“Beneficial” or “Career Ending?” Officer Discussions of Mental Health and Wellness Services

Abstract Awareness has been growing about the mental health crisis facing law enforcement and other first responders, prompting the implementation of a variety of mental health and wellness programming across the USA. Despite these changes, there is little research on what is broadly offered or on what officers think about these services. To address these concerns, surveys were sent to law enforcement officers in Kentucky and Virginia to obtain qualitative information on what mental health and wellness services are currently offered by their agency, what services they would like, and what additional insights they had about services. Thematic analyses indicated that respondents most often mentioned physical wellness services as being currently offered, but they also indicated a desire for more mental health services. In addition, there were a number of thematic patterns identified within their additional insights, including issues with services, concerns with trust and confidentiality, and problems with stigma. Mixed methods analysis also uncovered differences in supervisor and non-supervisor views of services. Policy implications include providing more and purposeful mental health services that address officer concerns, ensuring confidentiality of services, and changing the law enforcement organizational culture around mental health.