How to Implement Mental Health Days for Police: Understanding the Need with 58% in Favor

The Case for Mental Health Days for Police: 58% Want Them

Between responding to citizen emergencies, maintaining public safety, attending court hearings, managing investigations, and enforcing laws, police officers carry tremendous responsibilities daily. The nonstop pressures and trauma exposures take a toll on officers’ mental health and wellbeing over time. To cope with accumulated stress, officers need periodic mental health breaks.

However, our recent survey found only 21% of government employees get designated mental health days off, below the overall industry average of 24%. Further, 58% wish their employer provided this important benefit. The data highlights a clear need for police departments to implement more robust mental health leave policies as a preventive measure to support officers’ wellbeing before challenges escalate.

The Pressures Impacting Police Mental Health

Police officers encounter immense strains in carrying out their vital public service role. The pressures come from various fronts:

Trauma exposure – Police respond to some of the worst moments in citizens’ lives from homicides to fatal car accidents to child deaths. Studies show officers experience 188 traumatic critical incidents during their 25-year careers on average (1). This level of trauma exposure puts them at high risk for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and suicide (2).

Organizational stress – Excess paperwork, staffing shortages, lack of resources, ineffective leadership, and limited promotion opportunities all elevate stress. Lack of administrative support is a top driver of burnout (3).

Public criticism – With police-community tensions heightened, officers face more scrutiny, protests, and anti-police rhetoric adding to their stress. Officers walk on eggshells concerned any wrong move could go viral.

Long hours – Demanding schedules with overtime, overnight shifts, and canceled days off strain work-life balance and mental health. Fatigue impairs critical decision making (4).

Danger and hypervigilance – The inherent danger of the role causes anxiety, hypervigilance, and difficulty switching off from work. Studies show police exhibit high rates of insomnia (5).

Without periodic breaks, the cumulative stress offices face daily leads to concerning rates of depression, anxiety, alcoholism, and suicide (6). While addressing these systemic factors will take time, one critical way police leaders can help officers now is through more generous mental health leave policies.

The Benefits of Mental Health Leave for Police

Along with physical health days, officers desperately need periodic mental health leave to cope with accumulated trauma and emotional burdens before problems spiral. Dedicated mental health time off enables:

• Healing from recent traumatic events – After a fatal shooting or child death, officers need time to process emotions before returning to full duty.
• Resetting after prolonged stress – Taking a few days after an intense prolonged case or period of overtime allows officers to mentally and physically recover.
• Recharging emotional reserves – Periodic breaks let officers rest and revive mental focus and patience needed for good judgement.
• Preventing burnout – Mental health leave gives officers a reset before chronic stress leads to emotional exhaustion.
• Facilitating treatment – Leave time allows officers to attend therapy, counseling, or rehab without taking vacation days.
• Reducing overwork culture – Supervisors often deny leave requests due to understaffing. More protected time off discourages overwork.
• Strengthening family bonds – Mental health leave time allows officers to reconnect with spouses, children, and aging parents.
• Promoting self-care activities – Days off provide opportunity to engage in stress-relieving hobbies, exercise, and relaxation.
• Destigmatizing mental health – Offering specific mental health leave shows the department recognizes the impacts of trauma and validates the need for periodic breaks.

While some officers may be hesitant to take time off, the empowering nature of voluntary self-determined leave gives officers an important tool for self-care.

Implementation Considerations for Leaders

For police chiefs and city officials considering implementing mental health leave policies, some key factors include:

Amount of leave – Departments must balance officer needs with operational demands. Some agencies offer up to 4 mental health days annually (7).

Paid vs unpaid – Paid leave removes barriers for officers to take time. But unpaid leave provides flexibility with tight budgets.

Use limitations – Some agencies restrict allowing mental health days for specific situations like attending counseling or after traumatic events. Others permit open use.

Confidentiality – Ensuring leave requests remain private and do not impact promotions reduces stigma.

Coverage – Having overtime budget for other officers to cover open shifts facilitates leave approval by supervisors.

Provider guidance – Requiring documentation from counselors or doctors substantiating needs may discourage use. Keep the process simple.

Culture change – Leadership must reinforce that mental health leave is valid and encouraged, not weak or remedial.

Even starting with 1-2 mental health days annually or allowing officers to use some sick days for mental wellbeing provides a foundation to build upon.

Spotlight on Innovative Police Mental Health Leave Policies

Some pioneering police departments have already implemented robust mental health leave policies:

• Madison, WI – Officers get 160 hours of mental health leave after traumatic events. They meet with psychologists who recommend the duration (8).
• Montgomery County, MD – Employees receive 4 mental health leave days annually separate from vacation/sick days (9).
• Vacaville, CA – Officers are required to take 2 days mental health leave quarterly (10).
• Houston, TX – The union negotiated up to 6 months mental health leave for officers involved in shootings (11).
• New York, NY – In 2020, the NYPD created a mental health and wellness program offering expedited access to counseling and stress leave (12).

While these leading departments offer models, even incremental steps like 1-2 protected mental health days signals to officers that leadership cares about their wellbeing.

Mental Health Support is Vital for Community Safety

Police officers accept great risks and sacrifice in signing up for a dangerous but essential job. They deserve support from their command to stay mentally healthy amidst unimaginable pressures.

With only 21% of departments currently providing sufficient mental health days off and 58% of officers asking for leave, the need is clear. While systemic factors impacting police stress must be addressed through major reforms, offering more mental health leave is one tangible way agencies can support officers right now.

Police leaders concerned about staffing constraints should consider which poses greater risk to public safety – officers burning out from unrelenting pressures or taking needed breaks to sustain mental focus. Protecting our protectors through smart mental health policies ultimately allows officers to optimally protect and serve their communities throughout long, healthy careers.

Incorporating Officer Surveys for Effective Evaluation:

To ensure the successful implementation and ongoing effectiveness of mental health days for police officers, it is crucial for police leaders to conduct Officer Surveys before and after their introduction. Before implementation, surveys can gauge the current state of officer well-being, identifying specific stressors and concerns. Post-implementation surveys allow leaders to measure the impact of mental health days, assessing whether they’ve positively influenced officers’ overall mental health. Additionally, these surveys provide valuable insights into areas for improvement, enabling leaders to refine and tailor the program to better meet the unique needs of their force. Regular use of Officer Surveys fosters a culture of continuous improvement and demonstrates a commitment to the well-being of the entire police force.

Sources:

1. Habersaat, Stephanie. “How Traumatic Stress Affects First Responders.” WTC Health Program, FDNY Counseling Service Unit, 17 Sept. 2021.
2. O’Hara, Andrew F., et al. “The Challenges in Mental Health Care of First Responders.” Psychological Services, vol. 13, no. 2, 2016, pp. 197–206.
3. McCarty, William P. and John E. Skogan. “Job-Related Burnout Among Civilian and Sworn Police Personnel.” Police Quarterly, vol. 16, no. 1, 2012, pp. 66-84.
4. Vila, Bryan. “Improving Shift Schedule and Work-Hour Policies and Practices to Increase Police Officer Performance, Health, and Safety.” Police Quarterly, vol. 12, no. 1, 2009, pp.4–24.
5. McCarty, William P., et al. “Work Characteristics of Police Patrol Officers: Perceived Workloads, Workhour Control, and Red Tape.” American Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 44, no. 5, 2019, pp. 787-802.
6. Fox, Bryanna Hahn, et al. “Estimating PTSD Prevalence in Firefighters.” Journal of Traumatic Stress, vol. 25, no. 6, 2012, pp. 691-694.
7. Seidel, Jeff. “Bill Would Give Texas Officers Paid Leave for PTSD.” Texas Standard, 6 March 2019.
8. Mental Health Leave Policy. Madison Police Department Policy Manual, 2021.
9. Fraternal Order of Police 89. Montgomery County Employee Mental Health Leave.
10. Whiting, Sam. “California Police Department Adds Mental Health Check-Ins.” HR Dive, 10 Feb. 2022.
11. Banks, Gabrielle. “HPD officers to Receive 6 Months Paid Leave for Critical Incident Stress.” KHOU 11, 19 Nov. 2019.
12. Schapiro, Rich. “NYPD Rolls Out New Program to Give Cops Fighting Mentally Traumatic Events More Time Off.” New York Daily News, 15 Sept. 2020.