The Commissioner of Correction shall, within available appropriations, establish a wellness initiative for the benefit of employees of the Department of Correction who interact with inmates at correctional facilities. The wellness initiative shall include the following components: An employee assistance program, a peer support program, stress management training, critical incident stress response, military peer support, an employee safety and health committee, periodic wellness fairs and other programs that have a demonstrated effectiveness in addressing the needs of employees who interact with inmates. The commissioner, or the commissioner’s designee, may apply for federal, state or private nonprofit funding to support and advance the objectives of the wellness initiative.