New York's first responders face some of the most difficult situations imaginable and sometimes, it leaves lasting scars, or post-traumatic stress.

A conference was held to help link fire, EMS and police officers from all over the state with clinicians in an effort to bridge the gap – and stop the stigma. "Beyond the Call: Sustaining Resilience in the Responder Community," is being held Tuesday and Wednesday at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

Tim Graves said in his nearly 30 years of service at his local fire house and for New York state, he's had to deal with a lot that's stuck with him, even ones he's blocked out.

"I have responded to some very stressful scenes, and I have learned coping mechanisms, a lot of peer-to-peer type relationships," said Graves, a fire protection specialist.

He's not alone.

A conference about the difficulties first responders face with mental health aims to reduce the stigma that comes with it.

It comes at a critical time, as a new survey of first responders in the state found that there's a lot of need for help and a willingness to get it.

But barriers remain.

"There is a lot of pain out there associated with this work. There's a real willingness to get help and it's on us," said Amy Nitza, executive director at the SUNY New Paltz Institute for Disaster Mental Health, which organizes the annual event. "I can say, from the SUNY New Paltz side, I think it's on us to do a really good job of putting out clinicians who are culturally competent in working with the responder community."

To try and break down barriers.

The conference also gives those attending critical one-on-one time with health care professionals. It is sponsored by the state Homeland Security Emergency Services and state Office of Mental Health. 

"For responders, we hope that gives them some awareness about the availability of different types of help and be able to connect here, have conversations, have lunch with a clinician," Nitza said. And we want the clinicians in a room to really start to understand some of the struggles that responders face that are different than some of the other clients they may work with."

Graves said that part is especially important, that the bonding of mental health clinicians and first responders will go a long way to treating trauma.

"We know our people are hurting," he said. "And I think by having this type of conference and normalizing peer-to-peer support programs and bringing mental health clinicians into the emergency response roles will be so beneficial for the overall health of emergency responders."

The full results of that survey will be made available later this week.