This project would increase the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services, training, and programming for sdhp employees and their families

The Community Oriented Policing Program (COPS), within the Department of Justice, awarded the South Dakota Department of Public Safety $199,975 on October 1, 2025, under the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (CFDA 16.070).

The award funds mental health and wellness services for South Dakota Highway Patrol employees and their families through September 30, 2027. The South Dakota Department of Public Safety will establish individual contracts with up to four mental health providers across South Dakota and deliver annual mental health check-ins to sworn personnel and civilian positions exposed to trauma. The award supports expansion of the peer support program to include chaplains and counselor support, ongoing peer support team training, and proactive resiliency training. The recipient will develop training under a train-the-trainer model to enable the South Dakota Highway Patrol to deliver training after grant funding ends. The department will also identify partnering agencies and create a sustainable network of wellness coordinators and peer support teams across South Dakota to share updated resources, knowledge, best practices, and training events supporting mental health and wellness efforts.

Place of performance is Pierre, South Dakota. The funding is assistance in the form of a project grant.

Funding would enhance effective and efficient access to mental health services by establishing individual contracts with up to four providers across south dakota, and annual mental health check-INS will be provided for sworn personnel and civilian positions exposed to trauma. Would also support the expansion of the peer support program to include chaplains and counselor support and ongoing peer support team training. Proactive resiliency training and readily available mental health and wellness resources for all sdhp employees would also be included in this project. Funding requests under a train the trainer model will enable sdhp to provide the training after grant funding ends. Further, the sdhp intends to identify partnering agencies and create a sustainable network of wellness coordinators and peer support teams within the state to share updated resources, knowledge, best practices, and training events that support mental health and wellness efforts. Strengthening these relationships will generate an ongoing, collaborative system dedicated to keeping troopers and officers physically and mentally healthy so they can perform at their best.