Public Safety & Fitness-for-Duty Psychological Services
Loudoun Psychological Services partners with law enforcement and public safety agencies to provide ethical, role-informed psychological evaluations and consultation that support officer wellbeing, agency decision-making, and community trust.
Serving departments and agencies in Loudoun County and the greater Northern Virginia region.
Partners in high-responsibility public safety roles
Public safety professionals make decisions in complex, high-stakes environments. Our role is to bring psychological expertise to your existing systems in a way that respects your mission, chain of command, and policies—while upholding professional ethics and the wellbeing of those who serve.
Law Enforcement Agencies
Municipal and county police, sheriff’s offices, and related units seeking psychological input that is attuned to the realities of patrol, investigations, and leadership roles.
Fire & Rescue Services
Support for fire/EMS agencies navigating the emotional impact of critical incidents, shift work, and the demands of emergency response roles.
Emergency Communications & Dispatch
Services for 911 and emergency communications centers, where staff manage intense situations through sustained attention and emotional regulation.
Other Public Safety & Specialized Units
Collaboration with specialized teams and related agencies whose personnel operate in high-demand, safety-sensitive roles.
Public safety–focused psychological services
We provide psychological services that are informed by the unique demands of public safety roles. Our work is grounded in ethics, role clarity, and transparent communication about what we can—and cannot—contribute to your decision-making processes.
Pre-Employment Psychological Screening
Role-informed psychological evaluations that help agencies consider whether applicants appear psychologically suitable for public safety work at the time of assessment.
- Structured interviews and standardized assessment tools
- Focus on job-relevant traits and risk factors
- Reports that address psychological suitability in clear language
Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations
Comprehensive evaluations, when requested by an agency, that consider whether a current employee appears psychologically able to safely and effectively perform essential job functions.
- Role- and policy-informed evaluation questions
- Integration of records, interviews, and testing where appropriate
- Opinion statements focused on psychological functioning, not discipline
Post-Critical Incident & Supportive Evaluation
When indicated, evaluations or consultations following critical incidents to consider the psychological impact and support pathways for personnel.
- Attention to trauma exposure and cumulative stress
- Coordination with existing peer support and wellness programs
- Recommendations that respect operational realities
Consultation with Command, HR, & Legal
Consultation to help leadership understand psychological considerations in complex cases, within the context of policy, labor agreements, and legal guidance.
- Clarifying the scope and limits of psychological input
- Helping integrate evaluation findings into broader decisions
- Supporting transparent, defensible processes
Wellness Consultation & Education
Education and consultation that align with your existing wellness or peer-support initiatives, without overpromising or pathologizing normal stress responses.
- Training on stress, trauma exposure, and resilience
- Support for supervisors navigating mental-health concerns
- Guidance on connecting personnel with appropriate resources
Coordination with Community & Internal Resources
Thoughtful coordination with peer support, chaplaincy, EAPs, and outside clinicians to create a network of options for personnel and their families.
- Clarifying where our role begins and ends
- Avoiding duplication of existing services
- Encouraging voluntary help-seeking when appropriate
Ethical, role-aware practice
Our clinicians follow professional ethics, relevant guidelines for police and public safety psychology, and applicable privacy laws. We are clear with agencies and personnel about the purpose of each evaluation, what information may be shared, and how findings will be used. We do not function as advocates for any one party; our responsibility is to provide accurate, role-informed psychological opinions within a clearly defined referral question.
A clear, transparent process for agencies and personnel
Consistency and clarity are crucial in public safety settings. We work with agencies to establish predictable processes for referral, evaluation, communication, and documentation.
Agency partnership planning
We meet with command, HR, and legal/HR advisors to define the types of services requested, referral pathways, communication expectations, and documentation standards.
Referral & informed communication
The agency initiates a referral within the agreed process. Personnel are informed about the purpose of the evaluation, what participation involves, and what information may be shared.
Evaluation & role-informed opinion
We conduct interviews, review records, and use appropriate assessment tools. We then provide a written report addressing the specific referral question from a psychological perspective.
Follow-up & consultation
When appropriate, we are available to clarify our findings and answer questions from designated agency contacts within the scope of the evaluation and applicable confidentiality rules.
What public safety partners often notice
Every agency is different, and outcomes can’t be guaranteed, but partners often describe these kinds of benefits when psychological services are integrated thoughtfully into their systems.
Clearer, role-relevant information
Agencies receive structured, job-focused psychological opinions that can be considered alongside operational, legal, and policy factors in decision-making.
More consistent processes
Defined referral and evaluation procedures reduce ad-hoc decision-making and help ensure personnel are treated fairly and consistently over time.
Support for wellbeing & trust
When implemented thoughtfully, psychological services can contribute to officer wellness efforts and reinforce the agency’s commitment to responsible, accountable public safety.
Frequently asked questions
We encourage agencies to ask questions and seek clarity before entering into a partnership. These responses address some of the common themes we hear from public safety leaders.
Let’s explore partnership for your agency
We welcome conversations with chiefs, sheriffs, commanders, HR staff, and other leaders who are considering how psychological services might support their personnel and community mission.
- Discuss your agency’s size, structure, and current supports
- Clarify what types of psychological services are being considered
- Outline expectations, communication pathways, and documentation needs
This form is for agency and leadership inquiries only and is not monitored for urgent or emergency situations. If there is an immediate safety concern, please follow your agency’s critical-incident protocols and contact appropriate emergency resources.