Enabling Correctional Officer Wellness: Findings from a Deliberative Stakeholder Panel

Despite availability of wellness resources, correctional officer engagement remains low due to stigma, confidentiality concerns, and mistrust of organizational supports. To address this gap, a deliberative stakeholder panel of (N = 10) correctional practitioners generated implementation-focused recommendations, revealing four key barriers: logistical access constraints, weak confidentiality safeguards, cultural stigma, and limited leadership support. Findings highlight the need to redesign access rather than expand services, emphasizing discreet entry points, privacy protections, and visible leadership endorsement. The study advances practical solutions—such as permission protocols, coverage strategies, and structured confidentiality—that agencies can deploy immediately. Improving officer wellness depends on transforming how existing resources are accessed, reframing utilization as a function of trust, culture, and organizational design rather than availability alone.