The ulster county sheriff's office will use FY24 lemhwa funding to expand and coordinate its existing wellness unit, aiming to serve the wellness needs of the entire first responder community in…

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) awarded a $200,000 Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Grant (CFDA 16.710) to the County of Ulster, New York to expand and coordinate its existing wellness unit for the entire first responder community in Ulster County. The funding will support the hiring of a social worker to serve as a resource specialist within the wellness unit, with responsibilities to: 1) identify existing wellness resources, 2) coordinate the sharing of resources with resiliency officers, 3) receive referrals and follow up with individuals, and 4) provide post-incident support. The program will leverage evidence-based models and practices to address the critical need for enhanced first responder wellness in the region.

The ulster county sheriff's office will use FY24 lemhwa funding to expand and coordinate its existing wellness unit, aiming to serve the wellness needs of the entire first responder community in ulster county. The program will leverage the evidence-based FBI officer resiliency & wellness model alongside critical incident stress management (cism) and traditional care management practices. This well-balanced, community-minded initiative seeks to address the critical need for enhanced first responder wellness in ulster county. Funding will support the hiring of a social worker to take on the role of resource specialist within the wellness unit to: 1) identify existing wellness resources currently offered both locally, state-wide, and nationally 2) coordinate the sharing of resources with resiliency officers 3) receive referrals from resiliency officers, cism, first responder self referrals and follow up with individuals 4) provide post incident follow up with individuals seeking additional support after a cism debrief.