The city of Mentor this week announced it has been awarded $26,400 for the continuation of the Mentor Police Department Wellness Program, which addresses the mental and physical well-being of officers.
Chief Ken Gunsch noted the program was first implemented as a pilot project in the summer of 2020 using grant funds from the Department of Justice under the Community Oriented Policing Services Office.
Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, things were slowed and the grant was extended into the first half of this year.
“The new grant will begin as soon as the city receives the official award agreement from the state,” Gunsch said. “We are currently planning things so we can be set to go once the agreement is officially signed.”
According to officials, as post-traumatic stress disorder has become mainstream in the military lexicon, it is commonly forgotten when considering the traumatic events faced by law enforcement professionals.
Studies have linked PTSD to physical morbidity in the form of hypertension, musculoskeletal pain, obesity, cardiovascular disease, panic attacks, phobias, mania, substance abuse and increased risk of suicide.
An impermeable stigma around mental health and wellness has kept thousands of law enforcement officers from receiving preventative and rehabilitative care, according to data.
“Policing is a difficult profession that exposes officers to situations which can cause real and vicarious trauma that can affect an officer both physically and mentally,” Gunsch said. “Implementing this wellness program provides an opportunity for officers to reach out and receive any assistance they need to address the trauma.
“The program also provides the tools needed to have a healthy and long career.”
Phase I of the program helped the Mentor department establish partnerships with the Energetic Foundation and Crossroads Health, along with certifying five officers as peer supporters and one as a personal trainer.
Officials said an important goal of Phase I was to begin building mental and physical health infrastructure within the department to ensure sustainability while reinforcing the cultural shift department leaders are striving to achieve.
“The original grant is wrapping up, and the physical fitness part of the grant has been completed,” Gunsch said. “There will be a small overlap as we close out the initial grant and begin Phase II.”
Phase II will allow the department to further educate the newly certified peer supporters and personal trainer while offering comprehensive physical and mental wellness training and support.
It is anticipated that Phase II will give the program more autonomy in its goal to have a robust, cost-effective, in-house wellness program.
Activities will include working one-on-one with a tactical strength and conditioning specialist, monthly group exercise sessions, and educational sessions on pertinent wellness topics, such as nutrition, sleep habits, and stress management.
In addition, anonymous counseling services and educational seminars are available to participating officers.
Officers will also have access to a wellness app that can be downloaded on their mobile devices to provide customized nutrition, exercise routines, mental health education, and wellness videos that are available at their fingertips.
The original grant request was for $49,300, the city noted.
To date, Mentor is the only Lake County community to receive the grant specific to officer wellness, Gunsch confirmed.
“Cities apply for grants based on programs they design and submit,” he said. “When deciding on what grants to award, they look at the benefits of the program and the ability of the program to be replicated by others if it is successful.”
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