City Council Meeting Date: May 21, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Mark Elliott, Police Chief
Title
Request for Police Department Budget Amendment of $18,200 for police wellness program.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council amend the 2024 police budget to use Public Safety Aid funds to cover the cost of the Sigma Wellness program.
Summary Report:
The Northfield Police Department has adjusted operations over the past 5 years in order to align with the recommendations of several well-respected research reports that focused on modern police reform strategies to ensure trust and legitimacy in operations and policy. Among the resources relied upon are the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing report (2015) and the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice (2020). In both of these reports, as well as several others, wellness of police officers are priority concerns. Police Chief Mark Elliott frequently uses the phrase “Well officers take care of the community well.” This statement means officers that are in good physical and mental condition, are better equipped to manage the stress and demands on the officer to handle calls according to law, policy and community expectations.
The Northfield Police Department has embraced officer wellness in the strategy, policy, operations, and planning functions. Mental health check ins annually, as well as therapeutic support, peer support officers, critical incident debriefs, a fitness center, the city supported wellness program with wellness activities and wellness dollars for physical fitness activities such as gym memberships, classes, and fitness gear, all help officers stay well.
The request before you is to add cardiac screening and support of risk reduction through nutrition and exercise coaching through Sigma Wellness. Police officers have a shorter lifespan than the general public as supported by multiple studies. Cardiac events are a leading cause of both on and off duty deaths for officers. Many neighboring departments have used Sigma Wellness as a resource for testing and support of cardiac wellness for police officers.
Sigma offers a comprehensive cardiac screening evaluation which includes vascular imaging, advanced lipid testing, and inflammatory biomarker analysis which has been proven effective in detecting the early stages of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, a cardiopulmonary exercise stress test is performed on a stationary bicycle to measure functional capacity and to identify any ischemia that may be present. The generated data is used to identify cardiac risk and allows their clinicians to develop individualized exercise and nutritional recommendations.
Direct consultation with a physician or licensed medical professional (physician assistant or nurse practitioner) will be provided. During this consultation, each individual will have all diagnostics reviewed and treatment strategies will be discussed. The participant will leave with a full understanding of their cardiac risk, metabolic status, and the steps that can be taken to help ensure a long and healthy career leading into retirement. Comprehensive results and recommendations will be provided for the participants to share with their healthcare providers.
At the May 14, 2024 work session a few questions were presented from councilors concerning the company being a for profit company and some of the research cited on Sigma’s webpage being from 1999. Sigma is a private company and probably operates for profit. I am not aware of any non-profit or current medical providers in the area that offers this combined testing and support, and local medical providers charge more for this testing than what Sigma charges.
A Google search of the average cost for each test/consultation offered showed the following average costs for each test with the totals averaging between $1,444 and $2,693, it will vary by provider and (if applicable) insurance. Individuals can seek these components out through their primary care provider, they may not meet certain criteria for referrals or coverage by insurance.
Advanced Lipid Panel/ Cardiac Inflammatory Biomarker Analysis (blood test): $300- $400
CIMT Ultrasound: $250- $300
ECG with interpretation: $588
Stress Test: $200-$1,000
Consultation with Health and Performance Expert: $105
Consultation with Practitioner (to review test results): $106-$162
Consultation with a Registered Dietician: $93-138 per appointment.
The costs of these tests individually far exceed the costs through the Sigma Wellness program and the one appointment and on site testing reduce costs of scheduling multiple appointments and follow ups.
The research cited all seems relevant to the concerns that face police officers and express the positive relevancy of the testing to predict cardiovascular risk. One of the 1999 research studies cited has similar findings to a 2015 study cited on the use of Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 levels as a predictor of heart disease risk. The research appears valid and to still be valid today. A webinar <https://www.police1.com/police-products/fitness-mental-health-wellness/articles/on-demand-webinar-heart-disease-in-police-90-of-the-clues-we-miss-lrd2ZpKIpLLjcApj/> is available on the Police1 website in which the founder Dr. Sheinberg, and law enforcement risk management expert Gordon Graham discuss the science behind the screenings.
The use of the testing methods and support provided by Sigma is at the forefront of service to police officers in evaluating their cardiac risk and for departments in managing the financial risk of a cardiac event for their employees. The costs to the city for a cardiac event can easily reach $400,000 when cost of care, workers comp claims, rehabilitation, and overtime needed to fill shifts are factored in. Additionally, this program has value to employees and can be viewed as a recruitment and retention tool; a valuable tool in the current competitive hiring market for police officers.
The cost of the program is $849 per officer. The officer will pay for $149 and the department will pay for $700. Officers can use wellness dollars, their HSA, or pay out of pocket for their share.
Staff recommends approval of the budget amendment and adding the program to the wellness resources for police officers.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
The City of Northfield received from the State of Minnesota in 2023 $899,143, in one-time public safety aid money. This program is an eligible expense for those funds. The cost of the program of approximately $18,200 represents approximately 2% of those funds. A budget amendment in the amount of $18,200 is requested to add to the 2024 police department budget.
Tentative Timelines:
Begin program in summer 2024