Correctional Employee Wellness Monograph

agencies, except for physical therapy and yoga which are still offered more often than by agencies in other regions. Relative to other regions, Region 4 has the greatest dis- parities in staff wellness program offerings between local and state agencies, favoring local agencies. Compared to state agencies, more local agencies provide peer support (67% vs. 40%), referrals to external entities (67% vs. 40%), drug and alcohol treatment (83% vs. 10%), nutrition (67% vs. 30%), family counseling (83% vs. 20%) and marriage counseling (83% vs. 20%). However, more state agencies provide criti- cal incident debriefing (100%) than local agencies (50%). Health education is provided by 56% of agencies in Region 4, with health education topics offered at moder- ate rates compared to all other regions. Stress management (56%) and financial wellness (50%) are most commonly offered, followed by coping skills (44%), suicide aware- ness (38%) and time management (25%). Additionally, topics are consistently offered in local and state agencies. The primary oversight for staff wellness programs in Region 4 is most often Human Resources (53%), followed by the Secretary, Director or Commissioner (27%). Hu- man resources oversight is slightly more common in state agencies than in local agencies (60% vs. 40%). Compared to local agencies, state agencies are also more likely to have oversight by the Secretary, Director or Commissioner (40% vs. 0%). However, local agencies are more likely than state agencies to have Sheriff (60% vs. 0%), risk man- agement (20% vs. 0%) or other oversight (20% vs. 0%). Region 4 funding for staff wellness programs comes from all funding sources queried except for grants. In fact, Region 4 is the only region not reporting grant funding for their wellness programs. Discretionary funds (53%) and line items (40%) most commonly support wellness programs, followed by external sources (27%) and facility operations (13%). Local agencies report no funding from line items or facility operations, which provide funding to other regions’ local agencies. The three sources of local agency funding are discretionary funds (60%), external sources (40%), and employee association or union funds (20%). State agencies’ staff wellness programs are funded by all funding sources queried except for grants. Among barriers to offering staff wellness programs, like in other regions, lack of funding (83%) and lack of adequate staffing (67%) are reported by most agencies in Region 4. Lack of community resources (25%), lack of in- formation (25%), lack of physical space (17%) and lack of

interest (17%) are also barriers in Region 4. While a lack of funding and a lack of staffing is cited by at least half of all state and local agencies, only state agencies report a lack of interest and lack of space. Regional comparisons The range of staff wellness programs offered by correc- tions agencies is broad, as shown in Table 3. Region 1 has high offerings of drug and alcohol treatment and peer sup- port, but low offerings of preventive health screens, social engagement activities, family and marriage counseling, and family events. In Region 2, over 35% of agencies offer every program, except physical therapy, yoga and mindfulness. Region 3 has low offering of family and marriage counsel- ing, family events, mindfulness, and health education and minimal offering of yoga and physical therapy. In Region 4, over 40% of agencies offer every program (except physi- cal therapy and yoga). Region 1 and Region 3 both offer on average 7 staff wellness programs. Region 2 and Region 4 both offer on average 10 wellness programs. Table 4 presents health education topics by each re- gion. Region 2 provides consistent health education across all topics with Region 4 closely following. Region 3 agencies provide the least amount of health education. In Table 4 Health Education includes the

Region 1 (n=14)

Region 2 (n=21)

Region 3 (n=19)

Region 4 (n=16)

Total (N=70)

following topics ...

Staff Suicide Awareness Stress Management Time Management

38% 52% 26% 38% 39%

36% 62% 26% 56% 46%

7% 43% 26% 25% 27%

Coping Skills

36% 58% 26% 44% 40%

Financial Wellness

21% 52% 16% 50% 36%

Other Health Education

29% 24% –

19% 17%

Legend:

Low offering

High offering

15