The plight of correction officers is a regrettably underexposed area of knowledge for so many people. Psychological turmoil and personal struggle are seldom synonymous with the brave members of this profession.

However, thanks to Northbridge natives, Bryanna Mellen and Julie Broderick, the secret troubles of correction officers no longer need to be shrouded in mystery. Spearheaded by Mellen and Broderick’s On Guard Initiative, the public is slowly letting correction officers know they are not alone.

The On Guard Initiative is a Central Massachusetts nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of mental health and suicide prevention among correction officers. Mellen, now 23, and Broderick, 24, founded the On Guard Initiative after the death of Mellen’s father who, after serving as a Massachusetts correction officer for 22 years, took his own life on Aug. 25, 2011.

“There is no awareness about what correction officers actually do,” Mellen said. “People think about police officers and firefighters and all that; correction officers are kind of the forgotten branch of law enforcement.”

Determined to bring awareness to a personal cause that was slipping under people’s radar, Mellen and Broderick began to brainstorm. “After I had done some research about correction officers and their mental health and suicide, Julie and I came up with an idea,” Mellen said. “We decided to organize a 5k race. We worked with activists at Worcester State, and that’s how the first 5k nonprofit kind of got to be born.”

Broderick, a longtime childhood friend of Mellen’s, said she knew little about the mental health of correction officers. “I knew Bryanna’s father, and I knew he was a CO pretty much my entire life, but I never knew what he did,” she said. “It wasn’t until after his death that I think we both realized what a CO really went through and to raise awareness about that is really where On Guard came from.”

The constant stress of working in a prison environment, where one is susceptible to hatred and threats of physical violence, can culminate in PTSD and various traumatic experiences for correction officers. “They definitely have a target on their back,” said Broderick. “They always have to be on guard.”

As for the actualization of this organization, Mellen and Broderick faced difficulties.

“We were 19 at the time we were trying to start this organization,” Mellen said. “We tried calling and getting in contact with as many people as we could, but no one took us seriously.” Regardless of the setbacks, Mellen and Broderick did not let it obscure their vision. Eventually, after several fruitless endeavors, came the On Guard Initiative’s saving grace – Paul Richards.

“Paul was right off the bat really enthusiastic about helping us,” Mellen said. “He really was a fundamental person for us starting out.” Richards is the founder of the Shine Initiative, a Central Massachusetts nonprofit organization for the mental health of children. While he was unfamiliar with the history of correction officers’ mental health issues, he had experience in the nonprofit sector and mentored Mellen and Broderick in their early stages.

Today, the On Guard Initiative is thriving. With a website reaching an international audience, Mellen and Broderick still consistently execute new ways of raising awareness for a cause that is so important to them and numerous others. From being the keynote speakers at several conferences around the U.S. and facilitating support groups for families to sponsoring multiple scholarships each year for children of correction officers, Mellen and Broderick are vigilant crusaders. The overall message of the On Guard Initiative is that everyone “is in it together,” Mellen said.

Though the On Guard Initiative provides resources and support in various ways through diversified outlets, the biggest event is the annual 5k race. This year, the On Guard Initiative will celebrate its fourth year of successful 5k races that raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental health in correction officers. To the satisfaction of Mellen of Broderick, each new year yields a larger turnout.

“It’s definitely growing,” Mellen said. “It’s very exciting. The first year, we had about 150 people. The second year was a little less than 200.”

Be sure to check out this year’s fourth annual On Guard 5k race at Worcester State University on May 1. There will be correction officers and their families on hand, as well as a cookout. For more information, visit onguardinitiative.org.