LANSING, Mich. (WJMN) – The Michigan Department of Corrections will provide a wellness app to employees, their family members and retirees to address mental health.
MDOC says that corrections professionals are exposed to traumatic incidents at much higher rates than the general population making them more susceptible to mental health issues including PTSD, depression, anxiety and suicide. The app includes a wellness toolkit with 60 behavioral health topics like fatigue, suicide prevention and alcohol abuse. It also includes mental health self-assessments, videos and guides for yoga, mindfulness, nutrition and more. App users can connect to the MDOC Wellness Unit, Peer Support, the Employee Chaplain Program and other specialized support resources. They can also use the therapist finder tool for finding contact information on local mental health providers who specialize in and and have experience working with correctional professionals.
“Our corrections staff work hard to keep incarcerated Michiganders and our communities safe,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “I am proud of MDOC for investing in their Wellness Unit and making accessing mental health resources even easier for employees, their families and retirees.”
The tool provides around the clock confidential access to the app.
“The mental and physical wellbeing of our corrections staff is a high priority of mine,” said Michigan Department of Corrections Director Heidi Washington. “I am pleased to build upon our Wellness Unit by providing our staff with an additional resource to request help and improve their mental health. Corrections professionals without a doubt have a difficult job, the wellness app will make it even easier for our employees, their families and our retirees to receive the care they need.”
The MDOC says they will use the technology to help personnel build resilience and avoid negative long-term effects of job-related stress.
