Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP)

P.O. Box 8500, Coalinga, CA 93210

Visiting an incarcerated person: learn how to visit an incarcerated person at our institutions.

Other Resources: explore family & friends resources, including how to contact or send packages to those incarcerated in our institutions.

• Career Technical Education: Electrical Works, Office Services and Electronics Technology, Small Engine Repair, Carpentry, Building Maintenance, Auto Body & Paint, Auto Mechanics (Engine repair), Welding, and Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
• Academic: Adult Basic Education (ABE) I, II, III; GED / High School Diploma Program; Voluntary Education Program (VEP); Elementary/Secondary Education Act (ESEA); College Program (Coastline); West Hills College (Face to Face); California Prison Industry Authority (CalPIA) Program; Health Care Facility Maintenance (Medical Janitorial Services); and Building Maintenance.
• Other: New Life K9 and the Equine program, Community Service Crews (Cal Trans crew), Inmate Fire Fighters, Religious Services, Bicycle Refurbishing, Self Help/Support Programs (such as Lifer Group, Alcoholic Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Veteran’s Group, Criminal Gangs Anonymous), Handicraft Program, and Inmate Ward Labor.

DRP Programs
Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT)–Overview
On January 21, 2020, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) implemented ISUDT.  ISUDT is a comprehensive and evidence-based cross-divisional program with pathways to treatment through DRP Cognitive Behavioral Interventions (CBI) programs referred to as:

CBI-Intensive Outpatient (Medical Classification T1, SOMS assignment code ISI) 2-hours/day, 5-days/week, 52-weeks completion

CBI-Outpatient  (Medical Classification T2, SOMS assignment code ISO) 2-hours/day, 3-days/week, 14-weeks completion

CBI-Life Skills (Medical Classification T3, SOMS assignment code CB2) 2-hours/day, 3-days/week, 29-weeks completion

All participants will be assessed by medical and referred to one of the CBI classes.

Pleasant Valley State Prison is located in Fresno County in the community of Coalinga. You’re not far from the beautiful California coastline or the giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park. Coalinga has quality schools, a library, a museum and is home of the famous Harris Ranch Inn and Restaurant. Key community events include the Annual Horned Toad Derby, Annual 4th of July Fireworks Display and the Wham-O-Bass Hot Air Balloon Festival.

PVSP provides excellence in state service and excels in public safety and public service while providing modern long-term housing and professional rehabilitative services for inmate of all custody levels. We maintain the highest public safety security protocols.

Education and Career Technical skills are offered to inmates through our academic classes, vocational instruction, and work programs to create viable job skills that are marketable in today’s workforce. We offer a multitude of self-help programs inclusive of Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Medicated Assisted Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention that are developed to aid in the inmates’ ability to make positive life changing decisions while giving back to society.

We offer support to our local community through inmate work crews, mutual aid agreements in fire suppression and with local Law Enforcement Agencies to provide enhanced support through our Crisis Response Team.

In addition, we offer a youth diversion program for at-risk children in our community. Our Youth Offender Program offers those inmates who are 18-25 years old, a voluntary intensive rehabilitative treatment program to address their educational, emotional, social, and behavior needs. Our goal is to provide modern rehabilitative services to the inmate population while developing life and social skills to those preparing to reintegrate back into society.

PVSP provides professional medical and mental health services in modern facilities for those patients identified through medical intervention. Our licensed Correctional Treatment Center provides short-term inpatient medical care, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of patients, including those in need of intervention in our Mental Health Crisis Bed housing. We are able to provide modern medical care for those inmates patients designated as low to medical risk.

Institution Statistics (SB601), Operational Performance Measures (COMPSTAT) and Inmate Population Reports

Steve Smith has been acting Warden at Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) in Coalinga since February 2024.

Mr. Smith began his career with CDCR in September 1996 as a Correctional Officer at Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP). He transferred to California Men’s Colony (CMC) in September 1997 and promoted to Correctional Sergeant at CMC in October 2000. In March 2004, he was promoted to Correctional Lieutenant at Avenal State Prison (ASP), and in November 2006, he moved laterally to the classification of Correctional Counselor (CC) II, specifically, as the Appeals Coordinator at ASP. He then transferred back to SVSP as a CC II (Appeals Coordinator) in July 2009. In August 2010, he promoted to Facility Captain at CMC. In October 2012, he moved laterally to the classification of CC III and was assigned to the Division of Rehabilitative Programs (DRP) at CMC. In July 2020, Mr. Smith promoted to Correctional Administrator at Sierra Conservation Center (SCC). In December 2021, he was promoted to Chief Deputy Administrator (CDW) at SCC. In February 2023, he assumed the role of acting Warden at SCC.

Oscar Galloway has been chief executive officer (CEO) for Pleasant Valley State Prison since December 2023.

Mr. Galloway has served California Correctional Health Care Services since 2007, when he began
his state career as an Associate Governmental Program Analyst at Avenal State Prison. Since then, Mr. Galloway has served at various institutions in the roles of Health Program Specialist I, Correctional Health Services Administrator I, Correctional Health Services Administrator II, Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator, and Chief Support Executive (CSE). Mr. Galloway came to PVSP in June 2021 as the CSE and served in this role until April 2023, when he began serving in an Out-of-Class assignment as the acting CEO.

Mr. Galloway holds a Master of Health Administration from University of Phoenix and is a
Certified Correctional Health Professional by the National Commission on Correctional Health
Care.

Local Inmate Family Councils (IFC’s) are a gathering of family and friends of the incarcerated who meet regularly with Wardens to support visiting since keeping strong family connections with loved ones is a powerful rehabilitative tool. These IFC’s promote visiting by clarifying rules and regulations as well as discussing health, education, vocational training, packages, books, and related issues. For more information on connecting with a local IFC, please visit the Statewide IFC website.