Poster #97 - Exploring the Attitudes Towards and Access to Mental Health Resources Among Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers

• In Event: ASC Poster Session I

Abstract

This project explores the perceptions, attitudes, access to, and barriers related to mental health resources among Mississippi law enforcement officers. Mississippi presents as a critical research area due to its rural population, limited mental health infrastructure, and geographically dispersed law enforcement agencies with minimal resources. The study examines how geographical isolation, social norms, and organizational culture influence the accessibility and utilization of mental health services. Despite growing recognition of officer mental health concerns, much remains unknown about the provision of psychological care within rural law enforcement contexts. This project will provide critical insights into the systemic, societal, and personal obstacles that impede effective mental health support for officers. In the absence of such knowledge, targeted interventions and policy recommendations that might otherwise improve psychological wellbeing in law enforcement remain, at best, unclear. The following research questions guide this project: 1) What contextual factors mediate officers' perceptions of mental health resources, and how do these perceptions translate into actual help-seeking behaviors? 2) What specific mental health resources are officers aware of, and what are their perceptions of resource availability, accessibility, and effectiveness? 3) What barriers most significantly impede officers' engagement with mental health resources?

Author

• Mason Myers, University of Mississippi