Chelan County Sheriff’s Office Secures $49,100 Grant for Officer Wellness Programs

The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a $49,100 grant from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WACJTC) for Officer Wellness for the fiscal year of July 2024- June 2025. This grant will support various initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of law enforcement officers in the county.

The Behavioral Health Unit Program Manager and Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Ana Gonzalez, played a crucial role in securing outside funding for Chelan County. Her successful grant writing efforts have resulted in a total of eight grants in the last two years, amounting to $1,970,588.24. Three of these grants support officer wellness, while the remaining five support the Behavioral Health Unit, highlighting the effectiveness of the programs implemented by the agency.

The grant was previously awarded to Chelan County in 2023, demonstrating the agency’s proactive approach to seeking external funding to support important programs and initiatives. This continuous effort to secure grant funding helps to ensure optimal resource utilization, fiscal responsibility within county funds, and meeting the service expectations of citizens.

Approved items included in the grant are peer support training, critical incident stress management training, neurofeedback machines, PTSD workshops for law enforcement and their spouses, and continuing education material/books. These resources will help to enhance the overall wellness and mental health support for officers in Chelan County.

The Behavioral Health Unit is a co-responder program that partners mental health professionals and case managers with law enforcement to respond to calls for service involving behavioral health and social service needs. This partnership aims to provide crisis response and follow-up support, connecting individuals to appropriate community resources and diverting them from the criminal justice and emergency medical systems.

The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office expresses gratitude for the support and collaboration of multiple agencies such as Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Wenatchee Police Department, East Wenatchee Police Department in implementing officer wellness programs and community behavioral health initiatives. This collaborative effort underscores