Treating More Than the Individual: The Role of Lived Experience at HCLF

The Case for a Systems-Based Approach to Officer Wellness

Behind every badge is a human being carrying responsibilities most people will never fully understand. Law enforcement officers are expected to remain composed during crisis, make life-or-death decisions under pressure, and return to work day after day regardless of the emotional toll. For decades, the conversation around policing has focused primarily on public safety. Far less attention has been given to the health and wellbeing of the people performing that work.

The Howard C. Liebengood Foundation was created from a deeply personal loss, but its mission extends far beyond one story or one family. It addresses a national challenge that has too often remained hidden in plain sight: the growing mental, emotional, and physical strain experienced by law enforcement officers across the country.

For many officers, stress is not limited to isolated traumatic events. It accumulates over years through chronic overtime, staffing shortages, disrupted sleep, exposure to violence, public scrutiny, and the pressure to remain resilient no matter the circumstances. These realities can slowly erode wellbeing even among highly capable, committed officers who love their profession and remain deeply dedicated to service.

Historically, the responsibility for managing these pressures has fallen largely on individual officers themselves. Wellness initiatives have often centered on personal coping strategies like exercise, mindfulness, peer support, or resilience training. While valuable, these tools alone cannot counter the cumulative effects of chronic stress, trauma, and relentless operational demands. The Howard C. Liebengood Foundation reflects a growing recognition that officer wellness requires systemic support, not just individual resilience.

A Different Approach

Rather than treating officer wellness as solely a personal responsibility, the Foundation emphasizes shared responsibility across leadership, workplace culture, healthcare systems, and policy. Its work recognizes that meaningful prevention requires more than encouraging officers to “take care of themselves.” It requires organizations to examine how schedules, staffing practices, leadership expectations, and access to care affect long-term health outcomes.

This shift in perspective is critically important. In many professions, workplace safety includes both physical and psychological protection. Yet in policing, conversations about mental health have often been delayed by stigma, fear of career consequences, or the belief that stress is simply part of the job. As a result, many officers struggle silently long before reaching a crisis point.

The Foundation’s mission challenges that culture by advocating for earlier intervention, stronger support systems, and collaboration across disciplines. Its work brings together experts in law enforcement, healthcare, research, organizational science, and public health to identify gaps and develop practical solutions. That interdisciplinary approach reflects the reality that officer wellness is not a single-issue problem with a single-issue solution.

An Important Truth

The Foundation also highlights an important truth: officer wellbeing directly affects public safety. Officers who are exhausted, overwhelmed, or struggling without support are at greater risk for burnout, impaired decision-making, and long-term health complications. Supporting officers is not separate from serving communities; it is essential to it.

Equally significant is the Foundation’s focus on sustainability. Wellness cannot be addressed only after a tragedy occurs or during moments of national attention. Long-term change requires consistent investment, education, and accountability across the full span of an officer’s career.

At its core, the Howard C. Liebengood Foundation is about prevention, awareness, and systems-level change. It seeks to ensure that officers do not have to choose between serving others and protecting their own wellbeing. It also serves as a reminder that behind every uniform is a person deserving of support, compassion, and care.

The challenges facing law enforcement today are complex, ongoing, and deeply human. Addressing them requires more than acknowledgment; it requires action.

And for countless officers and families, that action could make all the difference.

To better understand the personal experiences and systemic challenges that inspired the creation of the Howard C. Liebengood Foundation, read the full Police Chief magazine article, “He Did Not Want to Die” by Serena Liebengood, MD, MHSA.

HCLF Board Members Named Among Washington, D.C.’s Most Influential People

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Howard C. Liebengood Foundation proudly announces that two of its distinguished board members, retired Police Chief Terrence M. Cunningham and retired ATF Assistant Director Jim Pasco have been recognized as two of Washington, D.C.’s Most Influential People by Washingtonian magazine for 2026.

The Howard C. Liebengood Foundation was founded by Dr. Serena Liebengood in memory of her husband, United States Capitol Police (USCP) Officer Howard “Howie” C. Liebengood. A 15-year veteran of the USCP Senate Division, Officer Liebengood who tragically died by suicide in January 2021. In his honor, the Foundation is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of law enforcement officers nationwide through interdisciplinary collaboration, education, and research. The Foundation’s work addresses the critical mental health challenges facing those who serve and protect our communities in a comprehensive and collaborative way.

Chief Terrence M. Cunningham currently serves as Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). A former President of the IACP and retired Chief of Police from Wellesley, Massachusetts, Chief Cunningham is a nationally recognized leader in law enforcement policy, training, officer wellness, and community engagement. He brings decades of executive experience to the Foundation’s board.

James O. Pasco, Jr. retired as an Assistant Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the nation’s largest and oldest law enforcement labor organization, representing more than 382,000 officers. A leading advocate on Capitol Hill for law enforcement officers, including officer safety, mental health support, and criminal justice reform—Pasco has been a powerful voice in national policy for over four decades.

“Chief Cunningham and Executive Director Pasco are not only influential leaders on law enforcement issues in Washington, D.C., but both are also passionate champions of officer wellness,” said Dr. Liebengood. “Their expertise and dedication are invaluable to the Foundation as we work to break down barriers to mental health care, promote resilience, and honor the sacrifice of officers like my husband, Howie. We are very grateful and incredibly proud to have them on our board.”

The Foundation’s work mission is to improve the health and wellness of law enforcement officers through interdisciplinary collaboration, education, and research by identifying opportunities to improve workplace health, access to healthcare, and health outcomes of law enforcement officers, while actively facilitating multifaceted solutions.