By C1 Staff
LOWELL — A conference in Lowell, Mass., this past Monday focused on suicide rates in corrections officers and how to best address the issue.
The event, co-hosted by Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Kotoujian and the National Sheriff’s Association, was the first its kind, according to the Lowell Sun. The goal was to have different speakers share some of their best practices to promote the health and wellness of corrections employees in the midst of workplace stress.
“Corrections officers have one of the most psychologically, emotionally and physically demanding jobs out there, while getting little recognition for what they do,” said Viki Sharp of New York City’s Department of Corrections. Both she and Kotoujian said that corrections officers need to be recognized for their demanding work.
“We don’t say thank you to corrections officers and appreciate what they do,” Kotoujian said. “They are silent guardians.”
According to Kotoujian, a strong and supportive family is crucial to the mental health and overall well-being of corrections officers. Sharp says she tries to help correcetions officers in New York City have a balanced life so they can handle the stresses of the job. She encourages them to be engaged in the community outside of work.
The keynote speaker of the conference, Dr. George Everly, told attendees that they need to create an organizational culture of resilience among key employees.
“You change the culture by changing the front-line supervisors,” Everly said.
Kotoujian called the conference a “resounding success,” noting that it drew 300 attendees. He hopes it will spur a national study of the causes and effects of workplace stress for corrections officers.