The Power, Simplicity, and Scalability of a Wellness Check

Laura Wilt is a Program Manager on the IACP Programs Team currently responsible for overseeing the successful delivery of all training and technical assistance activities of the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC) to agencies across the nation. Since joining the IACP eight years ago, Laura has worked on the IACP Programs and IACP Member Engagement Teams focused on the implementation and delivery of projects, training, and technical assistance initiatives aimed at providing practical tools, education, and support to the policing field. Areas of focus in her portfolio of work have included victim services, trauma-informed training, officer safety and wellness, multi-collaborative partnerships, juvenile justice, community-police relations, women in law enforcement, and leadership. She has supported federal grant awards from diverse funders including OJJDP, OVC, and the COPS Office. Before becoming a team member with the IACP, Laura served as Crisis Manager and Training Coordinator at the Arlington, VA based non-profit, CrisisLink, centered on crisis intervention and suicide prevention.  

David Kennington is a Licensed Professional Counselor employed by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) since 2007. He manages The Professional Wellness Section, which was cited as a model officer wellness program in a 2019 Department of Justice Congressional Report. The Professional Wellness Section has 2 Units (Counseling and Wellness) with multiple programs including, training, critical incident stress management, psychotherapy, peer support, family support, and chaplain support. The Professional Wellness Section is comprised of both sworn and civilian employees.  He provides therapy to law enforcement personnel and their families, is a certified officer wellness instructor and leads critical incident stress debriefings. He has over 30 years of experience working as a clinical psychotherapist. He recently served on Officer Safety and Wellness Panels at the Department of Justice. He has a B.A. in Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin (1988) and a M.A. in Professional Counseling from The University of Texas at Tyler (1994). David has been married to Korree for 23 years. They have 2 sons, Collin (20) and Cooper (16). 

Michael Gooch is a 20 year law enforcement veteran where he spent 11 years as a detective in the Gang Unit and Domestic Violence Unit and 9 years in various patrol functions both as a officer and supervisor. He currently holds the rank of Sergeant with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. He is assigned to the Professional Wellness Section and serves as the MNPD Wellness Unit Sergeant. He oversees the day to day operations of the MNPD Chaplain Unit, Peer Support Program, Family Support Program, MNPD V.E.T. Program, Training & Development, and Wellness Outreach. He has certifications in ICISF Group and Individual Crisis Intervention, Mental Health First-Aid, Q.P.R. Suicide Prevention and is a member of the MNPD Critical Incident Stress Team. Michael is a member of the TN Disaster Mental Health Strike Team sponsored by the TN Department of Health.   Michael has been named as a delegate to the Department of Justice Office of Safety and Wellness working group which is a nationwide council of law enforcement officers who actively pursue ways to promote wellness in law enforcement. Michael also serves as a subject matter expert on Officer Wellness with the IACP CRI-TAC program. Michael is an adjunct instructor at the MNPD Training academy where he specializes in CISM, Suicide Prevention, Wellness & Resiliency, Peer Support, and Family Support for Law Enforcement Families. Michael graduated from Bethel University where he obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice Administration