Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant Program
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated December 14, 2022
1. Who is eligible to receive these funds?
The Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant funding is limited to agencies employing officers described in Penal Code section 830.1.
2. How much will my agency receive?
All eligible law enforcement agencies will receive a portion of the funds based on the number of eligible officers. Please see the funding allocation schedule on the Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant program web page for the amount each agency will receive (https://www.bscc.ca.gov/officer-wellness-and-mentalhealth-grant-program/).
3. When will these funds be available?
The BSCC will distribute funds at the beginning of 2023, no later than February 15, 2023.
4. What can these funds be used for?
These funds are designed to improve officer wellness and expand mental health sources. Examples include establishing or expanding officer wellness units or peer support programs, services provided by a licensed mental health professional, or other programs and services that are evidence based or have a successful track record of enhancing officer wellness.
5. We have received our check, but don’t know where to begin when implementing an officer wellness program. Do you have any resources? The BSCC is working with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) in implementing this grant. Funding for this program is concurrent with, but distinct from, wellness funding received by POST. Grantees may be eligible to apply for additional funding through POST. If your agency is unable to apply for funding through POST, they also have additional resources available to law enforcement agencies related to officer wellness, including contacts at other agencies who have established officer wellness programs. The BSCC encourages agencies to seek out additional information on POST’s officer wellness page: https://post.ca.gov/Wellness.
6. If my agency receives these funds, what are our reporting responsibilities? Recipients of the funds will submit a brief, annual expenditure report. By December 1, 2025, recipients will submit a final report describing how funding was used and demonstrate the impact of the resources. The BSCC will host webinars in early 2023 to provide detailed instructions on the reporting requirements.
Please send an email to [email protected] with the contact information of the individual(s) within your agency who will be responsible for Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant Program
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated December 14, 2022
implementation and reporting requirements for this grant, so they can be included on the email list for upcoming webinars and reminders related to the Officer Wellness grant.
7. What happens if I have not used all of the grant funds by the conclusion of the grant?
Any remaining funds at the conclusion of the grant must be returned to the BSCC. Those funds will then be returned to the state’s general fund.
8. Who do I contact if I have questions or require technical assistance related to the Officer Wellness and Mental Health grant?
Please email the [email protected] with your questions or assistance needs and a BSCC staff member will respond.