Reaching out is strength.
Officer mental health awareness and peer support, for the men and women who keep our communities safe.
Get help nowOur missionWhy does Officer Needs Assistance exist?
Protecting our heroes' minds. We want to change the way mental health is seen by officers, by making sure they are protected when and if they seek help.
Too many officers carry the hardest calls home and never talk about them. In too many locker rooms, the stories about asking for help end badly, so good people wait until it's too late. We want to change that.
Change the stigma
Talk about mental fitness the way we talk about physical fitness: as part of the job.
Protect those who ask
No officer should fear losing a career for getting help. We'll push for policies that protect them.
Peer support first
Cops understand cops. Connect with people who have been there.
Free, confidential help
You don't have to be in crisis to call. A bad day is reason enough.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
24/7, free and confidential, for anyone. 988lifeline.org
COPLINE
24/7 confidential hotline for active and retired officers, answered by people who understand the job. copline.org
Safe Call Now
24/7 confidential line for first responders and their families, answered by current or former first responders. safecallnow.us
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741
24/7, free and confidential, with a trained volunteer counselor. crisistextline.org
In an emergency, call 911. Your department's peer support team or employee assistance program can help too.
Help that fits you
Officers need different things. We're building a directory that matches officers with mental health professionals by approach.
Faith-based
Counselors who bring faith into the conversation.
Self-guided
Tools and reading you can work through on your own time. See the officer wellness reading list.
Nature-based
Getting outdoors, on the land and water, as part of healing.
Peer and first-responder focused
Professionals who know the job and the culture.
About the founder
The American Texan is a retired police officer who served years in law enforcement, including time on a SWAT team. He saw firsthand what the job does to good people, and how the veterans who were honest about getting help were the ones who wished they had done it sooner. Officer Needs Assistance is his way of making sure the next officer doesn't wait. He's based in the Texas Hill Country.
From the founder
A children's book
L.E.O. Lions: A Rhyming Tribute to Law Enforcement Heroes
A little boy listens to his father's stories and learns the real lions are the men and women who keep us safe. Written by a retired police officer, it's a fun, rhyming read-aloud that teaches kids to respect the people who serve, for ages 4 to 8.
Get it on AmazonLooking for books on officer wellness? See the officer wellness reading list.
Reach out
Want to help, share your story, or list your practice when the directory opens? Send us an email.
Email usPlease don't send health details by email. If you need help now, use the lines above.