By Sarah Roebuck
Correction 1
OKLAHOMA CITY — To improve the well-being of correctional officers, Lexipol and Securus Technologies have partnered to invest up to $100,000 to provide free peer support training and certification. Securus Technologies announced in a press release.
The announcement was made at the 2024 National Sheriffs’ Association Annual Conference in Oklahoma City.
Thanks to the investment from Securus Technologies, a leading provider of technology solutions for public safety, law enforcement, investigations and corrections, and Lexipol, a leader in policy, training and wellness support for public safety and government leaders, correctional facility staff will have free access to Lexipol’s peer support training and certification memberships.
“We are pleased to partner with Securus Technologies to provide a peer support training and certification program to correctional officers across the country,” said Marco DeLeon, vice president of business development at Lexipol and a former deputy sheriff in Denton County, Texas. “This training is designed to increase the capacity of peer advocates within correctional facilities and significantly enhance the overall mental health and resilience of their departments.”
Recent research has shown that 85% of public safety officers face mental health issuesSuicide rates among correctional officers are on the rise in some states. Seven times the national averageDespite this, many officers feel unable to seek the help they need to address these challenges due to cultural stigma, the release said.
Over the next year, Securus will invest up to $100,000 in training and certification designed by Dr. Jamie Brauer, president of the American College of Police Public Safety Psychology. The training, available to correctional agencies that subscribe to Lexipol’s confidential wellness app, Cordico, is designed to help officers address high-stress challenges in the workplace, according to the announcement. The initiative addresses growing mental health challenges among officers amid staffing shortages and budget constraints.
of Cordico App It gives corrections officers and their families easy access to therapists, mobile peer support, health guides and self-assessments. Funded by Securus, the app includes: Peer Support Training and CertificationThis addition will enable agencies to enhance their mental health support. The online training follows industry best practices and national guidelines to better prepare peer teams to provide support before, during and after an incident, reducing the stress of working in a correctional facility.
“Correctional officers play a vital role in leading public safety in their communities by creating safe and effective correctional facilities, and they face unique challenges in finding peer support when the stresses of their jobs impact their daily and home lives,” said Kevin Elder, president of Securus Technologies. “Lexipol’s Peer Support Training and Certification, and the Cordico Wellness App, address the needs of these public servants, bringing together a community with common challenges to support, coach and mentor one another through their most difficult times, ensuring they have personal, on-demand tools to guide their support and recovery, as well as access to trusted peer resources to help them understand how to most effectively apply the tools. We are proud to provide this support.”
Once an agency enrolls in Lexipol’s Cordico app, Securus will cover the cost of the first 250 licenses of peer support training and certification and provide this education at no cost. Since its launch, more than 1,000 public safety departments across the country have adopted the Cordico app, and it is now widely used as a wellness and peer support network among correctional officers, according to the release.
“Effective and appropriate training of peer support members is essential to improving the wellness of our nation’s public safety officers,” said Lexipol CEO Bill Nunan. “We applaud Securus’ efforts and look forward to helping build a culture of wellness across correctional institutions.”
For more information about Lexipol, click hereFor more information about Securus Technologies, please visit click here.
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Staff misconduct
The Saginaw County Jail officer was fired and later charged with assault.
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