As part of the 2024 National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) Annual Conference in Oklahoma City, Securus Technologies, a leading provider of technology solutions for public safety, law enforcement, investigations, and corrections, announced they are partnering with Lexipol, the leader in policy, training, and wellness support for public safety and government leaders, to invest up to $100,000 to make Lexipol’s Peer Support Training and Certification membership available to officers in local corrections facilities at no cost.
Recent studies show that 85 percent of public safety personnel have experienced symptoms related to mental health conditions, and that in some states, the average suicide rate of corrections officers is seven times higher than the national average. Yet, many officers report a cultural stigma that holds them back from seeking support to better manage challenges.
Over the next year, Securus is investing up to $100,000 in subscription-based training and certification developed by Lexipol’s Dr. Jamie Brower, who serves as the president of the American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology (ABPPSP). The training will be offered to correctional agencies that subscribe to Lexipol’s confidential wellness app, Cordico, which connects agency staff to tools that help proactively manage the unique, high-stress workplace challenges that are common in the corrections environment. These challenges increasingly affect officer mental health in an era of staffing shortages and budget constraints.
Over the next year, Securus is investing up to $100,000 in subscription-based training and certification developed by Lexipol’s Dr. Jamie Brower.
The Cordico app provides correctional officers and their families direct access to therapist finders, one-touch mobile peer support, more than 60 wellness guides, and self-assessments. Securus’ funding will add peer support training and certification to these resources, allowing agencies to offer another level of mental health and well-being outreach. The online training program leverages industry-leading best practices and adheres to national guidelines to ensure peer teams are comprehensively equipped to offer proactive, reactive, and post-incident support to reduce the impact of the corrections work environment.
“Corrections officers play a critical role leading public safety in their communities by creating safe and effective correctional facilities, and they face the unique challenge of finding peer support when the stress of the job impacts their day-to-day or home life,” said Kevin Elder, President, Securus Technologies. “Lexipol’s Peer Support Training and Certification and Cordico wellness app meet these public servants at their point of need, bringing together a community with shared challenges to support, coach, and mentor one another through some of their most difficult moments, ensuring access to personal on-demand tools to help guide support and recovery and a trusted peer resource to ensure they understand how best to apply the tools. We are proud to offer this support.”
Longtime NSA partners, Securus and Lexipol are joining its annual conference to announce this investment. As agencies sign-up for Lexipol’s Cordico app, Securus will fund the first 250 licenses for the Peer Support Training and Certification, making the peer-based education available for free. Since Lexipol launched the Cordico app, more than 1,000 public safety departments nationwide have adopted the tool, which is now being widely used across correctional staff as a wellness and peer-driven support network.
“We are excited to partner with Securus Technologies to bring our Peer Support Training and Certification program to corrections officers across the country,” said Marco DeLeon, Vice President of Business Development at Lexipol and former Deputy Sheriff in Denton County, Texas. “This training is designed to empower peer advocates within correctional facilities, significantly bolstering the collective mental health and resilience of their departments.”
“Effective, relevant training of peer support members is essential to enhancing the wellness of our nation’s public safety personnel,” said Lexipol CEO Bill Nunan. “We applaud Securus’ commitment and look forward to helping build a culture of wellness throughout correctional agencies.”
