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Wellness Frequently Asked Questions

  • 1.How much money will agencies receive from this program? 
    Agencies will not receive any monetary disbursements from this program. POWR is designed to provide resources and services to agencies looking to create a wellness program or enhance their current offerings.
    Please read this information for information on wellness funding from the Bureau of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). If you have received or are planning to receive funding for wellness from BSCC, the POST/University of California, San Diego (UCSD) POWR program team is available to provide guidance and programming to support your agency. If interested, please email POST@ucsd.edu.
  • 2.How do we apply?
    Qualified agencies which employ peace officers pursuant to Penal Code Section 830.1, are encouraged to apply. Check online for up-to-date application periods listed in the right column of the page.
  • 3.If the application window closes, does my agency need to reapply?
    Yes. Qualified agencies looking to participate in the POWR program will need to reapply for the current application period. This is done to ensure an equitable process which is consistent with other POST offerings.
  • 4.How are agencies selected to participate in POWR?
    Submitted applications are reviewed and vetted by POST staff once the application window closes. Selected agencies will be chosen based upon predetermined criteria, which is consistent with recent POST programs.
  • 5.Can I review the rating criteria?
    No. To prevent applicants from submitting responses specifically tailored to the rating criteria, this rating criteria will not be made readily available. The application and questions therein are designed to prevent canned or structured responses. The expectation is for agencies to provide earnest responses in their applications.
  • 6.How will my agency be notified of our application status?
    Immediately upon submission, the applicant will receive an auto-generated response, indicating your application was received by POST (see following question for further).
  • 7.When will my agency be notified if we have been selected or deferred?
    Selected agencies and deferred agencies will be notified of their status within fourteen (14) calendar days of closure for the current application period. This is to allow for a comprehensive review of all applications received during the current period. Applicants will be notified of their status well in advance of the subsequent application period in the event they are to reapply. 
  • 8.If my agency is selected, what does the process look like?
    The listed point of contact from the POWR application will receive correspondence from POST staff, indicating their status. This is followed by a thorough onboarding process, which includes a video dialogue with a member from POST and a member from UCSD - Centers for Integrative Health. This is essential to the customization and implementation of POWR at your respective agency.
    The selected agency will then coordinate with UCSD - Centers for Integrative Health and POST staff for program deployment.
  • 9.What's offered in the program?
    This program offers resources and guidance to agencies seeking wellness options that are at the forefront of treatment practices for first responders and those affected by post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI). This can include, but is not limited to, the following: mindfulness sessions, wellness retreats, meeting with a culturally competent licensed clinician, working with a nutritionist, yoga, tai chi, interactive web-based applications, and a host of other mediums.
  • 10.Will POST assign someone to the agency if that agency approves the grant?
    Although this process may have similarities to the grant award process, the POWR program is not a grant. POWR is designed to provide agencies with guidance and resources as they pertain to organizational wellness.
    POST will work in conjunction with UCSD - Centers for Integrative Health in determining who will be the agency’s POWR point of contact for guidance during their participation.
  • 11.What do agencies need to provide besides submitting an application?
    Nothing. Once the applicant receives a confirmation email indicating the application has been received, that is all that is needed for this part of the process. 
  • 12.If awarded, will we be provided information on what needs to be reported?
    Yes. If selected, the agency will receive clear and specific instructions from POST staff and UCSD - Centers for Integrative Health staff on what is needed for any reporting purposes.
  • 13.How does the POWR program pair with the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) funds being disbursed to agencies?
    The POWR program is concurrent but distinct from the BSCC funding. These funds are separate from the POWR program; however they can be used to offset agency costs during the sustainability phase once an agency's involvement in the POWR program has concluded. Agencies are not awarded monies through the POWR program. (Refer to question 1)
    The main difference between the POWR program and the BSCC wellness funds is that the BSCC funds can only be used for sworn staff pursuant to PC 830.1, whereas POWR offers wellness programs to the entire organization (sworn/non-sworn).
  • 14.Can agencies apply the BSCC funds toward the plan agreed upon while a part of the POWR program?
    Yes. Agencies can absolutely allocate the BSCC funds toward the plan identified and agreed upon while working alongside POST and UCSD - Centers for Integrative Health. Contact UCSD - Centers for Integrative Health at POST@ucsd.edu
    Refer to the BSCC provided final impact reporting guide should your agency elect to pursue this direction. (Refer to question 13)
  • 15.I'm completing the application for my agency. How do I save the in-progress application?
    In an effort to minimize duplicate entries in error, the POWR application does not have a save feature. In the event applicants need to postpone their entry until a later time, it’s recommended that responses to the narrative based questions are saved onto a Word document for subsequent copy/paste.
16.How is all this data being used by POST?  "I'm concerned that sensitive information might be released in program reports or some type of media release.  This could increase stress or problems for those needing help."
Information collected during POST/UCSD’s collaboration with agencies will aid in furnishing a scientifically validated report identifying methodologies for incorporating, retooling or bolstering wellness programs within the law enforcement community. This report will be prepared by the end of calendar year 2025.
POST and UCSD-CIH are committed to ensuring the utmost care is given to establish a transparent relationship with our law enforcement professionals. Each agency and its participants will have a thorough understanding of any data collected and its purpose. Any data to be recorded will only be collected subsequent to their expressed consent. We understand that security and privacy for our law enforcement professionals is a large part of their wellness, and it is our mission to ensure they have our confidence and trust in any pieces of information we seek to collect.
It is the policy of UC San Diego Health (UCSDH) to protect the privacy and security of its information resources in a manner commensurate with the criticality, sensitivity, and value to UCSDH and its clients while ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information to authorized users in a manner consistent with UCSDH business, patient care and mission in the most efficient, effective manner. It is further the policy of UCSDH to provide physical and logical access, and use of information resources and data consistent with applicable State and Federal laws and regulations, and University policies.
UCSDH complies with the HIPAA Security Rule's general requirements for information security:
  • Ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of confidential information;
  • Protect the information against reasonable anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of the information;
  • Protect against any reasonably anticipated unauthorized uses and disclosures of confidential information; and 
  • Ensure compliance by workforce members. 
More on Information Security as it relates to POWR can be found here.