2025 Award Nominations

The Fire Service Psychology Association (FSPA) recognizes outstanding contributions by psychologists who work closely with the fire service. The following criteria for nominating a psychologist for FSPA’s Psychologist of the Year Award should be used in the context of the five domains of psychology: assessment, intervention, industrial/organizational, operations, and consultation.

1. Impact: The psychologist should have made a significant impact in the field of fire service psychology. This could include research, advocacy, or practical applications that benefit firefighters and their mental health.
2. Service: Demonstrated outstanding service to the fire service community. This might involve providing training, counseling, or other forms of support to firefighters and their families.
3. Scholarly Contributions: Contributions to the field through peer-reviewed scholarly work, publications, or presentations. These contributions should advance our understanding of firefighter mental health and well-being (e.g., assessments normed on firefighters, industrial/organizational psychology articles, labor/management communications, the impact of staffing).
4. Education: Efforts to educate both psychologists and fire service leaders. Bridging the gap between professional psychology and the fire service is a key goal, so nominees should actively engage in educational activities.
5. Practice: Excellence in psychological practice related to one or more of the following domains of psychology: assessment, intervention, industrial/organizational psychology, operations, or consultation.
   The FSPA aims to create a collaborative environment where psychologists and fire service leaders work together to “build a bridge between professional psychology and the fire service” to better address mental health challenges faced by firefighters. FSPA’s annual conference provides a platform for learning, sharing knowledge, and fostering understanding between these two fields. If you’re passionate about this intersection, consider participating in their events and contributing to this important cause.

The Fire Service Psychology Association (FSPA) recognizes outstanding contributions by a fire service leader who works closely with psychologists or other mental health clinicians to develop, implement, and manage a behavioral health program in their fire service organization. 

Please use the following criteria for nominating a fire service leader for FSPA’s Fire Service Leader of the Year Award. 

1. Impact: The fire service leader should have made a significant contribution in program development, implementation, and management for a behavioral health program in their fire service organization that benefits firefighters and their mental health.
   Extra Credit: Contributions that have had a positive impact on the above beyond their fire department (e.g., multiple fire departments or within a region).
2. Service: Demonstrated outstanding service to their fire service organization. This might involve providing training, participating in a peer support program, or other forms of support to firefighters and their families.
3. Scholarly Contributions: Contributions to the field through articles published in fire service trade journals, both in print or online, (e.g., FireRescue1.com, FireEngineering.com, Firehouse.com). These contributions should advance the knowledge and understanding of firefighter mental health and well-being. 
   Extra Credit: Peer-reviewed scholarly work, publications, or presentations. (e.g., industrial/organizational psychology, labor/management communications, the impact of staffing on firefighter mental health) or published research (e.g., Executive Fire Officer Program).
4. Education: Efforts to educate both psychologists, other mental health clinicians, and fire service leaders. Bridging the gap between professional psychology and the fire service is a key goal, so nominees should actively engage in educational activities.

The FSPA aims to create a collaborative environment where psychologists and fire service leaders work together to “build a bridge between professional psychology and the fire service” to better address mental health challenges faced by firefighters. FSPA’s annual conference provides a platform for learning, sharing knowledge, and fostering understanding between these two fields. If you’re passionate about this intersection, consider participating in their events and contributing to this important cause.

New for 2024, the Fire Service Psychology Association (FSPA) seeks to recognize outstanding contributions by a masters-level clinician who’s actively working in the firefighter mental health space to provide services for firefighters and their families as needed. These clinicians include Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Educational Psychologists, and Professional Clinical Counselors.

Please use the following criteria for nominating a clinician for FSPA’s Clinician of the Year Award. 

1. Impact: The clinician should be making a significant contribution to the mental health services being made available for fire departments, their personnel, and for families of firefighters.
2. Service: Demonstrated outstanding service to the fire service community. This might involve providing training, counseling, or other forms of support to firefighters and their families.
3. Scholarly Contributions: Contributions to the field through peer-reviewed scholarly work, publications, or presentations. These contributions should advance our understanding of firefighter mental health and well-being as well as their families
4. Education: Efforts to educate fire service leaders about mental health services that can benefit their personnel and their families. Bridging the gap between professional psychology and the fire service is a key goal, so nominees should actively engage in educational activities.
5. Practice: Excellence in providing services to firefighters and their families that’s commensurate with their training and scope of practice.

The FSPA aims to create a collaborative environment where psychologists, fire service leaders, and masters-level clinicians work together to “build a bridge between professional psychology and the fire service” to better address mental health challenges faced by firefighters. FSPA’s annual conference–October 3 & 4, 2024 in Washington, D.C.–provides a platform for learning, sharing knowledge, and fostering understanding between these two fields. If you’re passionate about this intersection, consider participating in their events and contributing to this important cause.