Correctional Employee Wellness Monograph

Figure 2

Staff Wellness Programs by Community Setting

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Rural

Suburban

Urban

Employee Assistance Program

Critical Incident Debriefings

Preventative Health Screens/Vaccinations/Inoculations

Peer Support

Outside Referrals

Fitness

Health Fairs

Health Education

Drug and Alcohol Treatment

Resiliency Support/Programs Social Engagement Activities

Nutrition

Family Counseling

Marriage Counseling

Family Events

Mindfulness

Yoga

Physical Therapy

local agencies. Overall, the average number of wellness programs offered by an agency is eight and does not differ between state and local agencies. Staff wellness program offerings also vary by com- munity setting of local agencies, as shown in Figure 2. Collectively, rural agencies provide half (53%) of the 17 staff wellness programs queried, with an average of five programs (range 3-9) per agency. Only critical incident debriefing (75%), nutrition (50%), and drug and alcohol treatment (50%) are offered by more than half of rural agencies. Suburban agencies provide 83% of the programs queried with an average of six programs per agency (range 3-12). Critical incident debriefing (67%), preventative health (67%), drug and alcohol treatment (67%), and out- side referrals (50%) are offered by at least half of suburban agencies. Urban agencies provide all programs queried with an average 10 programs per agency (2-17). Only physical therapy is offered by fewer than 40% of urban agencies. Characteristics and limitations of staff wellness program offerings Respondents reported if the following circumstance was true for each of the staff wellness programs offered: par- ticipation is confidential, there are frequency limitations,

copays or fees are required, participation is mandatory, tied to job performance, and available to spouses. Where appropriate, services are offered confidentially (i.e., drug and alcohol, marriage, and family counseling, preventative health screens, referral to an outside entity and peer sup- port). Few programs are mandatory (e.g., drug and alcohol treatment and critical incident debriefing) or are tied to job performance (e.g., drug and alcohol treatment and physical therapy). Copays or fees are uncommon except for drug and alcohol treatment, physical therapy, yoga and for refer- rals to outside entities. Frequency limitations are imposed on counseling programs (drug and alcohol treatment, fam- ily, marriage, resiliency support), physical health programs (physical therapy, nutrition, fitness) and referrals to outside entities. Health education offerings Health education is important for promoting staff wellness, including physical, social, emotional and financial wellness. Almost half of agencies offer health education. Stress management (40%) and suicide aware- ness (39%) are the two most offered topics, followed by financial wellness (36%), time management (27%) and other topics (17%).

8