Correctional Employee Wellness Monograph

emotion-focusing and reframing techniques, as well as provided biofeedback training to assist participants in their learning and implementation of the training.” 21 After this program, participants had significant improvements in total cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure, as well as mo- tivation, positive outlook and relaxation. 26 With the most recent studies showing positive results for correctional employee wellness and the history of such success in law enforcement agencies, the future of wellness programming in corrections is beginning to receive much-needed atten- tion and support. Although correctional employee wellness resources are often successful in improving employee wellbeing, several obstacles exist independent of program existence. A recent study has shown while the majority of correc- tional employees are interested in online health programs, anonymous hotlines or various trainings, fewer than 1 in 5 employees actually access the programs. 27 The most com- mon obstacle corrections agencies must overcome is their employees’ distrust in confidentiality. 22,28 Employees across the nation fear what they communicate to EAP providers, peer supporters or chaplains will negatively affect their job status, such as punitive action, restriction of duties, termination, judgement from coworkers or retaliation from administration. 22, 23 To have true efficacy, wellness initiatives “must be bidirectional, involving both top- down (organizational) efforts AND bottom-up (individual) involvement.” 23 A blended method, along with organi- zational policy changes, can be especially effective. 23 Through system-wide programs, addressing the interaction of intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental factors within the workplace, and reinforcing a culture of well- being, effective organizational interventions can succeed in maintaining physically, mentally and emotionally strong correctional employees. Overview With decades of evidence demonstrating the physi- cal and mental toll of a career in corrections, developing meaningful and comprehensive correctional employee wellness programs is critical for the safety and security of the U.S. In 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) sought applicants for training and technical assistance providers in eight areas, including “Improving Wellness

Photo courtesy Davidson County Sheriff’s Office

Support for Institutional Corrections Employees.” Ground- ed in data, research and best practices, the purpose was “to conduct a national scan of corrections academy and in-service trainings and develop recommendations and resources that will help institutional corrections agencies better support the retention and wellness of correctional employees.” 29 Objectives included conducting such a scan of current practices, identifying high quality curricula and gaps in available resources and developing sound guidance around effective correctional officer wellness supports. 24 The American Correctional Association (ACA) has long been at the forefront of addressing critical issues faced by correctional agencies today. In 2017, ACA iden- tified correctional employees’ wellness as a critical issue reaching crisis proportions and resolved to support and improve the multidimensional wellness of correctional employees. 30 In 2020, correctional staff wellness expected practices were published as part of ACA’s Performance- Based Standards and Expected Practices for Adult Correctional Institutions, Fifth Edition. 31 With extensive experience in conducting national data collection, estab- lishing best practices within the field of corrections and communicating updated information across correctional agencies both nationally and internationally, ACA sought to address the subject of correctional professional well- being with an evidence-based, representative approach. In October 2019, ACA and BJA entered a cooperative agreement to address the issues related to correctional

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