Correctional officers' mental health support

AI summary

The petitioners say federal correctional officers are regularly exposed to assaults, threats, death, suicide and other potentially traumatic events and that repeated exposure can lead to operational stress injuries affecting their mental health. They request that the Government of Canada officially recognize these risks, establish a federal system to provide timely, priority access to specialized operational mental-health assessments, treatment and monitoring tailored to the corrections environment, and ensure multidisciplinary continuity of care, including suicide-prevention measures. The petition does not include a government response.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Government of Canada Federal correctional officers play an essential role in public safety and in the course of their duties are regularly exposed to assault, threats, death, suicide, emergency interventions and other potentially traumatic events; Repeated or cumulative exposure to these events can lead to operational stress injuries and have significant and lasting consequences on their mental health; These injuries require early intervention as well as timely access to specialized professionals who understand the realities and risks specific to the corrections environment; and Specialized and ongoing support promotes recovery and helps prevent severe psychological distress and suicide. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Officially recognize the risks of operational stress injuries associated with the duties of federal correctional officers; 2. Establish a federal system to ensure that federal correctional officers suffering from operational stress injuries have timely, priority access to specialized operational mental health assessments, treatments and monitoring that are tailored to the corrections environment; and 3. Ensure access to specialized, multidisciplinary support and continuity of care for as long as the condition requires, including suicide prevention measures and interventions in situations of psychological distress.

Government response

No government response is available yet.