NEW JERSEY — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced the launch of a new statewide Law Enforcement Wellness & Resiliency Grant that will provide $500,000 in funding in 2026 to support mental health and wellness programs for New Jersey’s police officers, civilian staff, retirees and their families.
The grant program will be administered by the Attorney General’s Office of Policing Strategy & Innovation, which was established in 2024 to promote excellence in policing, improve officer wellness and develop new strategies in partnership with law enforcement leaders.
Individual police agencies will be eligible to apply for up to $50,000 to expand wellness initiatives, including counseling services, physical fitness programs, annual wellness screenings, therapy animals, wellness space improvements, financial literacy programming and other efforts aimed at improving employee wellbeing.
Funding for the initiative will come entirely from legal settlements rather than taxpayer dollars. The Attorney General said resources recovered from corporate wrongdoing should be reinvested into programs that support communities and the officers who serve them.
“New Jersey has the finest law enforcement officers in the nation, men and women who serve with courage, professionalism, and deep commitment to their communities,” Platkin said. “But that commitment comes with exposure to trauma, repeated high-stress situations, and the pressures of a profession where asking for help has not always been easy. Through OPSI, we have been listening to law enforcement leaders, visiting agencies doing innovative wellness work, and responding quickly to what they told us they need. This new Wellness & Resiliency Grant is a direct result of those conversations. It’s an investment in the people who keep our residents safe, and a recognition that supporting our officers, from hire to retire, is essential for attracting and retaining the next generation of public-safety professionals.”
The grant program grew out of OPSI’s Law Enforcement Leadership Roundtables, including a recent statewide discussion focused on wellness and resiliency. Police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors and union wellness leaders highlighted the need to reduce stigma around seeking help and to expand support systems within departments.
State officials said professions with similar exposure to trauma have made progress in addressing mental health and substance-use challenges, while law enforcement has historically faced greater barriers to seeking support. Platkin said changing that culture is critical to improving long-term wellness outcomes and workforce retention.
“OPSI was established to better support the needs of New Jersey’s law enforcement community and the mission of Attorney General Platkin,” said OPSI Executive Director Abbassi. “We know that supporting officer wellness is not optional. This grant will give individual agencies the ability to create a customized approach to improving the wellbeing of their employees which, ultimately, strengthens the connection between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”
Platkin cited several departments that have implemented innovative wellness programs, including Paterson’s wellness walks and K-9 stress-reduction initiatives, Newark’s dedicated wellness unit and therapy dog, Evesham’s annual mental health check-ins, and Gloucester Township’s department-wide psychological screenings and therapy-animal support.
Agencies may apply for funding to support a range of programs, including counseling and mental health services, fitness and resilience training, therapy animals, wellness-related technology, peer-support initiatives and department-wide wellness events.
Application details and timelines are available on the OPSI website, and agencies are encouraged to tailor proposals to their specific workforce needs and wellness goals.
