Drew Anderson
QOL Consulting LLC
QOL Consulting LLC
Dr. Drew Anderson is one of a relative few individuals to be active in both the mental health and first responder communities. His unique combination of skills and experiences has allowed him to bridge the gap between mental health and emergency response, advocating for greater awareness and support for the psychological well-being of first responders and the communities they serve.
Drew received his BA in psychology from the University of Texas in 1990 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Louisiana State University in 1997, completing his predoctoral internship at the Mississippi Medical Center/ G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VAMC Consortium. He was a predoctoral fellow and instructor at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center from 1996-1998 and joined the faculty of the University at Albany-SUNY in 1998, where he is currently an Associate Professor. He served at the Director of Clinical Training from 2010-2013.
Drew is also a licensed psychologist in New York and he joined HPA/LiveWell in 2010, where he maintains a part-time practice. He sees patients throughout New York via telehealth.
Drew joined Delmar Fire/EMS in 2011. He obtained his EMT-B certificate and became an interior qualified firefighter in 2012. When those organizations separated Drew remained a member of both organizations, now known as the Delmar Fire Department (DFD) and Delmar-Bethlehem EMS (DBEMS). He became a Lieutenant in DBEMS in 2015 and became the Behavioral Health Director in 2018. He became a Lieutenant in DFD in 2019.
Drew has been actively teaching at first responder conferences across the US since 2016. In 2021 he helped develop the first responder mental/ behavioral health curriculum for the New York State Office of Mental Health’s Suicide Prevention Center CARES-UP program, which focuses on improving the mental health and wellness of uniformed personnel. He currently serves as the mental/ behavioral health consultant to a number of fire and EMS departments in upstate New York.
| Conference | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Pulse Check (NY) | 2016-2020 |
| Emergency Responder Leadership Academy (NY) | 2017 |
| Vermont Healthcare and Emergency Medical Services Preparedness Conference | 2018-2019, 2022 |
| Western Massachusetts EMS Conference | 2018 |
| EMS Pro Expo (CT) | 2019 |
| Initial Assessment Conference (NY) | 2019, 2021-2022 |
| New York State Association of Fire Chaplains | 2019 |
| Vital Signs (NY) | 2019-2021 |
| EMS Today (National) | 2020-2021 |
| EMS World (National) | 2020 |
| National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation Conference | 2020 |
| Wisconsin EMS Association Conference | 2020 |
| North Country EMS Conference (NH) | 2021-2022 |
| New York State Fire Coordinator Conference | 2022 |
| Pennsylvania EMS Conference | 2022 |
For patient care:
Beyond AVPU: Using Mental Status Exams in The Prehospital Environment
EMS and EDP: Handling Emotionally Disturbed Persons
Psychiatric Emergencies Made Simple
Suicide Assessment
For providers and agencies:
Beyond Critical Incidents: Expanding Our Focus on Mental and Behavioral Health
Conducting Research in EMS: The Why and the How
Coping With Burnout Using Behavioral Activation
Mental Health and Wellness in First Responders
Morbidity and Mortality: What’s Hurting and Killing EMS Providers
Pressing the Reset Button: Relaxation Skills for EMS Providers
PTSD: Risks and Recovery
Resilience: What it is and How to Get it
Suicide Among First Responders: Why It’s Happening and What We Can Do About It
Suicide Assessment and Interventions for First Responders
Use Your Words (and More): Communication Skills for EMS Providers
Why Your Agency Needs a Behavioral Health Director/ Integrating Behavioral Health Into Your EMS Agency