CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
June
5, 2023
TO: City Council
FRO
M: Police Department
SUBJE
CT: AUTHORIZATION TO A CCEPT AND APPROPR IATE THE CALIFORNIA
BOARD OF STATE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS (BSCC)
OFFICER WELLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH GRANT AND APPROVAL
OF A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REQUEST IN FUND 287
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council accept and appropriate the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant in the
amount of $77,229.09; authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all grant-related documents and authorize a supplemental budget request in the Law Enforcement Grants Fund (Fund 287 ).
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
The Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant Program was established in the 2022 California Budget Act (Assembly Bill 178, Chapter 45, Statutes of 2022) and provides $50 million for city and county law enforcement agencies for the purpose of improving officer wellness and expanding mental health sources. The funding may be used for any of the following purposes:
1. Establishing or expanding existing officer wellness;
2. Establishing or expanding peer support units;
3. Providing services by a licensed mental health professional, counselor, or other professional that works with law enforcement;
4. Expanding multiagency mutual aid programs focused on officer wellness and mental health; and
5. Offering other programs or services that are evidence based or have a successful track record of enhancing officer wellness.
A total of 394 law enforcement agencies in California have received funding from this grant program and the distribution of funds is based on the number of eligible officers. The S imi Valley Police Department has received a grant award of $77,229.09. No application was submitted or required to receive these funds.
AGENDA I
TEM NO.
Consent (3)
The grant period is from July 1, 2022, to December 1, 2025.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
The Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant was established to address everyday exposures to incidents which can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and poor physical and mental health. The funds from the Grant can be used for many purposes, and the goal of offering these services is that Officers will have overall improved physical and mental health from recruitment to retirement.
The Simi Valley Police Department recognizes the importance for law enforce ment professionals to maintain physical and mental wellness to perform, survive, and be resilient in the face of the demanding duties of the profession. The Department strives to educate all employees regarding resources available to them and to cultivate a positive work environment. The Department currently has a Peer Support team consisting of both sworn and professional personnel who have received specialized training to aid fellow employees and volunteers through education, provision of resources, one- on-one conversations, critical incident debriefings, and practical assistance for employees in need.
Grant funds will be used to enhance the initiatives and continue the development of the Department’s Peer Support program and establish an Officer Wellness program through specialized training for peer support and officer wellness members, employee participation in professional conferences focused on law enforcement wellness, and facilitation of Department training for all employees emphasizing wellness topics such as stress management, alcohol and substance abuse, financial wellness, and nutrition and fitness. The Department will also explore the provision of wellness related resource materials, facilitation of employee wellness events, culturally competent services in the form of counseling, critical incident debriefs, and annual mental health checkups, and the use of other emerging contemporary wellness resources and aid designed for law enforcement personnel.
The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Accept $77,229.09 from the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for use to improve Officer Wellness and Mental Health; authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all grant -related documents; and approve a Supplemental Budget Request in the Law Enforcement Grants Fund ( Fund 287), for the purchase of software, equipment, services, and training related to Officer Wellness and Mental Health improvement;
2. Do not approve the acceptance of the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant;
3. Provide staff with further direction.
2 Sta
ff recommends Alternative No. 1.
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I move that the City Council accept $77,229.09 from the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Grant for services and training related to Officer Wellness and Mental Health Improvement; authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all grant related documents; and, approve a Supplemental Budget Request of $77,229.09 in the Law Enforcement Grant Fund (Fund 287).
SUMMARY
The City was awarded $77,229.09 from the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), the Officer Wellness and M ental Health Grant Program for services and training to improve officer wellness and mental health.
Staff recommends that the City Council accept the $77,229.09 grant award from the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), approve the Supplemental Budget request for Funds, and approve the use of the funds.
Steve Shorts
Chief of Police
Pr
epared by: Ritchie Lew, Police Commander
INDEX Page
Atta
chment A – Grant Award Notification Letter…………………………4
Attachment B – Grant Program Funding Distribution Schedule……….6 3 DATE: December 21, 2022
TO: Police Chiefs and Sheriffs
FROM: Linda Penner, Chair
SUBJECT: OFFICER WELLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH GRANT AWARD I am pleased to let you know that the BSCC has begun processing the Officer Wellness and Mental Health grants, which were included in the Budget Act of 2022. All eligible law enforcement agencies will receive their payment by February 15, 2023. This memorandum provides further information about the purposes of the grant, and requests your assistance in identifying the person in your agency who will be responsible for required data reporting.
This disbursement is being made in accordance with Assembly Bill 178, Chapter 45, Statutes of 2022, Item 5227-121-0001. This funding is available to all city and county law enforcement agencies employing officers described in Section 830.1 of the Penal Code. The Officer Wellness grant is for the purpose of improving officer wellness and expanding mental health sources as follows:
1. Establishing officer wellness units or expanding existing officer wellness units.
2. Establishing peer support units or expanding peer support units.
3. Services provided by a licensed mental health professional, counselor, or other professional that works with law enforcement.
4. Expanding multiagency mutual aid programs focused on officer wellness and mental health.
5. Other programs or services that are evidence based or have a successful track record of enhancing officer wellness.
For further information about this funding and to identify the amount of funding allocated to your agency, please visit the Board of State and Community Corrections’ webpage for the Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant available at https://www.bscc.ca.gov/officer-wellness-and-mental-health-grant-program/.
Provision 2 of the Budget Act requires each grant recipient to submit an expenditure report and a final impact report no later than December 1, 2025. Additionally, grant recipients will submit a brief annual expenditure report. Reports will be provided to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Detailed information regarding reporting requirements and reporting requirement webinars will be sent out in early 2023.
4 ATTACHMENT A
Officer Wellness & Mental Health Grant Recipients
Please send the name and email address of the individual(s) within your agency who will be responsible for the implementation and reporting requirements for this grant to [email protected] by February 28, 2023 so they may receive additional information regarding detailed reporting requirements, webinars, and deadlines.
If you have any questions regarding this funding distribution, please email [email protected] and a BSCC staff member will respond.
Sincerely,
LINDA PENNER
Chair
Board of State & Community Corrections
5 COUNTY AGENCY NAME AWARD AMOUNT
STANISLAUS COUNTY STANISLAUS CO SD 369,997.56$
STANISLAUS COUNTY TURLOCK PD 57,570.78$
SUTTER COUNTY SUTTER CO SO 70,910.35$
SUTTER COUNTY YUBA CITY PD 41,422.88$
TEHEMA COUNTY CORNING PD 15,000.00$
TEHEMA COUNTY RED BLUFF PD 20,000.00$
TEHEMA COUNTY TEHAMA CO SO 47,039.54$
TRINITY COUNTY TRINITY COUNTY SO 28,000.00$
TULARE COUNTY DINUBA PD 28,000.00$
TULARE COUNTY EXETER PD 15,000.00$
TULARE COUNTY FARMERSVILLE PD 15,000.00$
TULARE COUNTY LINDSAY DPS 15,000.00$
TULARE COUNTY PORTERVILLE PD 46,337.46$
TULARE COUNTY TULARE CO SO 358,062.16$
TULARE COUNTY TULARE PD 46,337.46$
TULARE COUNTY VISALIA PD 102,504.07$
TULARE COUNTY WOODLAKE PD 15,000.00$
TUOLUMNE COUNTY SONORA PD 15,000.00$
TUOLUMNE COUNTY TUOLUMNE CO SO 65,293.69$
VENTURA COUNTY OXNARD PD 152,351.94$
VENTURA COUNTY PORT HUENEME PD 20,000.00$
VENTURA COUNTY SANTA PAULA PD 25,000.00$
VENTURA COUNTY SIMI VALLEY PD 77,229.09$
VENTURA COUNTY VENTURA CO SO 503,393.27$
VENTURA COUNTY VENTURA PD 95,483.24$
YOLO COUNTY DAVIS PD 39,316.63$
YOLO COUNTY WEST SACRAMENTO PD 47,741.62$
YOLO COUNTY WINTERS PD 15,000.00$
YOLO COUNTY WOODLAND PD 47,039.54$
YOLO COUNTY YOLO CO SHERIFF'S OFFICE 54,060.37$
YUBA COUNTY MARYSVILLE PD 15,000.00$
YUBA COUNTY WHEATLAND PD 15,000.00$
YUBA COUNTY YUBA CO SD 73,016.60$
December 12, 2022 8
Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant Program
Funding Distribution Schedule
6 ATTACHMENT B