John Coffelt, Editor

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved at the March 7 meeting a first responder metal health plan that is aimed to combat suicide post-traumatic stress.

The program is offered through the faith-based Family Counseling Center for $20,450 annually.

The Center’s outreach coordinator Veronica Patterson, widow of the late Manchester Police Capt. Chris Patterson posted after the meeting, “Wellness programs are focused on providing peer to peer support as well as counseling for our public servants. Tonight our Wellness All Around program passed in Manchester-where Chris served as a Captain for many years,” she writes.

Patterson told the committee members the story of the day her husband  took his life on duty on Oct. 16, 2020.

Patterson once she was brought on as an advocate for the program, she pushed for a peer-counseling aspect. Cops talk to cops, she says.

“Tonight,” she wrote after the meeting, “I know we will save someone like Chris because this program will be available to all first responders and their families. I didn’t move this mountain by myself. This program was created by people who truly want to make a difference for our first responders. It was created with much heart and I feel, will heal hearts and minds.”

A memo was distributed among city officials informing the members that the city’s insurance provider’s plan includes a One America ComPsych program that offers six counseling sessions per issue per year.

Alderman Ryan French, however, said that the local program was needed.

“We are talking about a suicide prevention tool. And the fact that we’re just know learning that there are these tools that we already  have, that is the problem,” he said.

“This is a tool that actually trains someone internally … a local service that came and can work with our department,” he said.

“It’s great we have these suicide prevention tools that we have no idea that are available to us until now. That’s the problem,” he said.

“If our current city insurance provider, which by the way, we’ve all shared our opinions on that (resoundingly negative in earlier meetings), if they care about this tool that they have, I think they would reach out and let our employees know this tool is available.

“But we find out about it now. I think that’s a big problem with suicide prevention, when you don’t know the tools are in front of you,” French said.

French said the wellness program was completely different from an insurance policy. He said the program trains peer leaders within the city departments who can recognize warning signs and support them getting help.

Vice Mayor Mark Messick questioned if employees would participate. Alderman and career law enforcement officer Bob Bellamy said that he would vote to put the program in place, but suspects that few officers will use it.

“I pray that I’m wrong,” Bellamy said.

“I’m like Bob,” Messick said. “I don’t think anybody is going to use it, and I’m not going to vote for it.”

French responded, “I love Bob and Mark both, but when you say “someone won’t use this plan…your opposition to this is exactly why we need it.”

The motion to approve the plan passed 4-2 with Messick and Donny Parsley voting no.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.