There is a mental health crisis in corrections that must be addressed. It is estimated that over 150 officers and staff take their own lives each year. The stresses that correctional officers and staff are facing on a daily basis are resulting in an alarming rise in suicides, divorce, substance abuse, decreased mortality and numerous physical ailments long associated with elevated levels of stress. 

Tara Keaton, Vice President of the Corrections Supervisors Council is a part of One Voice United, a group of correctional officers and staff who have come together to ensure that our voices are heard at the tables where corrections reform is discussed. One of the most critical areas this group believes must be addressed is the mental health of corrections officers and staff mental health if any meaningful change is to occur. To fully understand the depths of the problem One Voice United embarked on an 18-month project that started with a survey of officers and staff across the nation on the issues they felt were most important to them. Ninety-one percent identified mental health and PTSD as critical areas of concern. These results led to extensive research on this topic resulting in the release of the white paper, “I Am Not Okay”. An excerpt is below, but the full paper can be found on our website at CSEA-CT.com. Written and researched by correctional officers, staff and professionals, this white paper is an important tool that delves into the complexities of the problems the corrections work environment presents. It does not simply identify the problems, however, it offers ways to decrease the stresses and tensions that come from working in our prisons and jails. 

Please email TKeatoncsea760@gmail.com with any feedback or to take a related survey. 

You can review the entire paper HERE.