Bradley B. Huffey, Ph.D., HSPP, associate professor in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) and psychologist for Correctional Medical Services, and Kellie Meyer, M.A., development director and criminal justice director for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Indiana, recently presented at the Indiana Department of Correction’s 2009 Suicide Prevention Summit.

Suicide is an important issue facing many, both in society and in the correctional system. To recognize this concern and help address it, the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) held the 2009 Suicide Prevention Summit, “Shoulder to Shoulder: No One Stands Alone,” on Sept. 30 at the Correctional Training Institute in New Castle, Ind. During the Summit, Huffey and Meyer led two presentations: “Teamwork and Communication” and “Self Care for Correctional Staff.”

“Teamwork and communication are essential to suicide prevention in jails and prisons where suicides occur at a higher rate than in the general population,” Huffey said. “Frontline staff members, such as correctional officers, need to know the signs and symptoms of a suicidal offender in order to get the offender the appropriate treatment and housing conditions to keep the offender safe from self-inflicted harm or death.”

With regard to self-care for professionals who work in the correctional setting, Huffey says working in jails and prisons can be very stressful. New employees need mentoring to better manage the unique stressors associated with working in the correctional setting.

“Developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle provides a foundation of strength for dealing with stress,” Huffey said. “Among other aspects of a healthy lifestyle, the correctional employee must learn ways to communicate with their spouse/significant other about the unique stressors associated with work in corrections in order to gain the necessary support and keep healthy relationships with the family.”

More than 240 employees from the IDOC, Correctional Medical Services (CMS), and law enforcement agencies around Indiana attended the summit. The IDOC partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Indiana and CMS to host the summit.

“Ongoing training on suicide prevention is essential to an effective suicide prevention plan,” Huffey said. “The Summit provided an opportunity for representatives from facilities around the state to learn the most up-to-date information on suicide prevention and take this information back to their facilities to share with their colleagues.”

The Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College offers majors in psychology, human services, criminal justice, history/political science (pre-law), paralegal studies, social science (history), and social studies education. The department also offers minors in psychology, criminal justice, history, paralegal studies, political science, and sociology.

Huffey holds a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Indiana State University and a certificate from the Gestalt Training Center in San Diego, Calif. He is a licensed psychologist in Indiana and Idaho, and he has practiced as a psychologist in both the community and correctional settings. He currently practices on a part-time basis working for Correctional Medical Services at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle, Ind.

The faculty members in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at SMWC are actively involved in research, practice and advocacy, bringing real-world applications of the social sciences to the classroom. The faculty members employ innovative teaching techniques, and they provide service and experiential learning opportunities to take learning beyond the classroom. Students have opportunities to participate in original research, present findings at regional and national conferences, and gain practical experiences in the social sciences through practicum and internship experiences.

For additional information about the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, contact the SMWC Office of Admission by email at smwcadms@smwc.edu or by phone at 812-535-5106 or 1-800-926-SMWC.