Building Wellness Programs

For Public Safety Agencies

Why Wellness Programs Matter

Public safety professionals are trained to stay mission-ready, but the cost of unaddressed stress and trauma is high: burnout, strained relationships, substance misuse, and even suicide. Traditionally, agencies have waited until employees are in crisis to act.

Proactive wellness programs normalize support, reduce stigma, and provide the tools first responders need to perform at their best — before issues escalate. This protects departments’ investment in their people, and keeps operational dysfunction to a minimum.

The Counseling Team International (TCTI) has been building wellness programs for more than 40 years. We partner with departments across the U.S. to embed proactive, culturally competent wellness into the fabric of agency culture. If you're interested in an evaluation of your agency and information on how we might help, reach out.

"You have work-related trauma. It’s no wonder why you drink, or you turn to substance abuse. Let us help you get rid of that, stabilize mentally, and show you a different way."

Stephanie Kiesow
Public Safety Advocate, Retired Law Enforcement

Core Elements of a Proactive Wellness Program

Every agency is unique. We design wellness programs to fit your size, structure, and individual culture. Core components may include:

Annual Wellness Visits

Confidential, preventive check-ins that normalize seeking help.

Peer Support Teams

Training and support for peer advocates who provide first-line connection.

Leadership Training

Equipping command staff to model wellness, reduce stigma, and recognize early warning signs

Family & Spouse Resources

Engaging families in resilience and recovery to support first responders at home.

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)

Immediate support after officer-involved shootings, line-of-duty deaths, or other traumatic events.

Ongoing Education

Workshops, roll-call trainings, behavioral health trainings, and clear pathways and policies when people need help.

Cultural Competence

Every team member involved in every implementation speaks the language of first responders. Your agency deserves nothing less.

Benefits for Agencies

Protect the Workforce

Helps employees remain healthy, focused, and operationally ready.

Reduce Stigma

Shifts culture from “weakness” to “professional maintenance”.

Improve Retention & ROI

Departments invest millons into personnel over their careers; wellness programs protect that investment.

Enhance Reputation

Demonstrates leadership commitment to the health and resilience of staff.

Early Intervention

Identifies issues before they escalate to fitness-for-duty, discipline, or resignation.

"Peer support is so important for a department because there are officers that are exposed to trauma nearly on a daily basis... They need to have people that they can talk to, so they can help mitigate some of the trauma that they get exposed to."

Ret. Sgt. Jeff McGreevy
Public Safety Advocate

How We Partner With Agencies

Every partnership is unique, and our experts will work with your team

Assessment
Review current resources, gaps, and agency culture.
Program Design
Build a customized plan including wellness visits, peer support, training, and family engagement.
Implementation
Provide clinicians, trainers, and program support to launch wellness initiatives.
Ongoing Support
Monitor utilization, provide refresher trainings, and adapt programs as agency needs evolve. Biannual meetings with peer support teams and annual meetings with command staff.
Evaluation & Reporting
Deliver de-identified data and feedback to help leadership measure impact.

Why TCTI?

The Counseling Team International brings decades of experience serving police, fire, EMS, and dispatch, with a level of cultural competence that ensures we truly speak the language of first responders. Our credibility is backed by recognition from organizations and by the trust we’ve earned from agencies nationwide. We provide comprehensive services that span the full spectrum of wellness—from counseling and annual check-ins to crisis response and peer support training—so departments can rely on one partner for every need. With thousands of sessions conducted each year and measurable outcomes that both leadership and associations trust, TCTI has a proven track record of keeping first responders healthy, connected, and ready for duty.

"These programs are about performance and prevention — helping people work better and live better, before a crisis ever happens."

Deana Kahle, LMFT
Executive Director, TCTI