100 Club expands mental health support for Central Texas first responders

After 40 years of supporting first responder families, the 100 Club is expanding its mission to provide mental health support for those on the job.

AUSTIN, Texas — The nonprofit 100 Club of Central Texas is now offering financial assistance to active first responders who need help accessing mental health and wellness services.

The organization has spent more than 40 years providing financial support to families after a first responder is killed or critically injured in the line of duty. Now, it is expanding its mission to address the mental and emotional toll that can come with the job.

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Kevin Davis, executive director of the 100 Club of Central Texas, said expanding the organization’s support has taken time, planning and funding.

“It takes a little bit of time, it takes a little bit of planning and it takes a lot of funding,” Davis said. “And so we finally got in a position where we could start this program and we’re just proud to see it happen.”

Davis said the organization wants to help first responders seek support before they reach a crisis point.

“We desperately want to take that stigma away and create an avenue for first responders to seek out help on the front end instead of after the fact somewhere,” Davis said.

The new benefit comes as other agencies in the Austin area expand mental health resources for first responders.

Last month, the Austin Police Department launched the RESET Project, which provides specialized training to clinicians who work with law enforcement. In exchange for the training, selected clinicians will provide 50 free therapy sessions to law enforcement personnel.

APD Assistant Chief JJ Schmidt said the department already has several resources available to officers, but there is still a need for additional options for those who may be more hesitant to seek help openly.

“We’ve come so far from where we were with peer support, our programs within the city and in other programs that are offered,” Schmidt said. “But there’s still a gap.”

The Austin Firefighters Association said outside support can be an important resource.

“Having additional options outside the organization can be tremendously beneficial,” said David Girouard, president of the Austin Firefighters Association. “And for some firefighters, the ability to seek support independently and confidentially may make all the difference.”

The 100 Club said the new benefit is funded through community donations. The amount of financial assistance available will depend on each first responder’s individual treatment needs.

The benefit is available to active first responders across the seven Central Texas counties served by the 100 Club: Bastrop, Bell, Caldwell, Hays, Milam, Travis and Williamson counties.