Mental health and wellness initiatives supporting United States law enforcement personnel: The current state-of-play

Abstract

The current research provides a national snapshot of availability, access, and perceived effectiveness of wellness services and help-seeking stigma. This study is based on a sample of 3,994 police officers across the United States. The current study found a substantial percentage of officers are accessing wellness services, whether agency-provided, external, or a combination of both. Among officers who were most in need of wellness services, those experiencing some level of psychological distress, over 90% accessed at least one agency-provided or external service. Employee assistance program (EAP) services, formal and informal debriefings with managers and colleagues, chaplaincy services, and peer support were identified as some of the most common types of wellness programs provided by agencies and were also among the most effective wellness services as identified by officers who had accessed them. However, the research did highlight the need to consider gender, years of service, and agency size to provide a more nuanced view of psychological distress,support, and help-seeking stigma. Stigma associated with help-seeking remains a concern that must be addressed in police populations.