The lakemore village police department, in partnership with five neighboring law enforcement agencies, proposes wellness without borders, a two-year regional initiative designed to enhance the…

The Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Program awarded the Village of Lakemore $200,000 on October 1, 2025, under the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (CFDA 16.070) to deliver a two-year regional wellness initiative for first responders.

Wellness Without Borders provides trauma-informed counseling by clinical psychologist Dr. Patrick Palmieri, strength and recovery training focused on injury prevention led by wellness expert Dr. Craig Banks, and restorative yoga and movement instruction by Devyn Hambleton. Officers participate in structured sessions on suicide prevention, sleep optimization, nutrition, burnout prevention, mindfulness, pain recovery, and injury-free physical performance. The initiative includes attendance at the IACP Officer Safety and Wellness Conference and the Phoenix Project Symposium to integrate national best practices into local wellness infrastructure.

The award supports a multijurisdictional partnership across six jurisdictions in Summit County, Ohio: Lakemore, Mogadore, Stow, Tallmadge, the University of Akron, and Cuyahoga Falls. Each participating law enforcement agency has fewer than 80 officers. Project Manager Christina Barry coordinates implementation. Performance runs through September 30, 2027, with place of performance at Lakemore, Ohio 44250.

The lakemore village police department, in partnership with five neighboring law enforcement agencies, proposes wellness without borders, a two-year regional initiative designed to enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of first responders. The project is a multijurisdictional effort to support lakemore, mogadore, stow, tallmadge, the university of akron, and cuyahoga falls jurisdictions located throughout summit county, ohio. If funded under the FY25 lemhwa the department will provide services that include trauma-informed counseling by clinical psychologist DR. Patrick palmieri, strength and recovery training focused on injury prevention and sustained on-duty performance, led by wellness expert DR. Craig banks, restorative yoga and movement instruction by devyn hambleton, and coordination by project manager christina barry. Officers will participate in structured sessions on suicide prevention, sleep optimization, nutrition, burnout prevention, mindfulness, pain recovery, and injury-free physical performance. To strengthen implementation, the team will attend the iacp officer safety and wellness conference and the phoenix project symposium, applying national best practices to local wellness infrastructure. By establishing a sustainable and replicable wellness framework, anchored in both clinical services and officer-informed wellness strategies, this initiative not only strengthens the health and resilience of officers across summit county but also demonstrates how small agencies, each with fewer than 80 officers, can successfully partner to deliver impactful wellness solutions. Wellness without borders stands as a regional model for transforming officer wellness culture in resource-constrained environments.