P.O. Box 3369
Anaheim, CA 92803-
3369
www.anaheim.net
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
POLICE DEPARTMENT
DATE: APRIL 4, 2023
FROM: POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNSELING TEAM
INTERNATIONAL, INC. FOR EMPLOYEE COUNSELING AND
PEER SUPPORT SERVICES
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): YES ITEM # 04
GOVERNMENT CODE § 84308 APPLIES: YES
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council, by Motion, waive Council Policy 4.1 and approve an Agreement with The Counseling Team International, Inc. (TCTI), in an amount not to exceed $175,000, for employee counseling and peer support services for a term retroactive from February 1, 2023 and until services are complete or contract amount is exhausted; and authorize the Interim Chief of Police, or his designee, to administer the agreement on behalf of the City.
DISCUSSION:
The Anaheim Police Department and Anaheim Fire and Rescue are currently utilizing services from The Counseling Team International, Inc. (TCTI) for short-term counseling of employees and immediate family members to address and mitigate the psychological impacts resulting from traumatic incidents, events, stress, and challenges associated with policing. Their services include but are not limited to critical incident response, critical incident debriefs, critical incident stress management, trauma care and support, and family-related matters. Clinicians work closely with the agency’s Peer Support Team by providing training and advice. Additionally, TCTI provides trained clinicians who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond at any location promptly for critical incidents, including but not limited to officer-involved shootings, mass casualty events, active shooter events, significant injury to employees, suicide or suicidal ideation, and line of duty, employee, or immediate family member deaths.
The Anaheim Police Department received $175,000 from the Fiscal Year 2022 Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) Implementation Projects Grant which is designed to improve the delivery of, and access to, mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through the implementation of peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, and other practices for wellness programs.
The Anaheim Police Department has seen the value of the peer support team and their working relationship with clinicians from TCTI to support our personnel. The department has also seen the value of having culturally competent clinicians available to the department, department personnel, and their family members.
Agreement with The Counseling Team International, Inc. for Employee Counseling and Peer Support Services April 4, 2023
The funds provided through the grant will be utilized to have a clinician on-site once a week for a minimum of 4 hours. Additionally, the clinician will assist with training in areas such as suicide, depression, resiliency, compassion fatigue, substance abuse, and post-traumatic growth. The grant will also pay for advanced training for our peer support team so they continue to utilize best practices for peer support and continue their understanding of being able to support others. Within this training is a three day resiliency retreat for the peer support team which will include topics such as group and one on one counseling, responder resilience workshop, teamwork, incident debriefs, burnout, and stress reduction.
Peer support and counseling services for first responders and those who work closely with first responders, as well as their families, are critical. The importance of first responder wellness has been acknowledged at both the federal and state levels by creating new legislation that supports wellness and Peer Support Teams.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
Sufficient funds are included in the Police Department’s FY 2022/23 Restricted Law Enforcement Grant Fund budget.
Respectfully submitted,
Jorge Cisneros
Interim Chief of Police
Attachment:
1. Agreement with The Counseling Team International, Inc.