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Cummings Foundation to launch police wellness program in Beaufort with April 2 kickoff
Summary
The Cummings Foundation will fund a yearlong, evidence-based wellness program for the Beaufort Police Department, including biometric screenings, a departmental gym and mandatory confidential mental-health check-ins; the program will be evaluated periodically and may be extended depending on uptake and leadership support.
The Cummings Foundation announced a yearlong, evidence-based wellness program for the Beaufort Police Department that will launch April 2, a foundation representative told the City Council during its March 11 work session.
The program will begin with a health fair scheduled for April 2 that includes comprehensive biometric and cardiovascular screenings, blood draws and follow-up consultations with dietitians and nutritionists, Dr. David Baker said. "We believe that officers have a difficult and demanding job," Baker said, and the foundation’s approach pairs physical screening and fitness support with mental-health resources.
Council members and staff were told the package includes an on-site, fully equipped departmental gym and a personal trainer, onsite resilience and peer-support training tailored to first responders, and app- and web-based follow-up tools. Baker said the foundation will subcontract some services locally and use providers experienced working with law enforcement.
Baker described the mental-health portion as a required but confidential check-in for officers; other program elements, including biometric screenings and use of the gym, are voluntary. He said program data will be collected in an anonymized manner to support evaluation. "We respect that privacy, and everything we can to maintain the confidentiality of your options," Baker said.
The foundation’s work in Arlington County informed the Beaufort effort; Baker said the foundation has five years of experience there and will evaluate Beaufort’s program every four to five months and provide preliminary data to its board in November. The initial funding commitment is for one year, with the program’s continuation contingent on leadership support and officer uptake; Baker said he would expect at least a two-year commitment because Beaufort’s start occurs mid-cycle.
City staff and council members praised the initiative and noted potential secondary benefits including improved recruitment and reduced liability risk. Councilmembers asked about expansion to other public-safety personnel; Baker said the foundation would like to extend the program to other public-safety staff in time but that expansion depends on local structure and agreement.
Beaufort officials did not take a formal vote during the work session; staff said they will support the foundation’s launch activities and coordinate logistics for the April 2 health fair.
