Embedded mental‑health clinician introduced to Cambridge police; program offers trauma‑informed support

Sue Ratcliffe, who identified herself at the meeting as an embedded mental‑health clinician working with the Cambridge Police Department under a grant, told the board she began full‑time work in July and will focus on officer health and wellness and on helping the department meet unfunded state wellness mandates.

"I'm responsible for the health and wellness of the officers, also for keeping [the Cambridge Police Department] up to par with the state mandates," Ratcliffe said. She described duties that include conducting biannual screenings, delivering trainings that carry continuing‑education credits and offering programs for officers and their families.

Ratcliffe outlined several program components she said are already in place or in development: a wellness curriculum rooted in neuroscience and nature exposure; a tactical‑nutrition pilot in partnership with Chesapeake Culinary to produce quick, healthy meals for shift work; weekly trauma‑informed yoga classes for first responders; and a county‑wide wellness survey to be developed with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES).

"Trauma‑informed yoga is used in the military a lot now and also for first responders," Ratcliffe said, citing research and a 2022 publication in the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation that she said supports the approach.

Ratcliffe said the clinician role is funded by federal grant dollars that are available until March 2027 and that partners and funders supporting program elements include the Lucas Nagle Memorial Foundation (Caroline County) and Chesapeake Employers Insurance Company. She said the program will be open to first responders across the county and to family members, and that training credits and outreach will be used to encourage participation.

During questions from board members, Ratcliffe and Lieutenant Greg McCray said a co‑responder model is being pursued — "Chief Todd is working on another grant for a co responder," Ratcliffe said — and McCray stated that mental‑health calls have been rising, with "over 200 of them" in the last year.

The board welcomed the presentation and discussed steps to encourage officer participation, with Ratcliffe saying she will offer train‑the‑trainer sessions and share invitations and flyers to increase uptake. The clinician said some offerings already qualify for training credits to support officers’ certification requirements.

The meeting record shows the program is in early implementation and federally funded through March 2027; details on future funding or long‑term staffing beyond that date were not specified.