National Co-Responder and Crisis Responder Week Tool Kit

September 15 - 21, 2024

About

National Co-Responder and Crisis Responder Week is September 15-21, 2024. The International Co-Responder Alliance created this week of recognition last year, and we’re excited to lead the way in celebration again this year.

The week celebrates the many co-responders and crisis responders carrying out this important work across the country, while trying to meet the rising demand for mental health and substance use services.

We invite your program to recognize National Co-Responder and Crisis Responder Week by participating in any one or more of the ways outlined here in our tool kit.

Proclamation

A proclamation is a great way to formally recognize your team and bring attention to the work of co-response and crisis response. The process of requesting and receiving a proclamation varies across municipalities. We recommend you research and begin this process as soon as possible, so that there's plenty of time to prepare for your recognition.

Check out these proclamation examples:

• Johnson County, KS

• Tulsa, OK

• Larimer County, CO

• Chapel Hill, NC

If you're writing a proclamation and you'd like free Co-Responder or Crisis Responder stickers for your team to wear, email us the following info:

• Delivery Address
• Agency Name
• Number of Stickers Wanted
• Type of sticker: Co-Responder or Crisis Responder (we have specific stickers for each)

Social Media Messages

Here are some suggested messages to use in your social media posts:

• We're celebrating National Co-Responder and Crisis Responder Week! #CoResponderWeek #CrisisResponderWeek 

• We're proud co-responders! #CoResponderWeek #CrisisResponderWeek

• This week is National Co-Responder and Crisis Responder Week! We’re proud members of the International Co-Responder Alliance. Together, we all work to improve behavioral and mental health outcomes for our communities. #CoResponderWeek #CrisisResponderWeek 

Tag the International Co-Responder Alliance on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Event Ideas

Team Wellness Day: Take a moment for yourselves! Talk with your team about a fun way to unplug and relax for a bit. You could play a game, go for a walk, or have a fun team outing. You deserve it!

Make it a Meal: Talk with your organization about providing a meal or a sweet treat for your co-responders to show appreciation for all they do. This is also a great way to invite other local partners to show their thanks for your team.

Coffee with a Co-Responder: Partner with a local coffee shop to invite your community members to join your team for coffee. This is a great way to educate people about the important work you do.

Create a Calendar: If you’re feeling ambitious, take some of these ideas and use them to schedule a five-day calendar of events, from community outreach, to that wellness day, and other staff recognition events. Check out these two examples for inspiration.

Sharing Your Story

A news release is an effective way to bring local attention to National Co-Responder and Crisis Responder Week, but don’t just hit send and walk away – there’s more to do!

• Follow up with local newsrooms to offer an interview about your program. Reporters will be especially interested in the timeliness of the interview, during the national week of recognition.

• We know there are a lot of privacy considerations when it comes to covering co-response and crisis response, but it can and should be done. Talk with reporters about ways they highlight your team that meet the interest of privacy, while still sharing powerful stories.

• Take your own photos! Snap some good pics of your team in your community and share them with local media outlets. Good visuals go a long way in earning positive coverage.

Want More Ideas?

Earlier this year, we held a Co-Responder Coffee Break to discuss ways to celebrate this special week. We're making the Coffee Break available to everyone – even those of you who aren't ICRA members (although, we hope you'll consider becoming a member to start networking and join us during future Coffee Breaks!).

Questions?

Email us at icra@coresponderalliance.org if you have questions about anything we've shared here. If you're still looking for inspiration, consider posting in the CR Chat to think creatively with your fellow co-responder and crisis responders!

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