According to the police advocacy organization Blue H.E.L.P., 198 officers nationwide have died by suicide so far this year. The statistics are growing when it comes to PTSD and substance abuse too. 

Many local agencies are working together to change that, including the Saratoga and Warren County Sheriff's offices. Beards for Charity is a fundraiser put on by the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office each November. 

"Basically, I let my deputies grow their beards or a mustache. Office staff can dress down on a Friday for a donation of $25,"  said Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo. 

This year, the money raised will go to the New York Law Enforcement Assistance Program or NYLEAP, benefitting their officers in blue and first responders of all kinds. 

"We see things in this job that most people don't see in a lifetime. We see it on a repetitive basis," said Warren County Sheriff's Office Peer Support Coordinator and Patrol Officer Jim Banish. 

Banish started the New York chapter of LEAP two years ago, with a mission to help first responders deal with trauma encountered on the job.

"The accumulation of traumatic incidents throughout one's career, that adds ups, and without processing that or getting the help it never gets taken care of," Banish said.

The organization hosts three-day post-critical incident seminars.

"An officer normally feels alone, and in a culture like ours it is such a stigma with mental health, no one asks for help," Banish said.

With peer-to-peer and clinician support, first responders and their spouses can learn about trauma, patterns of resolution, and coping strategies for free. 

"You know it's two-fold because they can pass it on to the next officer and kind of break that stigma down and say, 'yeah I went through this, but I got help and this is how I did it,'" Banish said.

Banish knows the benefits of this program personally. 

"In 2008, my brother took his life. He was a lieutenant with the State Police. I attended a PCIS myself in South Carolina and I've also been through a sudden and traumatic loss seminar in South Carolina through their LEAP program," Banish said. "It inspired me to bring it to New York. I've seen what it does what it does for other officers first hand. I know what it did for me."

NYLEAP is hoping to host four post-critical incident seminars a year across the state. It will cost $120,000. Thanks to the $4,000 donation from the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office, they're one step closer to that goal.

If you'd like to help, you can donate here.