Corrections sergeant urges $500,000 state start-up for KDOC peer support fund
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Summary
A KDOC peer support team member told the Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice that House Bill 26 81 would create a Department of Corrections peer support fund, starting with a one-time $500,000 transfer to expand training and mental-health resources for corrections staff.
House Bill 26 81 would create a Department of Corrections peer support fund to pay for training, program materials and staffing for KDOC peer support services, with a one-time transfer of $500,000 from the State General Fund on or soon after July 1, 2026, committee members heard.
Tyler Winegarner, a sergeant at Ellsworth Correctional Facility and member of the KDOC peer support team, testified in support of the bill, describing violent and chaotic responses by incarcerated residents and the sustained psychological toll on officers. “Today, I will share a few stories of what I've seen,” Winegarner told the committee, and he described incidents in which multiple residents ingested substances and staff administered multiple doses of naloxone.
The bill, as explained by Jason Thompson of the Revisor's Office, creates a fund administered by the Secretary of Corrections, authorizes the Director of Accounts and Reports to transfer $500,000 from the State General Fund on or about 07/01/2026, and allows future transfers or fund revenues subject to appropriation acts. The new fund is limited to peer support program purposes; Thompson said the fund would support training, materials, equipment, travel and staffing tied to the peer support program, and would require an annual report on expenditures and program effectiveness due to the governor and legislature by Jan. 15 each year.
Winegarner emphasized staffing shortages, turnover and mental-health risks among corrections officers, citing his view that corrections officers have higher suicide and PTSD rates than the general population and arguing peer support can improve retention. “If we invest over $7,500,000 annually into expanding training, more coordinators, and resources, we can handle the challenges better,” he said, while acknowledging the bill requests a modest $500,000 start to increase the chance of passage.
Committee members asked about program scale and organization. Winegarner said roughly 70 peer-support members serve across the state and that membership is voluntary; he said training opportunities are limited by current budgets and that he would spend funds on more frequent training, dedicated coordinators, and, if possible, independent studies of corrections officer well-being.
No KDOC representative offered opposing testimony during the peer-support portion; after questions the chair closed the hearing on HB 26 81. The committee did not vote on the bill during the hearing.
