Latoya Hughes Director at Illinois Department of Corrections | Official website
Latoya Hughes Director at Illinois Department of Corrections | Official website
The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) has announced a new wellness course aimed at supporting the families of frontline correctional employees. This initiative marks the first time a state correctional agency in the United States has extended such a program to family members.
"IDOC is thrilled to expand its wellness program to encompass the families of our dedicated correctional staff," said IDOC Acting Director Latoya Hughes. "Together, we are strengthening support beyond the workplace, recognizing the unique challenges correctional families face and their vital role in the well-being and success of our staff."
Jonathan Brown, IDOC Staff Wellness Coordinator, added, "Recognizing the immense value of support between staff and their loved ones, I believe this course is an essential addition to our program. This course will provide invaluable insight to family members, enabling them to grasp the experiences of correctional staff within our department."
The four-hour course titled 'Correctional Family Wellness - For Families' was developed by Desert Waters Correctional Outreach. It aims to educate adult family members on how corrections work can affect family life and offers strategies for managing related stress. The course covers topics like job stress management and effective self-care.
This effort is part of IDOC's ongoing commitment to staff wellness, which began with planning in 2017 that led to forming the Staff Wellness Response Team (SWRT). SWRT includes 200 members across IDOC facilities and provides various resources like peer support through confidential referrals and wellness rooms for decompression after critical incidents.
In addition to this new family-focused workshop, SWRT offers other programs such as ‘Corrections Fatigue to Fulfillment’ for current staff and incoming cadets. They also host ‘All Things You’ wellness days focusing on multiple dimensions of wellness.
Family members interested in participating can contact SWRT via email at doc.staffwellnessresponseteam@illinois.gov.
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