On June 25, the Midland City Council held a regular council meeting where they unanimously approved a resolution to enhance the mental health and wellness services for the city’s police and fire department personnel. Agenda item No. 5 on the docket was a resolution to approve a three-year subscription to the Cordico app by Lexipol LLC through Sourcewell, at a total cost of $146,526.60.
At the meeting, Charles Blumenauer, Midland’s former Fire Chief and current Public Safety Officer, explained that the Cordico app is designed to offer comprehensive mental health resources specifically tailored for first responders. The initiative aims to address the increasing stress and mental health challenges faced by Midland’s police officers and firefighters, exacerbated by the opioid crisis.
In a memorandum from Blumenauer and Interim Police Chief Greg Snow provided in the meeting agenda, the chiefs discussed the app’s potential to offer critical mental health support, funded by the recent opioid settlement. This funding strategy ensures that the initiative does not impact the city’s current budget while addressing the acute needs of first responders affected by the opioid epidemic.
“The opioid crisis has significantly impacted our community, leading to increased workloads and stress levels among our police and fire department personnel,” the memo said. “These first responders are often on the front lines, dealing with the direct consequences of the epidemic, which can result in heightened levels of stress, trauma, and burnout. The opioid settlement money provides an opportunity to address some of these challenges by investing in mental health and wellness resources.”
According to the memorandum, the Cordico app offers key features designed to support first responders:
- 24/7 access to wellness resources: Immediate access to self-assessments, instructional videos, and articles on various mental health topics.
- Confidentiality: Ensures privacy and confidentiality, encouraging more personnel to utilize the resources without fear of stigma.
- Peer support and therapy connections: Facilitates connections with peer support teams and licensed therapists specialized in first responder mental health.
- Customizable content: Tailors resources to the specific needs of the departments, including issues related to opioid crisis interventions.
- Emergency resources: Provides quick access to crisis hotlines and immediate support options.
- Chief Blumenauer and Chief Snow emphasized the appropriateness of using the opioid settlement funds for this purchase, noting that it directly aligns with the settlement’s intent to mitigate the consequences of the opioid epidemic.