Stress First Aid
Stress First Aid (SFA) is an evidence-informed framework for both self-care and peer support, grounded in five essential needs that promote recovery from stress and adversity: safety, calm, connection, self-efficacy, and hope.
SFA equips healthcare workers with practical, structured actions to recognize their own stress responses early and to notice signs of distress in colleagues, providing timely, meaningful proactive support.
Originally developed for military service members, SFA has been successfully implemented in high-stress professions, including firefighting, law enforcement, and other first responder roles. Its strength lies in empowering individuals and teams to support well-being through early, compassionate, and evidence-based action, normalizing stress reactions, and reducing the likelihood that stress will escalate into more severe or lasting difficulties. The Schwartz Center adapted the original SFA content to meet the unique contextual needs of the healthcare community.
The SFA training model is the result of a collaborative effort between the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare and Dr. Patricia Watson of the National Center for PTSD.
Nearly 100 healthcare organizations around the world run the Schwartz Stress First Aid program.
If your organization is interested in joining our healthcare community, please complete the brief inquiry form and a Schwartz Center staff member will get back to you with next steps.
Benefits of Stress First Aid
The Schwartz Center provides expert guidance throughout the implementation process, and teams adapt the framework to fit their own workflows, culture, and priorities — ensuring local ownership and long-term sustainability. Once in place, Stress First Aid delivers meaningful benefits for healthcare workers and organizations:
Stress First Aid Training
All Schwartz Center healthcare partners have access to two training options for Stress First Aid:
Stress First Aid Basics
This online training module introduces the core concepts of Stress First Aid, which identify and mitigate the negative impacts of stress before they impair staff health and well-being.
Stress First Aid Train the Trainer
This program equips healthcare professionals with the skills and resources to deliver Stress First Aid training within their own organizations.
Teams develop their own customized SFA implementation plan, with guidance from their Program Advisor, ensuring the approach reflects their organization’s unique needs and culture.
Click below to learn more about joining the Schwartz Center community.