Wellness Stipends: An Untapped Resource for Police Self-Care

Between responding to emergencies and crime scenes, managing investigations, attending court hearings, enforcing laws, and keeping communities safe, police officers carry tremendous daily responsibilities. The pressures and trauma exposures associated with the role put officers at high risk for mental health issues like PTSD, depression, and substance abuse. While many departments offer counseling services to treat officers already struggling, a proactive approach leaders can take to facilitate resilience is providing monetary stipends to enable preventative self-care activities before challenges arise.

Our recent survey found government employees have the least access to wellness stipends compared to other major industries. Further, a striking 71% wish their employer offered a stipend, the highest across sectors (1). The findings highlight an untapped opportunity for police leaders to support critical officer self-care through creative use of stipends.

The Case for Proactive Self-Care

Without proper self-care, the strains of policing lead to concerning rates of suicide, alcoholism, and short careers among officers. However, traditional police culture emphasizes appearing impervious to stress and shuns practices like therapy that support wellbeing.

Forward-thinking police leaders understand the vital need to take a more preventative approach focused on self-care before trauma and fatigue trigger downstream mental health crises. As former San Antonio Police Chief William McManus explained:

“The macho culture of policing makes it hard for officers to look out for themselves without feeling weak…We need to offer tools for self-care before problems start. Wellness stipends provide funding directly in officers’ hands to take control of their health.” (2)

While culture change takes time, offering tangible incentives like wellness stipends enables constructive self-care consistent with police values of self-reliance and resilience.

Stipend Benefits for Self-Care

Wellness stipends – monetary funds allocated annually for health promotion activities – empower officers to take ownership of resilience and stress management while removing financial barriers. Potential uses include:

Exercise: Gym memberships, home equipment, sports fees, running shoes promote fitness essential for coping with stress.

Good nutrition: Cooking classes, organic groceries, and meal services provide knowledge and ingredients to improve diet and avoid emotional eating.

Rest and relaxation: Massages, acupuncture visits, spa treatments, or vacations allow officers to rejuvenate.

Alternative therapies: Meditation, life coaching, art classes, equine programs cultivate mindfulness and personal growth for resilience.

Continuing education: Leadership, communication, time management, and anger management training build life skills.

Family bonding: Recreational activities spent reconnecting with family strengthen support systems that aid resilience.

Professional associations: Police academy dues help officers stay current on best practices to enhance performance.

Even small investments of $100-500 per officer annually can fund meaningful self-care activities that pay huge dividends in improving physical health, mental outlook, family life, and job effectiveness.

Implementation Insights

Agencies interested in rolling out stipend programs can consider:

Amount – Seed with $100-250 annually and increase based on participation and budget. Some departments offer up to $500.

Eligibility – Stipends are often restricted to only sworn officers given their high-risk role. Consider including dispatchers and civilian staff.

Allowable uses – Keep approved categories broad at first. Reevaluate annually and adjust if usage is too narrow.

Accessibility – Direct deposit installments to pay with debit cards maximize convenience and usage. Avoid restrictive reimbursements.

Communication – Clearly promote the benefit’s purpose for self-care. Have respected leaders share how they use stipends.

Culture – Reinforce taking mental health seriously at all ranks. Address old attitudes that self-care is self-indulgent.

Confidentiality – Keep individual stipend use private. Usage should not influence performance reviews.

Evaluation – Study participation rates and effectiveness on mental health and retention metrics.

While logistics take planning, hundreds of municipalities have already pioneered stipend programs successfully.

Spotlight on Leading Examples

Progressive police departments using stipends as a self-care best practice include:

• Dallas, TX – In 2019, Dallas began giving officers up to $300 annually toward fitness expenses to manage stress (3).
• Madison, WI – Each officer receives $250 in wellness reimbursements for expenses like gym memberships and massages (4).
• Los Angeles, CA – The LAPD provides a $100 quarterly stipend exclusively for officers to spend on approved self-care (5).
• Charlotte, NC – Charlotte enacted a policy in 2021 granting $200 annually to each officer for any wellness-related costs (6).
• Austin, TX – Officers get $50 monthly toward activities like gym and recreation fees to promote health (7).
• Columbus, OH – Columbus supplies $500 wellness stipends and even allows family usage for activities like youth sports (8).

While creative solutions must be crafted to work within municipal restraints, the wellbeing dividends that small investments in stipends can yield for departments and communities are immense.

Empowering Officers to Become Their Best Selves

Battling criminals, responding to violence, consoling victims, and patrolling streets awash in social problems exerts a toll on officers over the years. Even the most dedicated, well-intentioned recruits risk burnout, depression, PTSD and worse without healthy coping outlets.

While systemic issues impacting police stress must be addressed, stipends allow agencies to help officers help themselves today. Everyone wins when we empower officers to invest in their physical, mental, spiritual, and social health. Wellness stipends allow leaders to move beyond lip service of “putting employees first” to concrete action. Healthier officers with constructive outlets to manage stress ultimately build safer communities. And isn’t that the goal behind it all?

Incorporating Officer Surveys for Effective Evaluation:

For a successful integration of wellness stipends into police self-care initiatives, proactive leadership is essential. Police leaders should initiate Officer Surveys before and after the implementation of wellness stipends. Beforehand, these surveys help identify the unique stressors and well-being needs of officers. Post-implementation surveys gauge the effectiveness of the stipends, providing valuable insights into their impact on officer self-care. This data-driven approach enables leaders to make informed decisions, ensuring continuous improvement and tailoring the wellness stipends to address evolving needs within the police force. Regular use of Officer Surveys establishes a feedback loop that enhances the overall effectiveness of the self-care program.

Sources:

1. Mental Health Benefits Industry Benchmarking Report. Calm, Oct. 2022.
2. Quirk, Mary. “SAPD Prioritizing Officer Health and Wellness.” San Antonio Magazine, 12 Jan. 2022.
3. Jones, Loyd. “Dallas toGive Officers $300 for Health, Fitness Costs.” The Dallas Morning News, 11 Sept. 2019.
4. Kloos, Zach. “Madison Police Officers Get $250 for Health Spending Under New Union Contract.” The Cap Times, 10 Oct. 2019.
5. Staff Report. “LAPD Officers to Get $100 Per Quarter for Health and Wellness.” NBC Los Angeles, 10 July 2019.
6. Thompson, Isaiah. “CMPD Officers Get $200 for Gym Memberships, Other ‘Wellness’ Help.” Charlotte Observer, 10 June 2021.
7. Najmabadi, Shannon. “Many Police and Firefighters Get $50 a Month for Workout Expenses. Should Houston Follow Suit?” Houston Chronicle, 12 June 2020.
8. Ferrise, Adam. “Cleveland Police Get $500-A-Year Health and Wellness Allowance as Part of New Union Contract.” Cleveland.com, 23 May 2021.