Governor appoints Cary Johnson to represent COs on Suicide Prevention Commission

MCO Recording Secretary Cary Johnson has been appointed to the governor’s Suicide Prevention Commission.

Johnson, of JCF, will represent corrections officers on the commission. Johnson has led MCO’s efforts to raise awareness of PTSD and suicide among corrections staff and find solutions. She is one of 16 appointees to the commission by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The Suicide Prevention Commission was created as a result of SB 228, passed last December. MCO leaders and staff pushed hard to get the bill passed and for the appointment of a corrections officer.

The commission will work with state departments, agencies, and nonprofit organizations to research the causes and possible underlying factors of suicide in Michigan, the governor’s office said. The research will focus on demographics showing high suicide rates in the state over the previous decade. Later this year, the commission will present a preliminary report of their research to the legislature.

The suicide rate of both Michigan and the US has surged 30 percent since 2000, according to the bill’s analysis. The suicide rate among Michigan corrections officers is higher than that of the U.S. overall.

Read the KYI and watch our website and social media channels for updates.