Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office launches app to help personnel combat mental health challenges

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - The Sedgwick County Sheriff Office has launched an app targeted at helping SCSO personnel, their families, and retirees address mental health challenges.

The app, powered by Cordico, a leader in public safety wellness technology, includes a wellness toolkit addressing 60 behavioral health topics such as fatigue, suicide prevention and alcohol abuse, mental health self-assessments, and videos and guides on yoga, mindfulness, nutrition and more.

“Mental and physical wellness is critical to a professional, successful agency. Because law enforcement and detention deputies are exposed to traumatic incidents at much higher rates than the general population, they are more susceptible to mental health issues such as PTSD, depression, burnout, compassion fatigue, anxiety and suicide,” said the sheriff’s office.

In addition, the app provides contact information for peer support team members and our local EAP (Employee Association Provider), EMPAC. We are building out the therapist feature so we can provide information for local therapists outside of our EAP who specialize and have experience working with first responders.

Personnel and their family members will have confidential, 24/7 access to the app to ensure they have the resources they need in their most difficult moments – on or off-duty.

The sheriff’s office also extended the app to the District Attorney’s Office, 911 Emergency Operators, and the Forensic Science Center, often referred to as the “last responders”.