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Hosted by the National Reentry Resource Center, with funding support from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance.

CSG Justice Center staff held a joint site visit with FY17 SCA COD City of Huntington grantee. The goals of the site visit included on-site learning about the Huntington jurisdiction and the JMHCP grant program, engagement of jurisdiction partners and stakeholders on the goals of the grant and how it fits into the larger system, with a focus on sustainability beyond the grant cycle, and completion of the Planning and Implementation (P&I) guide.

The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families requested assistance with their Victim/Aggressor Assessment tool, particularly as it relates to LGBQI residents in their two facilities- Ocean Tides School and Rhode Island Training School. The PRC assigned consultant, Bernadette Brown to assist with the completion of this request for assistance.

In June, Vera returned to the Angola facility for a training on compassion given by a local teacher for the Department and external stakeholders. This training allowed for greater understanding, empathy, and collaboration between incarcerated people, prison officials, and external individuals who care about continuing the reforms already begun in the LADOC system regarding conditions of confinement. Vera also continued working on the memo for the Department on the transition program and will send shortly.

In May, Vera made its second implementation trip to Louisiana to focus on the upcoming disciplinary matrix pilot as well as to collect data on the transition dorm program at Elayne Hunt Correctional Center (Hunt). Vera met with the warden of Hunt, department management, and staff to learn about the disciplinary matrix recently created by the Department and to be piloted at Hunt by 6/1/18. Before the month ended, Vera sent the Department a memo with feedback and recommendations on how the Department can most effectively implement the matrix system-wide.

In June, Vera held hone calls with CO Duran to prepare for a conference call the following week and also to provide strategic support for reform efforts. There was a conference call with NDOC Deputy Director Harold Wickham and DD Kim Thomas regarding the current updates on implementation of reforms, and strategizing for next steps. Vera learned about plans for convening wardens and leadership together to work on reforms to the Behavior Modification Units at various facilities.

In June, there was frequent email communications between Vera and MNDOC throughout the month. Vera held its regular conference call with MNDOC to learn about site updates, progress, and to confirm and plan upcoming site visit. There was email communications to confirm meeting agendas, logistics, and strategies for site visit. Next, Vera emaileda draft version of findings and recommendations to MNDOC; Between, 6/25-6/27, Vera presented findings and recommendations to MNDOC leadership and staff. Vera facilitated the first implementation meeting and workshop.

In May, there were ongoing emails between Vera and NDOC offering TA and support in their efforts to finalize their implementation plan. There was a phone meeting to discuss implementation goal priority areas, provide support to NDOC and set agenda for upcoming implementation meeting. Next there was a logistics review phone call with NDOC in preparation for implementation meeting in Nevada. NDOC delivered an implementation plan to Vera. Lastly, Vera conducted a site visit (5/23-5/25) to NDOC for implementation planning with the Director and leadership.

In May, Vera held a conference call for MNDOC to provide updates on staff concerns about restrictive housing reforms, and for Vera to continue telegraphing the forthcoming findings and recommendations. There was another conference call with MNDOC to propose possibility of and need to evaluate the Step-Down Management Program now and going forward. Vera continued email communications with MNDOC in the interim between conference calls for regular updates and support surrounding reform efforts.

In April, Vera revised and emailed updated performance measures to NDOC in anticipation of an upcoming call with NDOC research staff. Vera held a phone conversation with AW Garcia from Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center where Vera learned about potential reforms for that facility. Vera also emailed NDOC regarding implementation needs and planning. Vera is working to support NDOC's implementation efforts through addressing next steps and requirements of implementation process.