Help for Napa County First Responders
To support First Responders/Public Safety Workers and their families, Napa Valley Community Foundation has established the First Responders Fund. This Fund offers three types of financial assistance:
- Cash Grants of Up to $20,000 for health-related emergencies.
- Cash Grants of Up to $20,000 for disaster-related emergencies.
- Mental Health Support: Up to 20 additional therapy sessions annually.
Mental Health Program
First Responder/Public Safety Workers encounter stressful and traumatic situations, which can affect them as well as their family members. The Program provides funding to pay for mental health treatment for Workers (and/or their spouses/domestic partners or dependent children under age 26) where such treatment is not covered by insurance (including workers’ compensation) or for Workers who pay for their own or an eligible dependent’s mental health treatment services personally out-of-pocket. The Program will pay up to a maximum of $3,500 per year for a Worker or an eligible family member, with a lifetime cap of $15,000 per household.
Workers eligible for the Program and seeking assistance for themselves or an eligible family member must submit an application directly to NVCF via email on the form linked below. NVCF will contact the mental health professional for the Worker or eligible family member to confirm Worker and/or dependent family member eligibility and if an application for the Program Benefits is approved, for relevant billing/payment information.
The Program application process is confidential. Information sufficient to verify the eligibility of the Worker and/or their dependent family members and to permit administration of the Program, including contacting the relevant mental health professional, will be obtained by NVCF. Worker confidential information will not be shared with the employer of a Worker or Worker’s eligible family member or any other party without, as applicable, Worker’s/dependent family member’s express written consent unless required by law or compelled by legal process.
Who is eligible?
Current full-time Workers both sworn and unsworn, employed by of one
of the following agencies:
- Napa County Sheriff’s Department
- Napa City Police Department
- Napa City Fire Department
The spouse or registered domestic partner of a current, full-time Worker
employed by a participating agency; or the dependent children (under
age 26 and living with the Worker) of a current, full-time Worker
(collectively, “eligible family members”).
What help is available?
When the need for mental health treatment of a Worker or eligible family member arises out of trauma or injury suffered by a Worker carrying out their first responder/public safety duties, the Program will pay for up to 20 mental health therapy sessions or treatments up to a maximum of $3,500 annually, with a lifetime cap of $15,000 for Workers and eligible family members.
When treatment is for an eligible family member, Worker must certify on the Eligible Family Member Application Supplement that the Worker’s household income does not exceed 200% of the Area Median Income (“AMI”) for Napa County. (Please see AMI table in Application Supplement above for details.)
Please note: the lifetime cap of $15,000 is for the Worker’s household, including the Worker and any eligible family members.
The payments provided by the Program are available when the Worker or eligible family member has exhausted available insurance or the treatment is being paid or provided outside of Workers’ Compensation, or the Worker has chosen to pay for treatment outside of insurance coverage.
Will all applications be approved?
- The goal of the Program is to support all eligible persons seeking mental health treatment assistance; however, there is not a guarantee that all applications will be approved or that sufficient funds will be available to provide assistance for all applicants.
How do I apply?
- To apply for assistance under the Program for the Worker or an eligible family member, the Worker must complete the attached Application for Program Benefits form and the appropriate authorization forms and email them to FRFund@napavalleycf.org.
- Note: if the application is for an eligible family member, the Worker must also complete the Eligible Family Member Application Supplement and transmit to the email noted above.
Emergency Benefits Program:
Health-Related Emergencies
When unexpected hardships arise, the Emergency Benefits Program can be a safety net and a backstop, with cash grants to eligible First Responders of up to $20,000 for health-related emergencies.
Who is eligible?
Current full-time Workers both sworn and unsworn, employed by of one
of the following agencies:
- Napa County Sheriff’s Department
- Napa City Police Department
- Napa City Fire Department
What is a health- related emergency?
- A long-term illness or acute medical condition not covered, or not fully covered, by the employee’s health or LTD insurance, which creates an undue financial hardship for the employee.
- An employee may apply on behalf of themselves, their spouse or registered domestic partner, or their dependent children.
What help is available?
- Cash assistance of up to $20,000 per employee per year, with a lifetime cap of $50,000.
Will all applications be approved?
- Applications from qualified employees, for qualified health-related emergencies, will be evaluated quickly and objectively, but funding is not guaranteed.
How do I apply?
- To apply for assistance, please complete the attached application and submit it by email to FRFund@napavalleycf.org
Emergency Benefits Program:
Disaster-Related Emergencies
When unexpected hardships arise, the Emergency Benefits Program can be a safety net and a backstop, with cash grants to eligible First Responders of up to $20,000 for disaster-related emergencies.
Who is eligible?
Current full-time Workers both sworn and unsworn, employed by of one
of the following agencies:
- Napa County Sheriff’s Department
- Napa City Police Department
- Napa City Fire Department
What is a disaster-related emergency?
- An earthquake, fire, flood or other disaster that damages or destroys the employee’s primary residence, and/or the contents in that residence, which creates an undue financial hardship for the employee.
What help is available?
- Cash assistance of up to $20,000 per employee per year, with a lifetime cap of $50,000.
Will all applications be approved?
- Applications from qualified employees, for qualified disaster-related emergencies, will be evaluated quickly and objectively, but funding is not guaranteed.
How do I apply?
- To apply for assistance, please complete the attached application and submit it by email to FRFund@napavalleycf.org