Denver City Council on Monday night renewed a contract that, in the past, has provided mental health support to public safety personnel and their families but will now be expanded to city leadership and staff currently stationed in the Emergency Operations Center, which coordinates the city’s COVID-19 response.

Nicoletti-Flater & Associates, a Lakewood-based public safety psychology firm, has contracted with the city’s public safety department since May 2017 and will continue to do so through the end of the year, but only to “allow enough time to set up and complete a new competitive bid process,” according to city documents.

Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca, who attended the meeting virtually, said she confirmed by email with the city that the process would roll out after December. She also stressed the connection between a competitive process and greater “access and diversity” within the safety department.  

The resolution, approved unanimously by the council, adds $150,000 to the contract for a new total of nearly $1.28 million for both mental and behavioral health services. Counseling is available 24/7 on a call-out basis, according to the contract, which was submitted by the public safety department.

“Since we are not certain when City business will return to a more normal state, we respectfully request this extension of time and addition of funds to ensure continuity and availability of these important services,” the department wrote in the resolution request.

“We do intend to issue an RFP for this work … but are concerned that current Citywide priorities in response to COVID-19 as well as the situation’s impacts to potential vendor applicants make issuing an RFP at the present time inappropriate,” the department stated.