Findlay, Ohio – In response to a growing wave of tragedy among law‑enforcement families, Amy Cortez, the wife of Hancock County Sheriff Mike Cortez, has established a new nonprofit called Code Forty 4. The organization’s mission is to link first responders and their families to mental‑health resources while easing the financial burden that often follows a crisis.

Why the nonprofit was created

“He’s served this community for over 32 years, and I have seen the impact that the cumulative trauma has had on him,” Cortez said, referring to her husband’s long career on the sheriff’s office. Over the past seven years, seven law‑enforcement officers in northwest Ohio have died by suicide, four of them from Hancock County. Those losses prompted Cortez to focus on the families behind the badge.

From podcast to nonprofit

Code Forty 4 began as a podcast aimed at opening honest conversations about mental health and teaching families how to recognize warning signs at home. “When you’re in crisis mode, that is not the time necessarily to go search for help,” Cortez explained. “We want to be proactive and say, ‘Here’s all of the resources that are available to you.’”

Late last month the group earned nonprofit status, allowing it to expand its services. In addition to connecting first responders with counseling, the organization directs families to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, a treatment shown to help process traumatic experiences.

Funding and future plans

Code Forty 4 is fully funded by donations and is actively seeking corporate sponsors to broaden its reach. While the nonprofit’s initial focus is on Hancock County, Cortez plans to replicate the model across Ohio and eventually other states, providing a template for communities grappling with similar challenges.

Local residents and businesses are encouraged to support the effort through the organization’s online donation portal. By strengthening the mental‑health safety net for those who protect the community, Code Forty 4 aims to reduce the hidden costs of trauma for families and preserve the well‑being of first responders.

Original reporting: 13abc WTVG Toledo (news) — read the source article.