Corrections_Today_May_June_2023_Vol.85_No.3

Policies and Resolutions

organizational unit should have one person designated as a coordinator of employee assistance programs; E. Use other public or private agencies if these services are not available within the agency; F. Require the employee assistance program coordinator to report to management, at least quarterly, on employee assistance services provided and include recom mendations for enhancing the agency’s employee assistance program; G. Ensure that employee requests or referrals for assistance remain confidential, unless the employee expressly elects to waive confidentiality; and H. Ensure that use of the program/services does not reflect negatively upon the employee. This public correctional policy was ratified by the American Correctional Association Del egate Assembly during the 123 rd Congress of Correction in Nashville, TN on August 4, 1993. It was last reviewed and reaffirmed at the Winter Conference in Orlando, FL on January 31, 2023. PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY ON EMPLOYEE WELLNESS 2018-1 Introduction: Correctional employees face a critical issue in their workforce; creating and maintaining an environment that promotes total well-being. Cor rectional staff have one of the toughest jobs and face unique stressors such as threats to personal safety, sudden physical exertion, shift work, and hypervigilance, while continuing to carry out their

primary responsibilities of custody, control and rehabilitation of those under their supervision. These stressors are compounded when considering that correctional staff are often times dealing with the most serious, violent, and oftentimes mentally ill individuals. As a result, correctional employees struggle to successfully mitigate the stressors af fecting their health. Policy Statement: The American Correctional Association (ACA) recognizes that employee wellness is becoming more of an issue and has moved to the forefront of conversations and research nation wide. The ACA is committed to raising awareness and educating employees regarding employee well-being, and addressing the need to equip correctional staff with the tools needed to address employment-related stress. Therefore correctional agencies should: A. Ensure that all work practices, the work environment and culture will value, en hance and protect the health and wellbeing of all employees; B. Support workplace wellness by creat ing and supporting wellness initiatives that offer a continuum of programs and services for the personal and professional wellbeing of its employees; C. Educate, raise awareness about how to mitigate the stressors related to working in a correctional environment; and D. Share practices and evidence-based research with correctional partners. This Public Correctional Policy was unani mously ratified by the American Correctional Association Delegate Assembly at the Winter Conference in Orlando, FL on January 9, 2018. It was last reviewed and reaffirmed at the Winter Conference in Orlando, FL on January 31, 2023.

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

56 — May/June 2023 Corrections Today