MICC CFD Volunteers Receive Award for Pierce County

Greg Miller Accepting the Pierce County Outstanding Campaign Team of the Year award on Behalf of the CFD Team

The McNeil Island Corrections Center (MICC) Combined Fund Drive (CFD) team received Pierce County’s Outstanding Campaign Team of the Year award at a ceremony held at the Tacoma Convention Center on April 16.

Under the guidance of MICC Superintendent Ronald Van Boening and the leadership of MICC’s Fire Chief Greg Miller, the team of volunteers collected more than $1,600 in cash donations at various fundraising events and an additional $6,000 worth of payroll deduction pledges during the 2007 CFD campaign.

The team was honored for its hard work at the prestigious recognition ceremony hosted by the United Way of Pierce County.

“I am honored to have worked with such a wonderful group of individuals,” says DOC CFD Campaign Leader Jillian Murphy.  “The bar has been set and it’s high.  The Combined Fund Drive gives DOC such a wonderful opportunity to shine and give big to those that need it most and I am looking quite forward to next year’s CFD campaign and can’t wait to see what DOC can do!”

MICC volunteers and award winners include:

Dana Allred, Julie Bowker, Kimberly Govreau, Bobby Greene, Judy Hubert, Cheryl Jorban, Santos Lamas, Debbie Lewandowsky, Yolanda Logan, Susan Loveless, Greg Miller, Brenda Montgomery-Linn, and Ronald Van Boening

The MICC CFD team is a prime example of employees working together as a team and in support of a common goal – raising money for the CFD, said Murphy.

Offenders Participating in Project BRITE Give Back to Community with Charity Donations

Many offenders at two Washington prisons are forgoing soda and other commodities sold in prison commissaries, more privileges and even post-prison cash for themselves or relatives in order to help charities.

Those offenders are in the Project Behavioral Reinforcement to Increase Treatment Engagement (BRITE) and chemical dependency programs where they earn motivational incentive points. The programs operate at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women and Airway Heights Corrections Center.

The offenders earn motivational incentives points by completing tasks and participating in activities that promote a healthy, pro-social lifestyle, such as attending and participating in group treatment sessions, completing homework assignments, having no unexcused absence from work or education, clean drug tests, remaining disciplinary free, etc. The points can be redeemed for tangible items from the prison commissaries, increased privileges, or gift cards home for themselves upon release or for family members. They also have the option of donating some or all their points toward a cash donation to charities of their choice.

“We are seeing an increase in charitable contributions, which is a great indicator of increased moral reasoning,” said Patricia Noble-Desy, Chemical Dependency Program Administrator.

To date, Project BRITE participants have donated $345.50 to Rebuilding Families, Inc., YMCA, Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group, Washington Women in Need and the Shriners Hospitals for Children. The responses to the charitable donations have been immediate, with organizations calling and sending letters to learn more about the program and thanking offenders for their generous gifts.

“They [offenders] have obviously worked hard to adopt a healthy lifestyle and are to be commended for their achievements,” said Julie Banks, YMCA Financial Development Officer, in a letter.  “Beyond that, their strength of character is reflected through this selfless gift.”

Project BRITE is a research study with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) that began in December 2006.
It is four-year study that tests the impacts of behavioral reinforcement on incarcerated offenders with substance abuse addictions who are involved in treatment programs.

A Dozen Offenders Graduate from HVAC Program

After successfully complete the Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program at the Washington State Penitentiary (WSP), twelve offenders now have the necessary skills to land good-paying jobs when re-entering the community and workforce.

In honor of the offenders’ accomplishments, WSP will host a recognition ceremony and open house for the graduates on March 21. Attendees will have the opportunity to view completed projects and observe class demonstrations by the graduating offenders.

“For offenders to successfully re-enter their community and be successful they must be able to secure good-paying jobs—the HVAC program provides this opportunity,” said Educational Services Administrator Mike Paris.

The HVAC program is offered through Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) and is instructed by Chet Mills. Since it was implemented in 2006, 27 offenders have graduated.  Offenders enrolled in the program must complete 1,230 hours which is equivalent to 82 college credits.  Once the program has been successfully completed, offenders receive a state certificate awarded by WWCC, which greatly assists in finding employment.

“The HVAC program is the best thing I’ve ever experienced,” said Offender and HVAC graduate Steven McCabe, who will be releasing next July. “The program gives you everything you need to walk out into the free world as a marketable person.”

Another offender and HVAC graduate, Anthony Sullivan, said he feels that if the HVAC program was offered the first time he was incarcerated; he probably would not have ended up back in prison.

In order to enroll in the HVAC program, offenders must have a high school or general education diploma and demonstrate a level of proficiency in both math and reading.  Offenders with less than seven years until release and demonstrate commitment to the program are prime candidates for this program. The program can hold up to 20 offenders and since it has proven to be such a success, about 100 offenders are on the waiting list to enroll.  

“Getting involved in the program was a big decision for me and Chet Mills helped me make it,” said offender and HVAC graduate Jeremy Livingston.  “Staying with the program was a wonderful decision and it’s just a wonderful program.”

Help Re-build Playgrounds for Correctional Families Recovering from Hurricane Katrina

Over two years have gone by since one of the worst natural disasters our country has experienced devastated the gulf coast of the United States—Hurricane Katrina.

While families in Mississippi and Louisiana, the two states hit the hardest, continue to receive assistance in their recovery efforts, it is apparent more can be done for children in New Orleans and surrounding areas.  For this reason, the North American Association of Wardens & Superintendents (NAAWS) in partnership with the Correctional Peace Officers (CPO) Foundation is making a great effort to help these families by organizing a project called “Make A Smile”.

During the first wave of Project “Make A Smile” volunteers from around the country are going to Louisiana and Mississippi to begin re-building playgrounds for children. The effort will focus on playgrounds where correctional families still live in temporary housing, many of which are trailer homes.

The project needs to raise over $100,000 and will need additional volunteers as the work begins.

Mary Leftridge Byrd, Assistant Secretary for Offender Treatment and Reentry Programs and member of NAAWS, has been actively involved with the project and will continue as it progresses. As a result of Leftridge Byrd’s calls for assistance with this important project, Superintendent Wanda McRae, at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women, has offered to donate her facility’s quarterly fundraiser money to this endeavor.

“The women at MCCW always want to contribute to great organizations and when the call came in for assistance with the playgrounds, they jumped right on it,” said McRae.

“I have been a member of NAAWS for a number of years and have always been impressed with the camaraderie found at events and meetings,” said Leftridge Byrd. “It is the spirit of common ground that inspires me to make sure as many good people as possible are aware of the “Make A Smile” project.”

The first project will take place during the first week of May, when two playgrounds will be built. One in the 9th Ward in New Orleans and another will be in the town of Bogalusa, a few miles from Rayburn Correctional Center.  After the completion of these two playgrounds, the plan is to move on to the town of Moss Point, to rehabilitate two existing playgrounds in dire need of fixing and cleaning up. The goal is to complete these playgrounds after Mardi Gras next spring.

The spirit of giving through this project will help relieve some of the emotional impact experienced by the children, and provide them with fun and safe places to play. NAAWS and CPO are seeking donations of time and money. People interested in donating money should contribute to “Make A Smile” (NAAWS) at NAAWS, P.O. Box 11037, Albany, NY 12211-0037. People interested in donating labor should email zukey5@aol.com. For additional information about “Make A Smile”, please review the video provided by NAAWS. 

Olympic Staff Members Aid in Rescue Operation for Fisherman

Staff members at Olympic Corrections Center on March 16 assisted in tracking and rescuing a fisherman who suffered an apparent heart attack in a dark forest.

The fisherman was in a remote section of a river near the facility, and his partner was unable to carry him out of the forest.  An inmate work crew from Olympic Corrections Center escorted by Sgt. James O’Hara was initially deployed as well as Sgt. Tim Hull who responded from home. Hull was the first to arrive and assisted in carrying the ailing fisherman to a waiting vehicle that took him to Forks Community Hospital.
Ron Howell, a correctional officer at Olympic Corrections Center and a volunteer EMT with the Forks Ambulance Corps, was an initial responder and helped stabilize the fisherman.

Hull, an instructor for the DOC Inmate Recovery Team Academy, was trained for this type of search.

“I continue to be impressed with the entire region’s emergency response community and in particular our (OCC’s) ability to successfully negotiate this typography of mountains and forest lands, to not only locate and evacuate stranded persons, but to also provide medical first response treatment,” said John Aldana, Superintendent of Olympic Corrections Center. “Overtime OCC and our partners have lent this type of assistance for many injured, stranded and lost individuals.”