Hobart receives $200,000 police grant for mental health services

Hobart Police officers who need help with their mental health will get better access to it with a Department of Justice cash infusion.

District 1 U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan announced Thursday that the department was awarded a federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act program grant. It’ll receive $200,000 “to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through the implementation of peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, and other promising practices for wellness programs,” according to a release.

Hobart Police Chief Garrett Ciszewski couldn’t be reached for comment Friday but said in the release that if they hadn’t received the grant, the department wouldn’t be able to provide those resources.

“Mental health for officers has been largely overlooked for years, and this grant will provide services to our officers who deal with many stressful and traumatic incidents in their careers,” he said. “We are thankful for the assistance from Rep. Mrvan and excited to be able to provide them.”

Mrvan in the release congratulated the department for getting the cash and said he’s going to keep advocating for mental health resources for first responders to ensure “they have the support they need to perform their services to the best of their abilities.”