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WESTERN NEW YORK LAW ENFORCEMENT HELPLINE INC
Buffalo, NY · EIN 834161468 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE E80 · Health Care · Small ($100K-$1M) · wnylawenforcementhelpline.org
revenue
$154K
expenses
$154K
net assets
$142K
employees
3
volunteers
90
program ratio
99%
mission · from form 990

To benefit law enforcement officers and other first responders, working and retired, and their families, who reside in New York State and who are facing various health, financial and other challenges by providing confidential assistance, information and referrals.

profile · synthesized from sources

Western New York Law Enforcement Helpline Inc supports law enforcement officers, first responders, dispatchers, and their families across New York State who face mental health, financial, or personal challenges. The organization provides 24/7 confidential peer support, crisis intervention, and referrals through a network of trained peers. It also hosts wellness workshops, suicide prevention training, and post-critical incident seminars to promote long-term resilience and mental well-being.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $63K
    Held 2 - 3 day free Post Critical Incident Seminars (PCIS) for 66 first responders and their families. A PCIS is designed to assist first responders that have been involved in on-duty critical incidents, cumulative career stress, or traumatic life events unrelated to their law enforcement career, and have had an adverse effect in their everyday life as a result. This is a peer-based program, where peer-to-peer assistance will be accompanied by clinical staff, to assist the attendees in finding healthy ways to cope with stress and manage PTSD.
  2. #2 $11K
    Hosted First Responder Wellness Workshops - a peer-led and discussion based workshop focusing on the overall wellbeing of law enforcement officers, first responders, and dispatchers.
named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

24/7 Peer Support Helpline
Confidential, around-the-clock support provided by trained Law Enforcement Peers and Family Peers for officers, first responders, and their families facing personal or professional crises.
Acts of Kindness
Initiative providing care baskets to families of first responders during times of stress or loss, organized by the Family Committee.
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) and Crisis Management Briefing (CMB)
Structured group interventions following traumatic events to help first responders process incidents and reduce long-term psychological impact.
First Responder Wellness Workshops
Peer-led, discussion-based workshops focused on mental health, stress management, and overall well-being for law enforcement, dispatchers, and first responders.
Post Critical Incident Seminars (PCIS)
Free 2–3 day peer-based seminars for first responders and families affected by on-duty incidents, cumulative stress, or trauma, featuring clinical and peer support to manage PTSD and stress.
Spouse Support Groups
Support groups for spouses and family members of law enforcement officers to share experiences and receive peer-led emotional support.
Training Programs
Offers Assisting Individuals in Crisis and Group Crisis Intervention training through ICISF, as well as suicide prevention education for first responders and agencies.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Mental Health Education and Awareness 3 activities
    • Critical incident response and post-incident support services
      Delivers Critical Incident Stress Debriefings, Crisis Management Briefings, and Post Critical Incident Seminars to first responders and their families to support trauma recovery and stress management; served 66 individuals in such seminars according to reported data.
    • ICISF-certified crisis intervention training for first responders
      Provides Assisting Individuals in Crisis, Group Crisis Intervention, and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing training through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) for first responders and agencies.
    • Peer-led wellness and suicide prevention training for first responders
      Offers peer-led wellness workshops, suicide prevention training, and educational presentations on stress and wellness topics for law enforcement officers, dispatchers, and other first responders to promote mental health and resilience.
  • 24/7 Crisis and Warmline Support Services 1 activity
    • 24/7 confidential helpline for law enforcement and families
      Provides 24/7 confidential assistance, information, and referrals to active and retired law enforcement officers, dispatchers, and their families through trained Law Enforcement and Family Peer supporters. Callers are connected with a peer within 15 minutes via a dispatcher-mediated process.
  • Law Enforcement Professional Development 1 activity
    • Advocacy and education on first responder mental health
      Presents to law enforcement departments and criminal justice students across the U.S. and Canada on the impact of critical incidents on officers and their families to raise awareness and promote systemic support.
  • Volunteer and Professional Training Programs 1 activity
    • Capacity building for law enforcement peer support programs
      Supports law enforcement agencies in developing and maintaining peer support programs and manages registration for the organization’s ICISF training initiatives to strengthen responder wellness infrastructure.
  • Law Enforcement Family Crisis Support 1 activity
    • Support services for families of first responders
      Provides peer support to spouses and family members of law enforcement officers through trained Family Peers, facilitates support groups, and organizes care baskets for families during times of stress or crisis.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$154K
Contributions & grants$129K84%
Program service revenue$10K6%
Investment income$2530%
Other revenue$15K
expenses
Total expenses$154K
Program expenses99%
Admin / overhead1%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$56K
Grants paid out$6K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$152K
Cash$140K
Investments$0
Liabilities$9K
Net assets$142K
Liquid reserves10.9 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +37.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Melissa Harte Coordinator 20 $49K
board members · 10
  • Ana Eiser — Board Member
  • Cheryl Kennedy — Board Member
  • Darren Exum — Board Member
  • David Casterline — Board Member
  • Elizabeth Johnson — Board Member
  • Keith Kwiatkowski — Board Member
  • Lindsay Zgoda — Board Member
  • Matthew Cross — Board Member
  • Stefanie Matta — Board Member
  • Stephanie Paluch — Board Member
relationships · 27

Who they work with

  • Badge of Life Partner — Linked as a wellness and suicide prevention organization, indicating a collaborative relationship
  • Erie County Chiefs of Police Association Partner — Contributor to the Helpline
  • Erie County Council for the Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Partner — Linked as a local substance abuse prevention council, suggesting a regional partnership
  • Erie County Law Enforcement Foundation Partner — Contributor to the Helpline
  • Erie County Law Enforcement Training Academies Partner — Provides presentations and training to officers and families on job-related stressors and coping strategies.
  • Firefighter Arno Memorial Foundation Partner — Linked as a supporting organization, suggesting a cross-service collaboration
  • ICISF Partner — Collaborates with ICISF to deliver Assisting Individuals in Crisis Training and Group Crisis Intervention Training.
  • International Critical Incident Stress Foundation Network — Offers ICISF-certified training courses to law enforcement peers and family members.
  • International Critical Incident Stress Foundation Partner — Link provided to ICISF, indicating a resource partnership or referral relationship
  • MERS Partner — Handles incoming calls and dispatches on-call Peers
  • NYLEAP Partner — Linked as a state-level law enforcement assistance program, indicating a partnership or referral relationship
  • NYS Department of Criminal Justice Services Government — Linked as a state criminal justice agency, suggesting an official affiliation
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline Partner — Linked as a support resource, indicating a referral or collaborative relationship
  • National Institute for Mental Health Government — Linked as a resource for mental health information, suggesting an informational affiliation
  • National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Partner — Linked as a national memorial organization, suggesting a collaborative or referral relationship
  • National Police Suicide Foundation Partner — Linked as a suicide prevention resource, suggesting a thematic partnership
  • New York Law Enforcement Assistance Program Partner — Collaborates on training initiatives and peer support; board members hold dual roles with NYLEAP.
  • New York State Division of Veterans Affairs Government — Linked as a state veterans services agency, indicating an official affiliation
  • Niagara County Law Enforcement Training Academies Partner — Provides presentations and training to officers and families on job-related stressors and coping strategies.
  • Niagara Interfaith Chaplaincy Partner — Contributor to the Helpline
  • Officer Down Memorial Page Partner — Linked as a memorial and support resource, suggesting a collaborative relationship
  • PBA's Partner — Contributor to the Helpline
  • Safe Call Now.org Partner — Linked as a peer support resource for law enforcement, suggesting a collaborative relationship
  • Serve & Protect.org Partner — Linked as a law enforcement support organization, indicating a partnership
  • United States Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD Government — Linked as a resource for PTSD support, indicating a referral relationship
  • WNY Police Foundation Partner — Contributor to the Helpline
  • Western New York C.O.P.S. Partner — Linked as a local law enforcement support group, indicating a regional partnership
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Agency-Level Peer System Development
    methodology: agency_capacity_building_for_peer_support
    By helping law enforcement agencies establish internal peer support networks, we scale mental health resilience because embedding support within agencies normalizes help-seeking and strengthens organizational culture.
  • Integrated Peer and Clinical Support
    methodology: peer_support_with_clinical_backing
    By combining peer-to-peer support with clinical oversight, we ensure both accessibility and clinical safety, because peer connection increases engagement while professional backup ensures appropriate care for complex mental health needs like PTSD and acute stress.
  • Peer-Based Support Model
    methodology: peer_support_model
    By leveraging trained peers from within law enforcement and their families, we provide timely and relatable mental health support because shared lived experience reduces stigma and increases willingness to engage, especially among those reluctant to access traditional services.
  • Proactive and Comprehensive Wellness System
    methodology: comprehensive_peer_support
    By integrating pre-incident education, ongoing peer support, and post-crisis interventions, we build long-term resilience because a continuum of care addresses mental health before, during, and after trauma exposure.