ACA Co-Sponsored - Healthy People, Healthy Business: Staff Wellness Matters!

Employees are the biggest valuable assets in corrections, especially when managed, trained, and appropriately utilized for success. Corrections rely on well-trained, experienced, and devoted workforces to provide their community with the most cost-effective required security service and stay on track with the larger mission of public safety.

The physically and mentally demanding work conditions in correctional settings are associated with numerous health and performance outcomes like exhaustion, psychological distress, dissatisfaction, and impaired work ability. Historically, more attention has been given to the wellness of justice-involved individuals, but limited attention and effort have been given to maintaining the health and wellness of corrections staff. Maintaining a physically and mentally sound correctional workforce that can respond to numerous stressful job environments in correction is crucial.
Corrections need to invest in employee wellness programs to create a healthier workforce, improve employee morale, improve performance, attract talented workers, reduce absenteeism, and enhance the decision-making and productivity of the employees.