COMMENT & COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

Last Updated: November 2025

RiseWell exists to support the mental wellness and resilience of first responders, Dispatchers, Fire/EMS, law enforcement personnel, and their families.
We welcome open, honest, and respectful conversation. These guidelines help keep our space safe, supportive, and grounded in compassion.

By commenting on RiseWell, you agree to follow the guidelines below.

1. Be Respectful and Supportive

This community includes people who work in high-stress, high-stakes environments — many carrying unseen weight.

Please communicate with:

  • Respect

  • Kindness

  • Humility

  • Curiosity

  • Empathy

No harassment, insults, personal attacks, harmful language, or hostile behavior.

2. No Graphic or Traumatic Call Details

To protect the well-being of readers — many of whom are responders or family members — please avoid graphic, descriptive, or triggering details about calls, incidents, or trauma.

It’s perfectly fine to reflect on experiences, lessons, emotions, and resilience without including:

  • vivid medical details

  • violent or disturbing descriptions

  • identifiable incident information

  • excessive operational detail

We prioritize mental wellness, not re-exposure.

3. Protect Confidentiality

Do not share:

  • Names

  • Addresses

  • Agencies

  • Call numbers

  • Scene specifics

  • Patient details

  • Identifying information of coworkers or community members

This includes “scrubbed” stories that still contain enough detail to identify individuals or agencies.

When in doubt, keep it general.

4. No Clinical, Medical, or Crisis Advice

RiseWell is a peer-support-oriented space, not a clinical one.

Please do not provide:

  • medical advice

  • mental health diagnoses

  • prescriptions or treatment suggestions

  • crisis counseling

  • operational directives for an emergency situation

If someone expresses immediate distress, encourage them to seek professional help or contact local emergency services.

5. Stay On-Topic and Constructive

Comments should:

  • Add insight

  • Ask questions

  • Share lived experience

  • Offer support

  • Reflect on the content

  • Contribute meaningfully to the discussion

Spam, unrelated promotions, or argumentative derailments will be removed.

6. No Promotions, Solicitations, or Self-Marketing

To protect the integrity of the community, comments may not include:

  • advertising

  • affiliate links

  • fundraising requests

  • self-promotion

  • recruitment

  • sales pitches

  • business solicitations

Links may be allowed if they are genuinely relevant and non-commercial, but may be removed at our discretion.

7. No Discrimination or Harmful Language

RiseWell does not tolerate:

  • racism

  • sexism

  • homophobia

  • transphobia

  • xenophobia

  • hate speech

  • derogatory language

  • harassment based on profession, rank, or agency

We expect all comments to uphold human dignity and respect.

8. Protect Your Own Privacy

For your safety and well-being, avoid posting:

  • personal contact information

  • identifiable workplace details

  • sensitive family information

  • medical or mental health history

Your story matters — and you can share it without exposing identifying details.

9. Moderation & Removal of Comments

RiseWell reserves the right to:

  • remove comments

  • disable comments on specific posts

  • edit comments for clarity/safety (rare, noted when done)

  • block users who repeatedly violate guidelines

Moderation decisions are made to maintain a safe, supportive environment for everyone.

10. Crisis Situations

If you or someone else is in crisis:

Call 911 or contact your local emergency services immediately.
You may also reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. by dialing 988.

Comments are not monitored for emergencies and cannot be used for immediate help.

11. Questions or Concerns

If you have questions about these guidelines or feel a comment violates them, contact:

info@joinrisewell.com