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I was in the checkout line early in the morning at a local big box store a couple of weeks before Christmas. There was a hold up on one of the items I was purchasing and suddenly my heart started pounding, my mind racing, and then this wave of anxiety suddenly came over me. I was in panic mode. I ran out of the store and into my vehicle. I collapsed in the driver’s seat and started sobbing uncontrollably. After a few minutes I got myself composed and headed home. To say that going Christmas shopping on this morning was a truly bad idea, well, that would be an understatement. I thought that I could pull it off, but I was dead wrong. I didn’t know. I had never been through what occurred less than two days before. I had no point of reference. None!!! This was my first time being attacked. Webster’s Dictionary defines trauma as “an injury [...]

Investing in staff wellness in corrections isn’t just about launching a new program or ticking off a checklist. It’s about changing a culture. And when it comes to setting the “FromCorrections Fatigue to Fulfillment™” (CF2F) course up for success, that culture shift starts at the top—with leadership's behavior, not just their words.We’ve all heard the statements: “We care about employee wellness.”“Staff wellbeing is a priority.” These sentiments are well-intended. But frontline staff are less interested in the press releases and more attuned to what actually gets modeled day-to-day. In corrections, what gets noticed isn’t what’s said—it’s what’s done.Why Leadership Must Go FirstOne of the strongest signals to staff about the value of any initiative—especially one as personal as CF2F—is when administrators are the first to invest their time into it. And let’s be clear: we're not talking about sending out an email, assigning someone else to attend, or skimming a briefing document before a 15-minute debrief.CF2F is different. It’s not a tactical training. It’s not about compliance or [...]

As agencies nationwide increasingly prioritize workforce well-being and operational sustainability, many are choosing to implement From Corrections Fatigue to Fulfillment™ (CF2F)—an award-winning and highly impactful foundational course offered by Desert Waters Correctional Outreach (DWCO). When introducing CF2F for the first time—especially as part of a broader, strategic wellness initiative—it is strongly recommended that the instructor training be delivered in person instead of virtually. CF2F contains high levels of emotionally resonant and interpersonal content. The course explores themes such as trauma exposure, cumulative Fatigue, moral injury, and relational dynamics within corrections culture. These are not just informational topics—they are deeply felt experiences among staff. Delivering the CF2F Instructor Training in person allows for richer, more intentional facilitation and provides space for authentic discussion, peer reflection, and guided processing that, in our experience, cannot be replicated as effectively in a virtual format. As agency instructors are preparing to teach this material to their own staff, it is even more critical they first experience it live and in person. [...]

At the beginning while I was attending the CF2F instructor’s course (From Corrections Fatigue to Fulfillment) I was a skeptic and did not believe CF2F would ever succeed with our staff. Though I believed the material was pure at the core and hit the mark as to what we go through in this environment, I did not think there was any way in the world our officers would ever be open to participating, as we are a hardcore group in general. That being said, as my training partner and I discussed how we were going to present the material, we truly saw the value in the material and wanted to succeed. Though I can’t lie, I did not see it going over well. Well, we were quickly proven wrong. Within the three days following teaching our first class, we had 6 officers between us in our office sharing with us their stories and asking for references for various services [...]

When I was leading a large staff wellness program for a corrections agency, one of our most important strategic decisions was to shift from reactive interventions to preventative care. Responding to critical incidents was indeed essential—but it couldn’t be the only focus. If we wanted to implement CISM and peer support in alignment with best practices, we needed resilience-building tools on the front end. We had to play both offense and defense. That wasn’t just a wellness decision—it was a leadership one. And of course, everyone wants data. Hard numbers. Especially when you’re making the case to budget decision-makers who are trying to stretch every dollar. Return on Investment (ROI) is always part of the conversation, particularly when you're dealing with taxpayer funds, oversight, and elections. But here’s the hard truth: some of the impact of wellness programs is difficult—if not impossible—to measure in isolation. The Retention Question Over the past few years, I’ve been asked repeatedly to draw a direct [...]

When I first sat down in the From Corrections Fatigue to Fulfillment (CF2F) course, I did not know what to expect. I was a willing participant, but not because I knew what to expect. I had worked out a deal to attend. I would become a CF2F trainer if I could attend the next tactical training. As I sat in class I did not know what Staff Wellness was or what Corrections Fatigue was. After listening and learning I realized many things but most importantly I knew Corrections Fatigue—after all, I’d unknowingly lived with it most of my career. Upon returning to my institution, I could see that CF2F was taking off in popularity. The same realizations I had were the same happening to the 1400 staff at the institution. Officers, Supervisors, medical staff, and plant ops—all were coming to the realization that the work stressors we endure, regardless of job title or rank, affect us in a negative [...]

In 2025, the New York State legislature passed the Prison Reform Omnibus Bill (S8415/A8871), mandating surveillance cameras in all correctional facilities—a necessary but far from sufficient step in the increase of accountability and transparency of prison operations. Cameras merely record events. Their presence may deter some instances of criminal conduct by staff against incarcerated individuals, but it cannot get to the root of malfunctioning workforce cultures and criminal choices. For meaningful prison reform we need to get to the root of the problem. We need changes of the “heart”—staff’s values and core beliefs. From these motives, thoughts, intentions, and choices emerge —whether healthy or unhealthy. For humane environments that facilitate rehabilitation, we need staff capable of self-control, sound problem-solving, empathy, and compassion. Otherwise staff’s attitudes create environments that betray or even overturn the intent of policies. The state of staff’s hearts determines if a smile and a supportive attitude replace a smirk or snark—or not. For staff to be able to [...]

When I used to teach Desert Waters’ course Towards Correctional Fulfillment: For New Hires to cadets at the academy, I always gave a warning about voluntary overtime: “Some of you are heading to facilities where, for various reasons, you’ll be able to write your own paycheck with the OT available. Just make sure you don’t come to depend on that overtime to pay your bills—because one day, it’ll dry up, and you’ll still have that truck, house, or motorcycle payment.” That part about the OT drying up? Turns out, I was wrong. Since 2021, staffing shortages in corrections have become a persistent, near-universal issue. Many agencies are still waiting for the light at the end of the OT tunnel—and it hasn’t come. In fact, for many, overtime has become less of a temporary measure and more of a lifestyle. And that brings us to an important question: What is voluntary overtime actually costing you? Not in dollars—but in physical, mental, and emotional health. As other [...]

Sleep: A Biological Imperative and Public Health Priority “Sleep... is a biological requirement for human life. We sleep for the same reason we breathe and drink. It's an imperative. Yet we live in a society that devalues sleep.” — Michael A. Grandner, PhD Sleep is not a luxury—it is a fundamental biological necessity. Defined as a recurring, reversible state of perceptual disengagement, reduced consciousness, and relative immobility, sleep enables the brain and body to restore and maintain health (Grandner & Rosenberger, 2019). The Foundations of Sleep Sleep is essential across the lifespan. It involves complex interactions between neural circuits and endocrine signals. Adults generally require 7–9 hours of sleep every 24 hours to function optimally. After about 15–17 hours awake, the body builds an urge to sleep—a process driven by homeostatic mechanisms. Insufficient sleep compromises every aspect of well-being: Physically: Impairs cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune function. Cognitively: Slows reaction time, reduces attention, and impairs memory. Emotionally: Destabilizes mood and increases [...]

Is it too simplistic to say that everything about excessive mandatory overtime is miserable, complicated, and difficult? Is it too obvious to say that chronic sleep deprivation damages careers, families, physical and mental health, and even agency missions? The physical consequences of lack of sleep are increasingly well known. It affects our central nervous system, impacting how our bodies send, handle, and remember information, and reducing our reactions times to those equivalent to driving while intoxicated. It affects our immune system, the mechanism that fights off bacteria and viruses. It affects our respiratory and digestive systems. It lowers our bodies tolerance for glucose, which if overlapped with poor eating and/or drinking habits, can contribute to diabetes. It affects our cardiovascular system, both to our blood pressure and our ability to repair damage to blood vessels. The repair of other cells and tissues are impacted as well, largely due to the depletion of growth hormones. Alzheimer’s risk increases through plaque [...]