February 21, 2012

CMF makes over its visiting area

By Ashley Caldwell, Student Assistant in the Office of Public and Employee Communications

The project to beautify the visiting room at the California Medical Facility (CMF) transformed not only the look of the facility’s visiting area, but the entire atmosphere for visitors, inmates, and staff. 
Five inmate artists worked together to revamp the once plain white walls of CMF’s visiting room to resemble alluring scenery of California landmarks.

The Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) initiated the idea for the project about a year ago, in the wake of a similar project at California State Prison, Solano. The council donated funds for paint and other supplies.

Community Resource Manager Landon Bravo collaborated with the CAC, the Inmate Family Council (IFC), the Men’s Advisory Council (MAC), and CMF management to develop the idea and concepts for the project.

After much thought and consideration, the “California Seasons” theme, focusing on popular landmarks, was developed. 
The project was intended to create an atmosphere for inmates and visitors to engage in positive communication and reminisce about times when they were with their loved ones visited a California landmark.  The landmarks highlighted in the murals include Yosemite, Napa, Monterey Bay and Big Sur, Mount Shasta and the Mojave Desert.

The inmate artists drew up on their experiences living near or visiting the landmarks. 

“The project has created a positive and welcoming environment for inmates and families to visit,” said Bravo. “The beautification project has allowed a constructive environment for inmate artists to work together to create art, which has resulted in a beautiful area for family reunification.”

Bravo and the MAC solicited inmates who had skill in art and were willing to participate in the project.  Inmate Marion Meux, a well-known artist who has been at CMF for several years, was the first chosen to help with the project. He helped recruit the other artists involved.  To ensure smooth operation, Bravo said, participating inmates could not be under adverse or disciplinary action or have had recent rules of violation reports.  None of the inmates involved in the beautification project have had formal art training.  Each artist discovered his passion for art while incarcerated.

The inmate artists began working on the project at the end of November and hope to finish the visiting area by the time the weather warms up, when they will begin work on a zoo theme for the children’s area outside.

With the dedication of Bravo, participating artists and support from various groups and councils, the beautification project has succeeded in creating a positive and welcoming environment for inmate families to visit and reconnect with their loved ones.  Both children and adults enjoy looking for additions week to week.  There is a clear appreciation of the work, and visitors look forward to seeing the project completed.

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Oakland Parolees Clean Up 7,000 Trash Bags

By Dori Yamamoto-Chan, Office of Offender Services

Last May, CDCR entered into a partnership with the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the City of Oakland to implement the Golden State Works (GSW) Initiative to provide transitional employment to parolees in Oakland through the Caltrans Litter Abatement Program. 

The GSW Initiative replicates key programmatic features of the Center for Employment Opportunities model, an evidence-based program that has proven to reduce recidivism through work readiness preparation, work ethic development and job placement. The GSW program helps parolees successfully reintegrate into their communities upon release from prison. It provides, in part, employment preparation, transitional employment and permanent job placement. 

The first work crew hit the highways in August. So far, a total of 45 parolees have participated in the program. There are two crews deployed. Each crew averages eight to 10 parolees who receive a daily paycheck for each day worked. The crews have been deployed 239 days and have removed 7,000 bags of litter and debris. 

Thus far, five parolees have been placed into permanent employment at 30 hours a week or more.  GSW is now fully staffed, and it is anticipated that the number of participants and permanent employment placements will rise substantially over the next few months.

For further information on this program, please contact Tina Hurtado at (916) 445-1155.

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CDCR Vacancy List Remains Fluid

By OPEC staff

A list of CDCR vacancies available to Department employees, updated each week, can be found on the CDCR Internet page at http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/vacancies/ or by clicking the blue Layoff Resources button on the CDCR Intranet home page and then the blue Vacancy Search button.

The list can be searched by any or all of the following criteria -- category, class name, institution or program, full or part-time, tenure, county and city.

Any employee interested in a position should submit an application to the appropriate hiring authority. Anyone applying should do so with the understanding that the vacancies are fluid and are subject to change due to Wave 2 reductions and may not remain available.  They also may not be filled.

For more information, please visit the CDCR Employee Layoff Resources Page.

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Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Offers a Helping Hand

By Rosanna Rodriguez, Wellness Coordinator

Everyone needs a helping hand once in a while, and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can provide it. 

Circumstances at home can spill over into your work life, just as difficulties on the job can affect relationships at home.  If left unattended, issues that once were minor can become more serious and have a negative impact both at home and at work. 

When times get tough, most of us can benefit from talking through our problems with someone who is a professional who will listen in confidence and help us find a good solution.  EAP consultations are available face-to-face, by telephone, or by web-video — it’s your choice. 

EAP is available for all active state employees and their eligible family members.  Laid-off employees continue to receive EAP benefits for six months after the effective layoff date. Retirees may access EAP for up to 90 days after the retirement date.

Take advantage of the wide variety of services available to you through EAP and reduce stress in your life! 

Call EAP at 1-866-327-4762

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Or visit: www.eap4soc.mhn.com and register with access code: soc

or visit OEW's EAP site: www.cdcr.ca.gov/Wellness/eap.html

If you have any questions, please contact
CDCR, Office of Employee Wellness @ 916-327-8570.

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