South Fork Forest Camp Introduces the Joys of Living Assistance Dogs Program

South Fork Forest Camp (SFFC) recently partnered with the Joys of Living Assistance Dogs (JLAD), a non-profit organization dedicated to training and raising service dogs. Their mission is to provide skilled, devoted service dogs to support and assist persons living with disabilities – creating cohesive teams focused on building a life of greater freedom and independence. The adults in custody (AICs) train them, and then the dogs are placed with individuals that need them.

Last week, SFFC received their first set of eight puppies who will be rotated through SFFC four at a time. These dedicated AICs at SFFC put their hearts and souls into these dogs, and clearly the dogs do wonders for these individuals too. Below are testimonials from AICs talking about how the program has, and will, impact their lives.

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South Fork Forest Camp’s Main Benefit is Hope – But Firefighting, Forestry Projects, and Raising Fish Help All Oregonians

TILLAMOOK STATE FOREST, Ore.—More than 46,000 steelhead trout gush out of the rearing pond and into Tuffy Creek at South Fork Forest Camp on an unusual snowy day in April. After being confined to the pond for seven months, the three-to-five-inch fish now face a challenging journey — much like the people who raised them.

“This camp is the only one of its kind in Oregon,” said Dave Luttrell, South Fork camp manager. “We are a minimum-security facility run jointly by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and the Department of Corrections (DOC)—we house up to 200 adults in custody.”

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Tablets Come to South Fork

South Fork Forest Camp sign created by adults in custody

Telmate completed their installation of the tablet system at South Fork Forest Camp (SFFC) today, making the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) the first state correctional agency to have tablet services online and available at all facilities. The DOC-Telmate team began this work in August 2017, and SFFC was the last of DOC’s 14 facilities to receive tablets due to unique challenges in the installation process.

Adults in custody (AICs) housed at SFFC quickly logged on and began using the system. With a variety of messaging options offered through the tablets, AICs at South Fork now have another way of connecting to friends and family. Keeping AICs in touch with their community and support networks has been shown to reduce recidivism.

To learn more about Telmate and the services they offer in Oregon, visit their website or create an account.