Item 3. Staff Presentation- Public Safety Employee Mental Health Audit — original pdf

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Sworn Public Safety Employee Mental Health Audit Austin City Auditor’s Office | September 8, 2026 Background Public safety employees are critical to the safety of Austin 3,300+ sworn employees September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 2 Image sources: City of Austin Digital Asset Manager. What we found 2 Findings 1 Additional Observation 5 Recommendations September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 3 Finding 1 The City provides mental health supports for public safety employees, but some employees are hesitant to use them or feel they do not address the root causes of stress. September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 4 Austin provides resources in line with peer cities and best practices Public Safety Wellness Center Image source: City Auditor’s Office. Peer Support Teams Licensed Mental Health Providers Medical Services Chaplains Fitness Services Pet Therapy Team September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 5 Despite some satisfaction with resources employees may not feel supported % of survey respondents who felt their peers versus department leadership cared for their mental health and well-being AFD APD EMS 95% 88% 78% 21% 25% 21% Peers Leadership Peers Leadership Peers Leadership September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 6 Some employees reported concerns about using resources 30% had concerns about the confidentiality of City resources “[The resources] come from the sources of the stress, so the same offices that are causing the issues are pushing out the solutions.” -APD Employee “No one really trusts those services and there is a general feeling that it does not matter.” -AFD Employee “We can’t speak up if we're afraid of being stigmatized” -EMS Employee September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 7 Significant sources of stress may not be addressed by available supports Workload and schedule Sleep and rest Cumulative stress September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 8 Finding 2 Public safety employees may not receive consistent or proactive mental health support across departments. September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 9 Resources and access may vary across departments September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 10 Resources and access may vary across departments September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 11 Resources and access may vary across departments September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 12 Resources and access may vary across departments September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 13 Resources and access may vary across departments September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 14 Proactive interventions could be enhanced • More than 50% of respondents said they never or rarely received follow-up after a major incident • Only AFD employees receive regular mental health screenings • Ongoing education on mental health may be limited September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 15 Additional Observation A new wellness center is in development at the new public safety headquarters • Bring all resources across departments together • Provide an improved and dedicated space for wellness September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 16 Recommendations Enhance privacy and confidentiality assurance 01 Ensure regular training for AFD and EMS peer support teams 03 Provide ongoing education on mental health throughout careers 05 02 Improve processes for following up after major incidents 04 Consider periodic mental health assessments for all employees September 2026 | Austin City Auditor 17 Questions?