The Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs Association received a $5,000 state grant Sept. 3 to fund officer mental health support. The money will reach more than 50 law enforcement agencies across eight Northern Kentucky counties, including those serving Florence, Union, Burlington and Hebron.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman unveiled the "Stand by the Badge" program at a press conference in Covington, naming eight agencies as first-round recipients. The NKY Police Chiefs Association was the only Northern Kentucky agency on the list, according to the NKY Tribune.

Each agency receives $5,000. The grants cover overtime for peer support specialists, training and education for wellness programs, and equipment for peer support teams.

The program targets what the Attorney General's office called chronic day-to-day stressors and secondary trauma among law enforcement officers, according to WPSD Local 6. The goal is to give agencies the resources to build consistent peer support so officers can turn to trained colleagues when they need help.

"When we give our law enforcement officers the opportunity to support one another, we build stronger officers, stronger teams, and ultimately safer communities," Coleman said at the Covington announcement. He added that his office is working to put peer support programs in place that offer "hope, connection, and support" to Kentucky's officers.

Beyond the grants, Coleman's office launched a secure website where officers, deputies and troopers can connect with peers and access mental health, spiritual and financial resources. A toolkit of best practices is also available to help agencies across Kentucky build their own peer-support infrastructure. The program's stated aim is to help agencies develop or enhance existing programs that promote officer mental health.

The other seven first-round recipients are the Ashland Police Department, Daviess County Detention Center, Elizabethtown Police Department, Laurel County Sheriff's Office, Paducah Police Department, Scott County Sheriff's Office and Warren County Sheriff's Office.

Funding for the grant program came from the Attorney General Alliance, a nonprofit, bipartisan organization. Coleman's office said it is seeking additional funding to expand the initiative, though no timeline for a second round has been announced.

The NKY Police Chiefs Association has not publicly commented on how it plans to distribute the funds across its member agencies.