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Police mental‑health and wellness policy deferred; contract with counselor to be reviewed
Summary
The Select Board deferred action on a proposed police mental‑health and wellness policy and an agreement with Seeds For Change Counseling; the board will confirm whether policy discussion needs to be nonpublic and will take up the contract next week along with a proposed volunteer chaplain appointment.
The Brentwood Select Board deferred action on a proposed mental‑health and wellness policy for the Brentwood Police Department and on a related counseling agreement.
Lieutenant Jody presented a draft policy that would require an annual mental‑health consultation for all police members and provide options such as post‑incident debriefings. Lieutenant Jody identified Seeds For Change Counseling and counselor Wendy Rowe as the proposed service provider; Rowe was described in materials as a veteran with experience in veterans’ and police mental health.
Board members raised procedural questions about whether the policy should be discussed in nonpublic session because of operational or safety concerns. Town Administrator Andrea reviewed the nonpublic categories and said the select board should confirm the correct category; she noted that personnel‑discipline categories would not apply if the policy itself is general. After discussion the board agreed to defer both the policy and the counseling contract for one week so members could review the draft and confirm whether the policy discussion belongs in public or nonpublic session.
The lieutenant also raised a proposed volunteer chaplain for the police department; the board agreed to consider the volunteer appointment next week along with the policy and contract. The Select Board thanked the lieutenant for bringing the matter forward and asked staff to circulate the draft policy and contract before the next meeting.
