4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Conducting Annual Wellness Visits for Law Enforcement Officers is presented by Nancy Ryba Panza, PhD, ABPP.

Having law enforcement officers attend a periodic visit with a mental health professional is a practice that is increasing in frequency across the United States. In some cases, states have passed legislation that requires such a visit; in others, individual departments have voluntarily initiated this practice. Despite the increased use of wellness visits, there is great variety in how these visits are carried out and a lack of clarity on the issues involved. 

This program presents an overview of important issues that practitioners should understand before providing this clinical service. Topics to be covered include: 

(1) what is (and isn’t) a wellness visit;

(2) how to help agencies initiate a program of wellness visits; 

(3) what procedures clinicians should follow, including suggested content and outcomes for the visits; 

(4) what ethical and legal considerations are relevant, and 

(5) what research has been conducted regarding these visits. 

Upon completion of this program, practitioners understand the issues involved and are able to determine whether they are in a position to begin providing wellness visits for law enforcement officers.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe what a wellness visit is and what it is not
  • 2 Describe important issues for agencies implementing a program of wellness visits
  • 3 Describe best practices for conducting wellness visits, including content covered during a visit and expected outcomes
  • 4 Describe legal and ethical considerations related to confidentiality, privilege, and record-keeping for wellness visits
  • 5 Describe advice from clinicians who are currently conducting wellness visits
  • 6 Describe program evaluation and how to gather data to determine the impacts of wellness visits within an agency

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for licensed mental health professionals—including psychologists, social workers, counselors, and other behavioral health specialists—who are interested in providing wellness and mental health services to law enforcement officers. It is particularly relevant for those specializing in clinical psychology, counseling, occupational health, and law enforcement–related mental health services.

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with varying levels of experience in law enforcement wellness visits.

    • Beginner: New to providing wellness visits for law enforcement officers; may have limited or no prior experience with this population or service; seeking foundational knowledge of procedures, ethical/legal considerations, and best practices.

    • Intermediate: Some experience working with law enforcement or conducting wellness visits; looking to deepen understanding of program implementation, refine clinical procedures, and address complex ethical or legal scenarios.

    • Advanced: Extensive experience providing wellness visits or related services to law enforcement; interested in advanced topics such as program evaluation, research, and consultation with agencies on policy and practice.

  • Practice Setting

    Mental health professionals providing wellness and mental health services to law enforcement officers typically work in environments that prioritize confidentiality, trust, and accessibility for first responders. These settings may be within private practices, employee assistance programs (EAPs), hospital-based behavioral health departments, or as embedded clinicians within law enforcement agencies. The work often involves both individual and group sessions, consultation with agency leadership, and collaboration with occupational health teams. Practitioners may also provide training, crisis intervention, and policy guidance related to officer wellness.
Presented By

Nancy Panza, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Nancy Ryba Panza is a Board-Certified Police and Public Safety Psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with first responders. Her educational background includes BS and MA degrees from Towson University and a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Psychology and Law from the University of Alabama. Dr. Panza spent four years as an Assistant Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City and 16 years as a Professor at California State University, Fullerton. After 20 years in academia, Dr. Panza moved into the private sector as Director of Clinical Research and Development for the family of companies that includes First Responder Wellness, The Counseling Team International, and Shift Wellness.

Dr. Panza’s clinical work and research has focused on criminal forensic assessment and police and public safety psychology. Dr. Panza has worked within county, state, and federal correctional facilities, providing clinical and forensic services for juvenile and adult offenders and has provided clinical and consulting services for public safety agencies across the US and internationally. She has a great passion for promoting modern policing practices and supporting the health and well-being of all first responders.


Click the Icon Below to View More Programs by this Presenter

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Wellness Visits for Law Enforcement Officers

  • Preparing for Wellness Visits: Considerations for Agencies

  • Conducting Wellness Visits: Considerations for the Practitioner

  • Legal and Ethical Issues

  • Research on Wellness Visits

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).

Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.