Assessing Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training among correctional workers in Canada
Abstract Background Mental health frameworks, best practices, and the well-being of public safety personnel in Canada are topics of increasing interest to both researchers and organizations. To protect and improve worker mental health, different training programs have been implemented to serve this...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-01-01
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Series: | Health & Justice |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-023-00206-z |
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author | Matthew S. Johnston Rosemary Ricciardelli Maryam Ghodrati Stephen Czarnuch |
author_facet | Matthew S. Johnston Rosemary Ricciardelli Maryam Ghodrati Stephen Czarnuch |
author_sort | Matthew S. Johnston |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract Background Mental health frameworks, best practices, and the well-being of public safety personnel in Canada are topics of increasing interest to both researchers and organizations. To protect and improve worker mental health, different training programs have been implemented to serve this population. The Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training regimen is one such program specialized to build cultural awareness of mental health, reduce stigma, and mitigate the cumulative impacts of exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events among public safety personnel. However, limited research has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of R2MR, especially among correctional workers. Methods The current study analyzed 307 open-ended survey responses to four (4) questions about R2MR garnered from 124 Canadian provincial and territorial correctional workers between 2018–2020 to reveal their understandings and perceptions of R2MR training, and to identify what learned skills they found challenging or easy to implement. Results The results suggest that R2MR training plays a significant role in decreasing stigma and increasing mental health awareness. Across jurisdictions, R2MR creates a supportive space for open dialogue around mental health meant to shift cultural and individual barriers that often hinder treatment-seeking. Some respondents also indicated that R2MR was a starting point for intervention. Conclusions Further research is necessary to understand how R2MR and other programs could support the mental health and well-being of correctional workers. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:43:44Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-02bb36ad25df4d5e95ea4dca87126af4 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2194-7899 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:43:44Z |
publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
publisher | BMC |
record_format | Article |
series | Health & Justice |
spelling | doaj.art-02bb36ad25df4d5e95ea4dca87126af42023-01-29T12:06:50ZengBMCHealth & Justice2194-78992023-01-0111111010.1186/s40352-023-00206-zAssessing Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training among correctional workers in CanadaMatthew S. Johnston0Rosemary Ricciardelli1Maryam Ghodrati2Stephen Czarnuch3Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of NewfoundlandFisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of NewfoundlandFisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of NewfoundlandFisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of NewfoundlandAbstract Background Mental health frameworks, best practices, and the well-being of public safety personnel in Canada are topics of increasing interest to both researchers and organizations. To protect and improve worker mental health, different training programs have been implemented to serve this population. The Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training regimen is one such program specialized to build cultural awareness of mental health, reduce stigma, and mitigate the cumulative impacts of exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events among public safety personnel. However, limited research has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of R2MR, especially among correctional workers. Methods The current study analyzed 307 open-ended survey responses to four (4) questions about R2MR garnered from 124 Canadian provincial and territorial correctional workers between 2018–2020 to reveal their understandings and perceptions of R2MR training, and to identify what learned skills they found challenging or easy to implement. Results The results suggest that R2MR training plays a significant role in decreasing stigma and increasing mental health awareness. Across jurisdictions, R2MR creates a supportive space for open dialogue around mental health meant to shift cultural and individual barriers that often hinder treatment-seeking. Some respondents also indicated that R2MR was a starting point for intervention. Conclusions Further research is necessary to understand how R2MR and other programs could support the mental health and well-being of correctional workers.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-023-00206-zRoad to Mental Readiness (R2MR)StigmaMental HealthCorrectional WorkersPublic Safety Personnel |
spellingShingle | Matthew S. Johnston Rosemary Ricciardelli Maryam Ghodrati Stephen Czarnuch Assessing Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training among correctional workers in Canada Health & Justice Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) Stigma Mental Health Correctional Workers Public Safety Personnel |
title | Assessing Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training among correctional workers in Canada |
title_full | Assessing Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training among correctional workers in Canada |
title_fullStr | Assessing Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training among correctional workers in Canada |
title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training among correctional workers in Canada |
title_short | Assessing Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) training among correctional workers in Canada |
title_sort | assessing road to mental readiness r2mr training among correctional workers in canada |
topic | Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) Stigma Mental Health Correctional Workers Public Safety Personnel |
url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-023-00206-z |
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