May 15, 2019
NCCPS Logo


US DOJ
Department of Justice Releases Reports on Improving Officer Safety and Wellness
 
On April 17, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the publication of two complementary reports that focus on improving the safety and wellness of the nation's 800,000 law enforcement officers. The reports, Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act: Report to Congress (PDF) and  Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Programs: Eleven Case Studies  (PDF) are the result of the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, which was passed in 2017 and requires the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) to submit reports to Congress that address:
  1. recommendations to Congress on effectiveness of crisis lines for law enforcement officers, efficacy of annual mental health checks for law enforcement officers, expansion of peer mentoring programs, and ensuring privacy considerations for these types of programs;
  2. mental health practices and services in the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs that could be adopted by federal, state, local, or tribal law enforcement agencies; and
  3. case studies of programs designed primarily to address officer psychological health and well-being.
Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act: Report to Congress  makes 22 recommendations that range from creating a public service campaign around law enforcement mental health and wellness to embedding mental health professionals in law enforcement agencies and expanding peer support and training programs to include wellness and resiliency rather than just critical incident stress.
 
Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Programs: Eleven Case Studies  focuses on case studies of programs designed primarily to "address officer psychology health and well-being." The team from the COPS Office visited 11 sites, out of more than 30 that were nominated, to conduct interviews, observe facilities and programs, and if possible, speak with agency staff. The sites selected represented a range of different agency sizes, geographic locations, and types of programs.
 
The COPS Office team found that there is a continuum of mental health and wellness strategies, programs, and methodologies present in all case studies, however there are certain limitations to understanding some programs true impact due to a lack of evidence-based research and evaluation. The continuum begins with recruitment and hiring and goes through retirement. It includes proactive prevention and resiliency building; early interventions; critical incident response; treatment, reintegration; and ongoing support for officers, staff members, and their families. In addition, each site takes a holistic approach to officer mental health and wellness. There is no separation of mental health from the broader range of care and services that are closely tied to and impacted by the following: fitness, nutrition, medical care, sleep, healthy relationships, financial stability, substance abuse, self-care, peer support, early warning systems, how disciplinary procedures are handled, and character and moral development.
 
For additional resources on officer mental health and wellness, please visit the COPS Office, the IACP, or our online library and use the search tags "law enforcement" and "mental health."

Kimberly Large
Register today!
June 2019 Webinar: An Introduction to Working with International Students
 
On Tuesday, June 11 at 2 PM ET, Campus Public Safety Online welcomes Kimberly Large, field representative from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), to present Get to Know SEVP: An Introduction to Working with International Students .
 
SEVP is part of the National Security Investigations Division and acts as a bridge for government organizations that have an interest in information on nonimmigrants whose primary reason for coming to the United States is to be students. Kimberly will provide a program overview and talk about ways campus law enforcement can incorporate international students into emergency preparedness, hot topics and the latest updates on F-1/M-1 students, and resources available to NCCPS stakeholders. An overview of the international student life cycle will provide stakeholders a better understanding of processes for schools and students, as well as the government forms required to maintain status in the U.S.
 
This is a beginner level webinar appropriate for senior administrators, campus safety and security officers/law enforcement, emergency managers, and international education officials. Other audiences that may benefit include staff from residential life and student conduct and affairs.
 
For more information and to register, please visit  our website .

Military Appreciation Month
National Military Appreciation Month
 
There are numerous services available to military members, both active and reserve, and taking time to highlight these tools to enable campuses to provide support to this population is an important part of National Military Appreciation Month. The following resources can be added to the growing list of valuable information on this topic that we have highlighted in the previous Weekly Snapshot articles: " Supporting Student Veterans on Campus " and " Recognizing and Supporting Military Members and Veterans on Campus ."
 
In 2010, Dr. Ann Nichols-Casebolt started a program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to train faculty and staff to better support veterans and their families as they transition to academic life. The Green Zone training has since become a national model for institutions of higher education (IHEs) who want to create a more veteran-friendly environment and is now offered at more than 100 IHEs and organizations nationwide. At VCU, Green Zone participants agree to:
  • attend a 1.5-hour workshop that provides information and resources related to student veteran issues;
  • display the Green Zone sticker outside their office to let others know they can provide support and information about resources for student veterans; and
  • serve as a resource to other faculty, staff, or students who have questions about student veteran issues.
In Dr. Nichols-Casebolt's article, "The Green Zone: A Program to Support Military Students on Campus," o ne military student indicates "even if I don't need any assistance, it makes me feel good to see the Green Zone sticker on someone's door."
 
Student Veterans of America's mission is to "provide military veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation." In addition to hosting an annual conference, they offer resources for displaced student veterans, host a Leadership Institute, and partner with the Veterans of Foreign Wars to provide exemplary student veterans the opportunity to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill and in their community through the VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship program .
 
The U.S. Department of Education Veterans Upward Bound program is designed to motivate and assist veterans in the development of academic and other requisite skills necessary for acceptance and success in a program of postsecondary education. The program provides assessment and enhancement of basic skills through counseling, mentoring, tutoring, and academic instruction in core subject areas. The primary goal of the program is to increase the rate at which participants enroll in and complete postsecondary education programs. Participants must meet military service requirements stipulated in the authorizing statute and be low-income, prospective first-generation college students who are preparing to enter a postsecondary institution. A list of the projects funded for 2018-19 is available for download in Excel. The National Association of Veterans Upward Bound is the professional association for Veterans Upward Bound staff personnel. 
 
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has released a Social Media Safety Toolkit (PDF) for veterans, their families, and friends that details how to identify and respond to concerning behavior on social media. The toolkit provides specific wording you can employ on various social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, as well as instructions on how to report suicidal content on those platforms.
 
Veterans who are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, and those who know a veteran in crisis, should call the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year at 800-273-8255 and press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or send a text message to 838255.

Professional Development Opportunities

Title: Promoting Connectedness for Veterans and Active Duty Military Personnel
Organization: Injury Control Research Center for Suicide Prevention
Date: On demand
Location: Online
Fee: Free
 
Title: Mental Health America 2019 Annual Conference
Organization: Mental Health America
Dates: June 13-15, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Fee: Registration fee
 
Title: Defuse and Manage Difficult Situations in K-12 and Higher Education: School and Police Tactics that Work
Organization: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services
Date: June 27, 2019
Location: Sterling, VA
Fee: Free

For additional trainings and events, access our searchable online calendar

Virtual Professional Development
Through our Virtual Professional Development initiative, you can access free, online educational opportunities.
Campus Public Safety Online
Learn about our free webinar series, register for upcoming webinars, and view archived recordings on demand.
Emerging Issues Forum Reports
Download, print, and share findings from critical issues forums of campus public safety leaders, subject matter experts, and practitioners.

Have you signed up to receive our informative and timely emails?
Join Our Mailing List!

Like us on Facebook    Follow us on Twitter    View our profile on LinkedIn    View on Instagram


This project was supported by Grant No. 2013-MU-BX-K011 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
Margolis Healy Logo