The sumter county sheriff's office will use FY24 lemhwa funding to expand the mental health and wellness services offered to both sworn and civilian employees

The Sumter County Sheriff's Office was awarded a $146,880 federal Project Grant from the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) under the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Grants (CFDA 16.710) program. The grant funding will be used to expand mental health and wellness services for both sworn deputies and civilian employees of the Sheriff's Office.

Specifically, the grant will provide speaking events with a renowned mental health and resiliency expert for deputies, as well as free counseling and referral services through a contracted mental health professional. Additionally, the grant will support training for the agency's peer support team members and allow attendance at a national mental health conference to enhance the services provided. These initiatives aim to prioritize mental wellness, reduce the stigma of mental health treatment, and incorporate mental health and resiliency into the agency's culture. The grant period runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2026.

This initiative will provide speaking events for sworn deputiesto attend with a renowned speaker in officer mental health and resiliency. Through this program, the sheriff's office will work with a mental health professional that will be available free of charge to employees and their family members to provide counseling, referrals to mental health support, and training for employees on mental wellness. The sheriff's office will also provide training to peer support team members and allow attendance at a national mental health conference as a part of this program to enhance the services provided by the peer support team. These initiatives will help prioritize mental wellness, overcome the stigma of mental health treatment, provide a holistic support to wellness, and incorporate mental health and resiliency into the agency's culture.