To expand wellness resources available for all employees, the Office of Employee Wellness (OEW) is working to create and enhance programs, resources, and methods of support for CDCR and CCHCS employees, retirees, and their families. In addition to overseeing the statewide Peer Support Program (PSP), the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), the CDCR Wellness App, and Law Enforcement Chaplains (LECS/CCC), OEW provides psychosocial education and a pathway to departmental and professional resources when needed.
Seeing a need for CDCR, CCHCS staff and retirees
Within their continued commitment to support staff, OEW knows how important it is to recognize those staff who are approaching retirement. Retirement, although a monumental accomplishment, can also have, for some, unintended or unanticipated consequences. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for CDCR and CCHCS staff to hear about their retired colleagues who experience a mental health crisis, struggle with loneliness, sadness, or experience marital or family issues after leaving the department. Recognizing the need, OEW, in its mission to educate and foster awareness of both departmental and community based programs, wants to ensure that as staff approach retirement they are as well prepared as possible.
What’s next?
OEW is creating a wellness support system which is inclusive of our staff both pre and post retirement and provides easily accessible wellness support, information and resources.
OEW recognizes many of our employees have been looking forward to their retirement for a long time. Many dream of, and are excited about, what comes next and how dramatically their lives will change. Experiencing such a monumental change and coming to grips with the “new normal” can be very difficult for some. Often new retirees begin to feel separated from the community they’d created at work. Missing friendships, associations and job duties can lead to feelings of losing their sense of purpose or sense of identity. OEW’s goal is to arm staff and their families with effective tools to mitigate these negative feelings or thoughts.
In the works
OEW will ensure all soon-to-be-retiring employees receive a CDCR and CCHCS Retiree Wellness Resource Guide from their local Personnel Office. This will provide insight into what one might experience while transitioning into retirement, providing tangible resources. The guide also provides information on departmental and community resources for retirees prior to and after separation from state service.
Secondly, OEW is developing web pages for the CDCR intranet as well as the internet for currently retired employees, and their families. These pages will be a great resource for those soon to retire, retired employees as well as their families.
Finally, OEW is in the process of developing free retirement-specific virtual wellness seminars. These help educate staff on common and often unexpected factors and challenges they may encounter both before and after retirement. These will be available to retirees and their families.
Learn more about the Office of Employee Wellness and Retiree Resources
OEW, and its affiliated programs, are here for you and your families. For available resources, visit www.cdcr.ca.gov/wellness/, download the CDCR Wellness app, or e-mail OEW at CDCRWellness@cdcr.ca.gov.
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