Mental Health and Wellness Checks

Pursuant to the Connecticut Police Accountability Bill HB 6004, it is required that police officers undergo a Behavioral Health Assessment at least once every 5 years. Every year, 20% of our sworn staffing levels will be scheduled for an exam which can be up to 60 minutes. The process should ensure confidentiality. PTSD, substance abuse, depression, suicide and family issues need to be assessed in any form of a mental health wellness check given the potential impact on a police officer's performance and work behavior. The goal is to ensure the well being of our officer's.

The Connecticut Police Accountability Bill HB 6004 requires police officers to undergo a Behavioral Health Assessment at least once every 5 years.

(b) On and after January 1, 2021, the administrative head of each law enforcement unit shall require each police officer employed by such law enforcement unit to submit, as a condition of continued employment, to a periodic behavioral health assessment. Each police officer employed by a law enforcement unit shall submit to a periodic behavioral health assessment not less than once every five years. In carrying out the provisions of this section, the administrative head of each law enforcement unit may stagger the scheduling of such behavioral health assessments in a manner that results in approximately twenty per cent of the total number of police officers in the law enforcement unit receiving behavioral health assessments each year over a five-year period. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, the administrative head of a law enforcement unit may waive the requirement that a police officer submit to a periodic behavioral health assessment when the police officer has submitted written notification of his or her decision to retire from the law enforcement unit to such administrative head, provided the effective date of such retirement is not more than six months beyond the date on which such periodic behavioral health assessment is scheduled to occur.