U-Pact participants at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
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.
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.
Emily Nelson, Director of Training and Outreach along with Peer Wellness Specialists
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.
PWS training
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
Carisa – A member of the DMV program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
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.
January – A member of the DMV program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
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.
The Snake River Correctional Minimum (SRCM) facility’s Opening Minds of the Communities Club arranged a successful coffee and creamer fundraiser, donating the proceeds to Project Dove. Through hard work, planning, flexibility, patience, and teamwork, the AICs were able to donate an impressive $1337.53! Both the club president and Project Dove’s director expressed sincere appreciation for the shared opportunity to support those in need.
Thank you to the Opening Minds Club, the 541 participating AICs, and the dedicated SRCM staff for making this donation possible. And a special thank you to the AIC volunteers, who devoted their spare time to crochet the hats, scarves, and stuffed animals!
In a heartwarming display of community spirit, the Opening Minds of the Communities Club (OMCC) at Snake River Correctional Institution’s Minimum (SRCM) facility recently channeled their fundraising efforts to benefit the Four Rivers Community School Food Pantry. The adults in custody (AICs), organized a successful doughnut fundraiser and utilized remaining funds from a coffee fundraiser, resulting in a generous donation of $1,073.23 to the pantry.
Meet Jason Mathers, currently serving his sentence at South Fork Forrest Camp (SFFC). Despite facing the challenges of incarceration for the past 5.5 years, Jay, as he prefers to be called, has found comfort and creativity in an unexpected place—building motorcycles.
Before being incarcerated, Jay owned an upholstery business specializing in replacement covers for older military vehicles. Little did he know that his journey would take a turn, leading him to a new and unconventional form of artistic expression.
Every year, the Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI) work crew selflessly dedicates their time to bring the spirit of the season to life at the Four Rivers Cultural Center. This dedicated group of adults in custody (AICs) volunteers for the Malheur Council on Aging and the Festival of Trees, transforming the cultural center into a magical holiday display.
The heartwarming holiday fundraiser they contribute to supports vital causes – Meals on Wheels & Help Them to Hope. The AICs don’t just lend a hand; they haul decorations, set up trees, string lights, build playhouses for the auction, and coordinate other merchandise for fundraising efforts.
Recently, the 7th Step Foundation, out of Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP) hosted around 20 outside employers and resource providers for their “OSP Fair Chance Career Fair.” The 7th Step Foundation is an adult in custody (AIC) run club with a mission to provide information and resources to bring about positive change. Their mission is supported by the following four pillars: Education, Career, Transformational Healing, and Leadership.
In the annals of Oregon’s prison history, the year 1968 stands as a somber reminder of one of the most violent and destructive days within the Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP). The OSP Riot of 1968 scarred the institution, leaving one prisoner dead, numerous injured, staff held hostage, and the penitentiary grounds engulfed in flames. Yet, from the ashes of this calamity emerged an unexpected glimmer of hope and transformation, embodied in the creation of the Lifers’ Unlimited Club (LUC).
