Mike Markle, Seth Mulkey, Geoff Holden, and Sue Robson ate breakfast at Denny’s in Hermiston, Oregon after visiting the local Walmart. What might seem l like a normal Friday to the unsuspecting eye, was a highly unusual, unprecedented event. What makes it such a rare occurrence? At the time, Mulkey was incarcerated at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution (EOCI).
Continue reading “An Unusual Field Trip”
The pilot Work Release Program at Warner Creek Correctional Facility, facilitated by Oregon Corrections Enterprises (OCE) and Pacific Pine Products, marks a significant opportunity for incarcerated adults. It’s the first of its kind in over 25 years and operates under the Prison Industries Enhancement Certification Program, offering woodworking, metal fabrication, sewing, and more. OCE, established in 1999 to engage adults in custody (AIC) in meaningful work, operates in nine Department of Correction’s (DOC) facilities, focusing on skills for workplace success and post-release employment.
Continue reading “Unlocking Opportunities at Warner Creek”
With a class mantra like ‘Keep it Complicated,’ the students of the most recent University of Oregon (U of O) Prison Education Program (PEP) weren’t sure what to expect when they entered the classroom at the Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP) for the first time. During the first quarter of 2024, the subject was geography, specifically focusing on ‘Culture, Ethnicity, and Nationalism.’”
Continue reading “Prison Perspective: U of O’s Inside-Out Program”
The Ironworkers Local 29, Bricklayers Local 1, and Cement Masons Local 555, partnering with the Union Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training (U-PACT) program, offer a 12-week training to women at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF).
U-PACT Oregon is a pre-apprenticeship program designed to provide basic to intermediate trade skills to adults in custody that will prepare them for a career in one of the three represented trades, reduce recidivism, and positively impact Oregon’s economy.
Continue reading “The Women of U-PACT”
Sometimes, in an effort to meet people where they are in life, we must also meet hope where it resides. In the Art Room on the Activities floor of the Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP), Emily Nelson, the Director of Training and Outreach at the Oregon Peer Training and Innovations Center (OPTIC), utilizes the canvas of her own life to illustrate the relevance of life experiences and how they can manifest into concepts of peer support, empowering health, wellness, and hope in others.
OPTIC is a program of the Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO). MHAAO applied for and received a grant from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) for Emily to collaborate with the Lakota Oyate-Ki cultural club at OSP to train adults in custody (AIC) on becoming Peer Wellness Specialists (PWS). PWS training is the only dual-approved training in Oregon for both mental illness and addiction.
Over 80 hours spanning four weeks, the training was provided to 24 AICs. It included a 17-module student training guide with written assignments, in-person lessons, role-play, and a final test. Lessons covered topics from Social Awareness and Cultural Knowledge to Health Across the Lifespan. Emily emphasized the importance of Self-Care, Motivational Interviewing, the Eight Dimensions of Wellness, and the significance of utilizing the Trauma-Informed Approach to Peer Support.
According to the Lakota club, the PWS training at OSP has been five years in the making, aiming to change the prison culture from within. It seeks to promote newly acquired PWS skills to better connect with fellow club members, other groups within OSP, and to give back to the broader community beyond prison walls and upon release.
Emily Nelson’s commitment and motivation stem from the positive ripple effect this work can have. By bringing PWS training to OSP, this ripple will continue to move through members of society who may not have otherwise had this opportunity. The 24 AICs at OSP who successfully completed this training are a testament to what can be achieved when hope meets individuals where they are, as evidenced in the Art Room on the Activities floor of the Oregon State Penitentiary.
Article by OSP PIO Media Team Members/PIO Stephanie Lane, AIC Randy Guzek
A generous club within the razor wire, walls and locking doors of Oregon’s Two Rivers Correctional Institution (TRCI) has raised thousands of dollars for breast cancer programs at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation (TCCCF). Most recently, the Paradigm Shift Club (PSC) donated more than $2,500 from fundraisers held to benefit cancer patients.
Continue reading “Turning Walls Into Bridges”“THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES OF STATE
GOVERNMENT DEI PRACTITIONERS OF THE
AFRICAN DIASPORA.”
The Black History Month facilitated panel discussion, held the end of February, focused on the experiences of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practitioners in state government. Key topics included motivations for entering the field, challenges faced, advice for newcomers, the impact of identity on their work, and areas lacking support.
The tone was set by emphasizing the importance of truly listening, embracing discomfort, and valuing the knowledge and experiences of Black individuals. The event drew significant interest, with attendees including government officials and a full registration within 24 hours. Since the event, there has been positive feedback and requests for similar discussions in the future, indicating a significant impact.
If you would like to watch the event, it was recorded and now available online. The Unique Perspectives of State Government DEI Practitioners of the African Diaspora | Panel Event (youtube.com)
My name is Carisa G. I have been with the Coffee Creek DMV Call center for 8 ½ years. I’ve been a lead agent currently for four years. I really enjoy working for DMV as I feel it brings some normalcy to a place like this.
I was inspired to propose this as an idea to my manager because of my experience as an employee at Sprint call centers. There the employees are recognized for their stellar performance, and you were awarded with the employee of the month.
When I was having my One-on-One meeting with my manager, here at DMV, I presented this idea for employee of the month and that we would call it STAR agent. She agreed it was a great idea and then asked that I write it up as a proposal.
Continue reading “Coffee Creek Correctional Facility – Star Award”
My name is Auli’i and I’ve been working at the CCCF DMV Call Center for five months now, and it took me by surprise when I was asked to write about the purpose for the “Vision Wall” idea I came up with for my peers. In a place like this, we are not strangers to not being heard or our ideas going unnoticed, which is a thing that needs to change, and this acknowledgement is proof that they’re finally trying: “There’s always room for change”.
Continue reading “Coffee Creek Correctional Facility – Vision Boards”
My name is January and I have been with the Coffee Creek DMV Call Center for 3 years. The ability to feel like I’m part of the DMV team was refreshing. Over the years I have made some genuine friendships within DMV. One of those friends within DMV wanted to lift my spirits, and knew I loved turtles. She went out of her way to color a circular design that resembled a turtle shell. She also attached arms, legs, and a lipstick wearing turtle head.
Continue reading “DMV Better Together – Turtle Project”