Law enforcement officers, firefighters, dispatchers
and other public safety personnel are tasked with
handling the most high-risk, urgent and dangerous
events in our communities. They respond routinely
to incidents most people never experience
firsthand—suicides, murders, accidents, natural
disasters, violence committed against children,
sexual offenses, violent individuals, noncompliant
suspects, people in the throes of crisis. The job
carries the constant potential for injury and risk to
safety and security.
Public safety and local government leaders and
elected officials have a great opportunity to
support the wellness of the first responders we
trust to provide the most urgent, critical and high-
stakes service to the community. The key lies in
delivering confidential, immediately accessible
resources that are customized for the issues first
responders face.
Fortunately, doing just that is not only possible, it’s surprisingly cost-effective.
Public Safety Wellness
Challenges
First responders pay a price for their dedication
to their profession. They experience high rates
of suicidal ideation, post-traumatic stress and
depression; in nationwide surveys, firefighters and
officers overwhelmingly report stress on the job
has impacted their mental health.1,2,3
The effects are physical, too; 70% of firefighters
are obese or overweight; 40% of police
officers are obese and 80% are overweight.4,5
Complications from shift work compound the
issues: Nearly 40% of firefighters screen positive
for sleep disorders,6 while fatigue has been
shown to affect police officer decision making and
judgment.⁷
A Cost-Effective Solution
for Public Safety Wellness
1Ushery D, Manny D, Stulberger E. (11/20/18). Nearly 1 in 5 cops has considered suicide amid stigma around mental health issues. https://www. nbcnewyork.com/news/local/i-team-nearly-1-in-5-cops-has-considered-suicide-amid-stigma-around-mental-health-issues/1817436/ ²Wagner E, Bott M, Villarreal M et al. (3/1/18) National data shows firefighters’ mental, emotional health not getting enough attention. https://www. nbcbayarea.com/news/local/national-data-shows-firefighters-mental-emotional-health-not-getting-enough-attention/196910/ ³Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (May 2018) First Responders: Behavioral Health Concerns, Emergency Response, and Trauma. https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/dtac/supplementalresearchbulletin-firstresponders-may2018.pdf 4Wilkinson ML, Brown AL, Poston WS, et al. (2014) Physician Weight Recommendations for Overweight and Obese Firefighters, United States, 2011– 2012. Preventing Chronic Disease. 11:140091. http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.140091 5Can SH, Hendy H. (May 2014) Behavioral variables associated with obesity in police officers. Industrial Health . 52(3):240–247. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC4209580
6Brigham and Women’s Hospital. (11/13/14) Sleep disorders found to be highly prevalent in firefighters. ScienceDaily . https://www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2014/11/141113085220.htm
7James L. (9/21/17) The Stability of Implicit Racial Bias in Police Officers. Police Quarterly . 21(1)30–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098611117732974 www.cordico.com | 844-220-4929
While many municipalities and counties offer
wellness services through an Employee
Assistance Program, these are often inadequate
for the unique stressors of a public safety career.
First responders overwhelmingly report cultural
stigmas that create a barrier to most seeking
help for emotional and behavioral issues. And
when they do seek help, 60% of officers and
firefighters say the wellness resources provided
to them through Employee Assistance Programs
are not helpful.1,2
Hidden Costs of First Responder
Mental Health Issues
Simply knowing that we are taking good care of
our personnel—doing the right thing to support
them—is motivation enough for most agency
and local government leaders. But there also are
strong qualitative reasons to proactively address
first responder wellness.
In fact, there are five areas where your agency
may be spending large sums of money related to
first responder mental health without realizing it:
1. Overtime costs that rack up when
personnel are out on sick leave or disability
as a result of untreated mental health issues
2. Worker’s compensation costs involving
post-traumatic stress syndrome (many
states now consider PTSD as presumptive
for first responders)
3. High healthcare costs as a result of the
physical impacts of stress, which can
include cardiac issues, diabetes, obesity,
substance abuse and sleep issues
4. Costs associated with personnel
complaints, lawsuits and settlements that
may be a result of poor decision-making
by personnel suffering from lack of sleep,
burnout or compassion fatigue
5. Turnover costs—including recruiting,
training and equipping new personnel—
when first responders choose to leave the
agency due to chronic stress or feeling
unsupported
As noted above, current support mechanisms
for first responders are largely insufficient.
Municipalities remain at significant financial risk if
relying upon existing support resources.
The Wellness Solution for Public
Safety: Cordico
Cordico’s mobile wellness app provides a
complete range of self-assessments as well as
continuously updated videos and guides on more
than 60 health and lifestyle management topics.
This unique wellness solution meets three critical
criteria necessary to overcome the stigma of
asking for help and address the cumulative effects
of chronic stress on first responders:
Confidential – First responders must
have trust that they can access resources
in a completely confidential manner that
will not have an impact on their careers. Cordico’s
apps work through a generic link and generic
password. There is no personal data tied to app
(although we can provide aggregate data to help
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www.cordico.com | 844-220-4929
leaders judge overall use or identify trends in
resource usage).
Customized – Resources provided to
first responders must reflect the realities
of their jobs. Cordico’s assessments,
articles and videos are developed by first
responder psychologists and are specifically
tailored for public safety personnel. We also help
agencies tailor their apps with agency-specific
content or training and links to local resources.
Accessible – Public safety is a 24/7
business; first responders must be able
to access resources quickly, easily and at
any time of day. By delivering our content through
an app, we provide one place for personnel to
access all the wellness content the agency offers,
available 24/7. Options include one-touch access
to peer support and chaplains, teletherapy and a
therapist finder.
The many benefits of implementing the Cordico
app include:
• Demonstrating strong city/county support for
the wellness of their first responders
• Providing in-hand, on-demand, easy access to
a multitude of high-quality wellness tools and
confidential resources specifically for public
safety personnel
• Providing easier access to existing support
mechanisms (e.g., peer support, therapists
and local healthcare resources)
• Increasing utilization of a wide range of
wellness support resources to promote a
healthier workforce
• Improving recruitment, retention and morale
and reducing absenteeism
Implementation of the Cordico apps has been
associated with higher rates of utilization
of support resources, the development of
stronger wellness support options, and strong
positive feedback regarding the program at all
organizational levels.
Cordico Wellness
App Investment
First responder wellness requires an investment,
but the costs of the Cordico app are projected
to be more than offset by savings in the form of
improved employee wellness, lower employee
stress, improved morale, decreased absenteeism
and increased retention.
The annual subscription covers:
• App build, design, licensing, maintenance,
technical support and ongoing updates
(iPhone and Android)
• Unlimited use to all personnel employed by
the agency
• Unlimited use at no cost to all spouses and
significant others of personnel employed by
the agency
• Unlimited use at no cost for all department
retirees
• Implementation and support for promoting the
app to agency personnel, including posters,
QR codes for easy phone installation, and a
customized PowerPoint presentation for shift
briefings or roll call. These resources have
resulted in a 90% app installation rate.
www.cordico.com | 844-220-4929
“If you do one thing for your agency this year, get
this app. It will show that employee wellness is
a priority, you truly care, and you want to make
the best tools and resources accessible to your
officers 24/7.”
Kimberly A. Miller, Ph.D.
Police Psychologist, Consultant,
Coach & Trainer
National Sheriffs’ Association
Member & Seminar Presenter
“The Cordico team provided exceptional
customer service and went out of their way to
make the development process smooth and
fast. The finished product far exceeded my
expectations and those of my command staff.
We need our emergency responders to be at
their peak performance levels, and the Cordico
wellness app gives them the tools and resources
to do just that.”
Captain Eric Dayley
MA District Commander
Idaho State Police District Five
“I was looking for a way to inform our officers
about the numerous resources that are
available to support their emotional health and
well-being. I also wanted to provide them with
a roadmap to those resources. The Cordico
wellness app is a confidential tool that hosts
all of their wellness resources in one location,
which allows our officers to have 24/7 access in
the palm of their hands.”
Lynnette Hall-Lewis, Esq., CWPC
Health Engagement Manager
City of Memphis
“With the Cordico app and the program we have
in place, if something ever comes up for any of
our members—even in retirement—they’ll have
immediate access to resources and somewhere
to turn.”
Fire Chief Brian Fennessy
Orange County (CA) Fire Authority
At the Forefront of Wellness
Ready to put your agency at the forefront of wellness? Request a demo today. cordico.com/quote
[email protected]
844-220-4929