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Port Washington PFC starts mental‑health initiative for first responders
Summary
The Port Washington Police and Fire Commission announced a new initiative to map existing mental‑health resources for department personnel and to host an outside presentation about a veterans/first‑responder program from the Medical College of Wisconsin.
The Port Washington Police and Fire Commission on Jan. 13 said it will begin a mental‑health initiative to catalog available resources for police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel and to raise awareness among department staff.
Commissioner (name not specified), who opened the discussion, said the commission was “shocked … to learn that we don't have some very formal ways of dealing with mental health issues with our departments,” and that the commission has asked two members to lead the effort.
The initiative will include an inventory of existing programs and a planned presentation by Doctor Gregory Burick of the Medical College of Wisconsin on BRAVE, a program he leads for veterans and first responders. Joe (Commissioner), who outlined the next steps, said, “One is awareness of what we already have … we're working with Melissa on that to be sure that everybody's aware of resources that are available,” and that the BRAVE presentation would likely be scheduled for the February or March meeting and “we'd probably open it up to the county and other first responders as well.”
Commissioners and chiefs discussed current supports already in place: a city employee assistance program; critical incident debriefs held after traumatic calls; a county peer‑support team with trained members; and the law enforcement death response team that assists departments after an on‑duty death. The commission noted that Officer Vitela attended peer‑support training in 2024 and that peer‑support team members are selected and trained by county programs.
Speakers also referenced outside organizations and programs that may be available to responders, including Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) and the First Reach Foundation. On whether services extend to retired officers, the transcript records that the employee assistance program is not available to retirees and that the availability for retirees would require further inquiry.
The commission framed the initiative as an awareness and coordination effort rather than as policy adoption: commissioners asked staff and chiefs to identify manuals, mutual‑aid options and training opportunities to compile a clear picture of what is available to active personnel. No formal policy change or vote occurred during the meeting; the item was an advisory direction to gather information and host informational programming.
The commission said more details, including a confirmed date for the BRAVE presentation, will be released after chiefs and staff coordinate schedules.
