Earlier this week, the Women’s Community Correctional Center (WCCC) held its first wellness fair for corrections officers and non-uniformed staff. According to a statement from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR), approximately a dozen community groups and cultural practitioners participated, providing complimentary services including massages, yoga sessions, and Hawaiian healing traditions.
Among the highlight of the fair were sessions in lomilomi, which is a traditional Hawaiian massage, and workshops on lāʻau lapaʻau, Hawaiian herbal medicine. The fair, run in collaboration with local organizations like Project Koa Yoga and Hui Mauli Ola, aimed to provide staff with tools for holistic health. WCCC currently employs approximately 160 corrections officers and 45 non-uniformed personnel, all exposed to the stresses inherent in their line of work. With live music as a backdrop, staff could learn about everything from managing blood pressure to combating stress, according to a DCR news release.
Katherine Burke, Hui Mauli Ola Executive Director, spoke to the importance of caring for those who care for others, "to mālama (to care for)" as she put it during an interview with DCR. Meanwhile, Laura Toyofuku-Aki of Project Koa Yoga offered up yoga demonstrations, reminding staff about the importance of breathing and grounding techniques in fostering a sense of calm and connection, which is often hard to come by in the corrections environment.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which used to be known as the Department of Public Safety until January 1, 2024, has made it clear that prioritizing health and wellness for its staff, both uniformed and non-uniformed, is a top priority. Not only did the DCR hold another fair at their Training Academy in Iwilei, but the Hālawa Correctional Facility is primed for their own wellness event soon. Tommy Johnson, the Director of the DCR, emphasized that when staff are "healthy and well, we are able to do our jobs better," as he told DCR. Deputy Director Melanie Martin emphasized that the wellness initiatives serve as morale boosters, contributing to higher productivity and greater job satisfaction.
WCCC’s warden, Ione “Noni” Guillonta, highlighted the importance of wellness fairs in a recent DCR interview. “I think it’s very important that we cater to the health of our staff, both uniformed and non-uniformed staff,” she stated. Education Supervisor Kahaʻe Maikai-Iakopo, who organized the inaugural event, stated that caring for oneself is connected to the ability to care for others, especially for those responsible for inmate care.
