Worker Protection Initiatives through Labor; Human Resource Management; and/or Benefits

Impact and Evaluation of a Correctional Supervisors’ Design Team (DT) Intervention on Healthy Eating

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

A Design Team from the Connecticut Correctional Supervisors? Council collaborating with research staff from UConn Health utilized the Healthy Workplace Participatory Process to develop a Healthy Eating intervention for their workforce. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the training occurred virtually and pre- and post-surveys, created by the team were used to measure the efficacy of the training. Results showed that the training helped raise awareness of unhealthy eating behaviors. Finding can help play a role in future interventions in corrections.

Comparing facility-based and multi-site Design Team functions: effectiveness and program content

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

The purpose of this presentation is to compare the effectiveness of two participatory design teams of frontline correctional employees; a facility based team vs a multi-site based team. Both design teams, were trained and utilized the Healthy Workplace Participatory Program to implement health, safety and well-being interventions for their workforce. The teams will be compared through researcher process surveys and notes, and pre-post surveys of the workforce developed by each team to measure the effectiveness of their interventions.

The Intervention Design and Analysis Scorecard: A Total Worker Health Approach to Identifying Mental Health Stressors of Correctional Staff

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

A Design Team (DT) of correctional staff met bi-weekly to develop interventions addressing the mental health stressors of correctional staff. Using the Intervention Design and Analyses Scorecard (IDEAS), the DT designed three interventions: Peer support program, report writing training and a family support program. Because of COVID-19, an online approach was adapted for meetings and intervention implementation. Implementation of interventions are currently undergoing and will be reported during the presentation.

Does Sense of Coherence Buffer the Relationship Between Emotional Labor and Burnout in Corrections Officers?

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

This study explores how the stressful environment of working in a prison, particularly in regard to the need to manage emotions (emotional labor), and personal resources (in the form of personal sense of coherence) affect occupational burnout. Using data from a sample of 169 correctional staff members who participated in an ongoing study of health and well-being among staff at state correctional facilities, we examine whether work-based emotional labor is related to the emotional exhaustion component of burnout, and whether personal sense of coherence (SOC) has a protective effect by buffering the impact of emotional labor on burnout-exhaustion.

Association of perceived discrimination at work and depressive symptoms among correctional employees: Assessing the moderating role of sex, race/ethnicity, and job tenure

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

This study uses past participatory data in order to investigate how the mental health, and specifically depressive symptoms, of corrections workers is impacted by perceived workplace discrimination (PWD) from peers, superiors, and inmates. Due to the changing sociodemographic makeup of the corrections workforce and its paramilitary structure, this project will then discuss how belonging to a minority group within the field of corrections (ie. women and people of color) or being less tenured on the job moderates the relationship between PWD and depressive symptoms. This study found a significant positive association between PWD and depressive symptoms and that for those who had less job tenure, there was a stronger relationship between PWD and depressive symptoms. As diversity continues to increase in corrections, these findings can be used to develop interventions to reduce mental health disparities experienced by this population and illustrates a need for more programs that target less tenured employees.

A Mid-Decade Expansion to the National Occupational Research Agenda 2012-2026: Report from the Healthy Work Design Council Team Leading the 4th Objective on Chronic Conditions

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

We aim to describe our work on the Healthy Work Design and Well-being (HWD) Cross-Sector Council of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to identify current gaps in the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) pertaining to chronic conditions in the workplace and describe action plans to address these gaps. We focus on five primary areas for expansion. We propose short-term, mid-term and long-term outputs to carry out the expansion process. This works is a timely Mid-Decade Expansion to the National Occupational Research Agenda 2012-2026.

Systematic Literature Review of interventions to address mental-health effects of traumatic events in corrections

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

A national participatory effort among jail and prison professionals, organizations, and researchers involves seeking interventions to address mental health-related risks including stress, burnout and psychological distress from job-related traumatic events. In our scoping review of 1283 studies, only 13 met trauma intervention criteria. The team will further explore the needs for evaluating existing practices to address trauma and stress in criminal justice facilities using surveys and interviews.

Clinical Psychology Consultations in Support of Corrections Employees Engaged in Intervention Design Efforts

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

In March 2020, correctional facilities were not exempt from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and may have been impacted more severely compared to other work settings, especially due to workplace stressors (CDC, 2021; Montoya-Barthelemy, 2020; Okano & Blower, 2020; Rubin, 2020). Utilizing a novel approach (Introduction, Integration, Implementation, and Interpretation), this case study evaluates the strengths and challenges of integrating a clinical perspective in participatory action research.