout, compassion fatigue, and burnout, which may impact responders' ability to fulfill their duties. Positive coping mechanisms of responders were also ascertained. First and alternative responders expressed similar sources of stressors when responding to individuals in crisis due to insufficient social support systems. All responder groups expressed a range of symptoms of compassion fatigue and burnout, but alternative responders demonstrated more awareness of the signs and a greater range of positive coping methods to address symptoms. As BH ARMs evolve, decision making related to planning, implementation, and expansion must consider responder burnout and compassion fatigue. Understanding responder burnout and compassion fatigue increases responder buy-in and can be used to improve implementation and decrease turnover. Ignoring these needs may lead to persistent barriers to implementation and negatively impact the quality of BH care individuals in crisis receive. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).