Health, Wellness, and Safety Training Track
Sponsored by National Association of Probation Executives
During the training institute in Las Vegas, APPA is launching its Health, Wellness, and Safety Training Track. This track consists of activities, workshops, and presentations designed to provide relevant information, techniques, and strategies for improving one’s overall health, wellness and safety. Core themes of the presentation will focus on mental health; establishing and maintaining wellness; control/defensive tactics training; street awareness; and officer and office safety. The Monday morning plenary session, SafeWrap™ – A Safer & More Effective Restraint System, will kick off this specialized learning track by highlighting a cutting-edge restraint system, designed to help officers safely control physically aggressive and/or resistant individuals while limiting health risks to all parties. Additionally, Sunday's intensive session, Fit for Duty: Physical Health for Officer Safety & Safety Through Mental Wellness and Resilience, will focus on the unique health risks related to the work environment. This session will also include a discussion about the leading cause of officer deaths – suicide. Other subject-matter experts will facilitate presentations, all aimed at enhancing attendees’ overall health, wellness and safety.
HIGHLIGHTS
Main Stage Presentations
See Something, Say Something is a False Narrative! Active Bystandership in Community Corrections Prevents Harm to Staff, Supervisees, and the Community
Abigail Tucker
Psychologist and Co-Founder
Heroes Active Bystandership Training
LEARN why bystandership has been implemented in 390+ law enforcement agencies, state correctional facilities, and county jails with one clear aim - prevent harm. UNDERSTAND why active bystandership helps to prevent mistakes and misconduct and to enhance one’s well-being.
Critical Safety and Awareness Training for Officers: Strategies for Field Survival and Effective Interaction
Darcy Leutzinger, PhD
CEO
Premier Training Services
Lindsay Gietzen, PhD
President
Premier Training Services
LEARN the critical importance of safety training that will aid in daily encounters in the field. EXPLORE key topics such as street survival and street awareness, basic medical response, effective de-escalation techniques, and the importance of recognizing mental health and trauma emergencies. Leave this presentation, better able to protect yourself while fostering safer interactions with individuals under supervision.
Presentations
Eight Dimensions of Wellness and Healthy Work-Life Balance
Magdalena Morales-Aina
Director
El Paso Community Supervision and Corrections Department
UNDERSTAND the critical roles that physical and psychological safety play in overall well-being and work-life balance. LEARN how the eight dimensions of wellness —emotional, physical, occupational, intellectual, financial, social, environmental, and spiritual — are needed to develop harmony and have a healthy balance between one’s work and personal life. DEVELOP strategies that will help you thrive, maintain joy, and sustain your health.
Health, Wellness and Safety Listening Sesson 2.0
Magdalena Morales-Aina
Director
El Paso Community Supervision and Corrections Department
Dr. Gregory Dillon
Director
Brazoria County Community Supervision and Corrections Department
During this training institute, APPA will host its second listening session aimed at identifying health, wellness, and safety needs of community corrections professionals. The goal is to identify specific gaps and needs impacting health, wellness, and safety needs of pretrial, probation, and parole. During this session, attendees will be asked to share real-world concerns; identify needed actions agencies and leaders can take to improve staff safety; discuss barriers to safety – whether in the office or while conducting fieldwork; and identify policy recommendations designed to improve officers’ health and wellness.
Information gained from this session will assist APPA’s Health, Wellness and Safety Committee in establishing comprehensive data and recommendations to better address and enhance future training and literature.
Walking the Talk of Well Being
Glenn Tapia
Director of Leadership and Organizational Intelligence
The Alliance for Community and Justice Innovation (ACJI)
Community supervision staff and agencies have faced grueling levels of stress in the 2020s – “surviving” several once-in-a-generation stressful events. As a field, we are still adapting to the global pandemic; the great resignation; a pervasive opiate crisis; a shift to virtual and hybrid work; extraordinary justice reform; a national social justice movement; as well as the rapid growth of artificial intelligence.
Although the field is being called to action on well-being, how do we get beyond the usual lip service of “work/life balance”. This presentation will offer a provocative, emotional, and intellectually compelling vision and a call-to-action for a well-being culture and mindset.
Health and Wellness Activities
● Get your heart rate up; take part in walking challenges - Participate in the 20-minute mile challenge and/or the 8,000 steps-a-day challenge.
● Be reminded of the many health benefits of relaxing and slowing down – attend yoga and meditation sessions.
● Embrace your mental health and wellness while participating in a structured networking activity highlighting positive affirmations.
HEALTHY WALKING CHALLENGES
Monday, January 27th and Tuesday, January 28th
Grab a friend and participate in Healthy Walking Challenges during non-training institute hours on Monday and Tuesday in Vegas! Hit your stride – push yourself to reap the many health benefits of walking. Walking can help you maintain a healthy weight by burning calories and toning and strengthening muscles; increase cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness; reduce risk of heart disease and stroke; improve management of conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes; and build stronger bones and improve balance.
Come on – embrace your fitness through walking – aim to walk a mile in 20 minutes and/or take 8,000+ steps in a day!
20-Minute Mile Instructions – TWO TIMED WALKS WILL TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY, STARTING PROMPTLY AT 6:30 AM AND 7:00 AM
● Five minutes prior to the start time, meet in the registration area.
● Use your electronic device to monitor your distance and time.
● Return to the starting point to verify your accomplishment and claim your achievement medal.
8,000 Steps a Day Instructions
● 8,000 or more steps must be completed by 5:00 pm on Monday and/or Tuesday.
● Use your electronic device to monitor your steps.
● No later than 5:30 pm on Monday and/or Tuesday, report to the Local Host Table to verify your accomplishment and claim your achievement medal.
ACJI WELLNESS BY DESIGN POP-UPS
Microtools for Macro Change
Sunday, Jan 26, 2:30–3:00PM PT | Monday, Jan 27, 1:15–1:45PM PT | Tuesday, Jan 28, 5:30–6:00PM PT
Join the Alliance for Community & Justice Innovation (ACJI) and discover how small actions can lead to big results in your day-to-day wellbeing. Make wellbeing work for you. Join the Alliance for Community & Justice Innovation (ACJI) and discover how small actions can lead to big results.
In this series of three pop-up events, you’ll get practical, easy-to-use micro tools designed to enhance both personal and professional wellbeing. Each 15-minute session focuses on one tool, strategy, or skill, like strengthening personal resilience and boosting team cohesion.
These tools aren't just theories—they're actionable strategies that you can implement immediately, for yourself, your team, and your organization. Walk away empowered with new skills to create meaningful, sustainable change in your personal and professional life.
Presenters
Dr. Alexandra Walker
Director of Community Relations and Strategy
Alliance for Community and Justice Innovation (ACJI)
Johanna Leal
Founding Member and Director of Innovation and Implementation Capacity
Alliance for Community and Justice Innovation (ACJI)
Glenn Tapia
Director of Leadership and Organizational Intelligence
Alliance for Community and Justice Innovation (ACJI)
GENTLE YOGO, BREATH-WORK, AND GUIDED MEDITATION
Monday, January 27th, 6:30 – 7:30 AM | 12:45 – 1:45 PM PT
Tuesday, January 28th 6:30 – 7:30 AM | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PT
*All-levels Welcome*
Join Jen Donovan Wellness Specialist, RYT, RCYT, RPYT and Judge Victor Reyes as they lead you through some simple yoga movements and proven breath-work practices to reduce stress buildup, center your mind, and create a sense of calm. These techniques are great tools to use each morning, driving to work, at the office, or before bedtime.
COACHES
Jennifer Donovan, RYT, RCYT, RPYT
Wellness Specialist
Wellness4Judiciary
The Honorable Victor Reyes
District Judge
Mahakaruna Holistic Foundation
PREMIER SPONSOR
BLACKJACK SPONSORS
Contributing Sponsors
A Better Choice Education Program - Bingo | Faulkner University - Bingo | Fieldware - Bingo | SCRAM Systems - Lanyards | Securus Monitoring - Bingo | Sentinel - Lanyards | Smart Start - Conference Bags | Tyler Tech - Bingo
Also, special thanks goes to our Corporate Members!