Staff Health and Wellness

AJA President Mandy Lambert, CJM wants everyone working in jails across the country to know this: "It's okay not to be okay." And it's not a sign of weakness to seek help; it's a sign of strength.

Stress and anxiety among correctional employees are hazards of the job, and they are just two of the many barriers to achieving staff health and wellness. The goal of this page is to provide resources for corrections staff to attain mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness.

If you have something to contribute to this page, please send it to Interim Director of Marketing and Communications Jody West.
 

 

The Effects Death, Traumas, and Disasters Have on Mental Health

When people witness a traumatic event, they may feel confused and scared. These events disrupt our way of life and peace of mind. They can make us feel unsafe and afraid. There are many common reactions to trauma and a variety of ways to work through painful feelings you might be experiencing. Read more.

 

	AJA's Premier Health & Wellness Summit This 3-day comprehensive summit held on October 24-26, 2021 in Columbus, Ohio was designed to introduce new strategies, ideas, and habits that would increase the health and well-being of both individuals and agencies as a whole. Covering a broad range of subject matter regarding physical, mental, emotional, organizational, and work-life balance topics, offering tools and real-world solutions that are data-driven, and proven to increase retention, the overall health of your organization, and the staff that is so integral to it.
	NIC: Health and Wellness for Corrections Professionals The corrections profession is a tough business. While the work can be immensely rewarding, individuals entering this profession should be aware of both the tremendous opportunities that exist as well as the risks. Whether working in an institutional or community corrections environment, corrections professionals are faced with a myriad of challenges daily, from the populations we work with, responsibility to peers and leaders, queries from the media and public, and demands from friends and family. Read more.
	DOJ: Correctional Officer Wellness and Safety Literature Review Health and wellness among those who work in correctional agencies is an issue that has always existed, but is just starting to get the increasing attention that it deserves. One of the greatest threats to correctional officer (CO) wellness involves the stress they encounter as a result of their occupation. This document reviews the body of literature on the causes and effects of stress for COs, and describes the available research on CO wellness programs and their effectiveness. Read more.
	NIJ: What We Learned From the Research Literature Correctional officers play a pivotal role within the prison system. Yet, working as a correctional officer brings with it stressful and dangerous conditions that are unique to this line of work. Research has shown that correctional officers experience high stress levels, burnout, and a variety of other mental health-related consequences as a result of their jobs. Read more.