Week in Review: May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

In this May 30 Week in Review, we spotlight Mental Health Awareness, Valley State Prison replacing a teen’s stolen bike, and a CCI-Tehachapi basketball game.

Observances

Mental Health Awareness Month

Dr Rojas offers 5 tips to improve your mental health.

Employee Wellness offers tips for mental health – Dr. Briana Rojas, chief psychologist and associate director of CDCR’s Office of Employee Wellness, offers five tips to improve mental health.

Watch the full video

Upward Mobility

Madelynn McClain, appointed Director of the Division of Administrative Services

Raul Morales, appointed Warden, Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison

In Our Institutions

FSP celebrates 26 college degree graduates

Folsom State Prison’s (FSP) incarcerated education program recently celebrates participants earning degrees from California State University, Sacramento.

Two incarcerated students graduated with master’s degrees while 24 earned bachelor’s degrees. Many graduates received additional academic honors, some earning multiple certifications.

Sacramento State representatives and artist David Garibaldi attended the graduation to acknowledge and commend the students’ accomplishments. Family members also attended the commencement ceremony. After the ceremony, graduates gathered after the ceremony with “Stingers Up” in appreciation of CSU, Sacramento.

CCI can jump!

California Correctional Institution at Tehachapi (CCI) hosted a first of its kind inter-facility basketball game between A-yard and C-yard facilities.

Both teams huddled up and let loose a war cry before tip-off. Team Legacy scored first, but the Ballers followed up with serious defensive skills. By the end of the first period, the score was 14-11, with the home team in the lead.

The Ballers offense flew up and down the court, racking up points to reach 26-19 by the end of the second period. After halftime, Team Legacy came out in the lead at 40-37.

With 20 seconds left on the clock, Team Legacy tipped the ball out, allowing the Ballers to keep possession. The Ballers then burned time to take a narrow victory with a final score of 50-47.

The event was a success with positive vibes amongst everyone on and off the court. Other residents were motivated and united by this event, eager for the next game.

RJD collaborates on LEAN

RJD incarcerated person working on computer

Richard J. Donovan (RJD) Correctional Facility marked a milestone by celebrating its first-ever cohort of certified LEAN White Belts course, where staff and incarcerated individuals studied together in the same class.

What started as a distant vision from RJD CEO, Chris Podratz, became a reality as individuals earned LEAN White Belt certification over the course of three days.

The students were exposed to several LEAN concepts and tools, such as process mapping, value stream, eight kinds of waste and root cause analysis.

“Bringing staff and incarcerated individuals together to learn side by side is more than just education, it’s a step toward building trust, fostering collaboration, and creating meaningful change. Seeing this vision come to life has been incredible, and I’m excited for the positive impact it will continue to have on those that live and work at RJD.”
C.W. Podratz, CEO

The response from this initial cohort was overwhelmingly positive, and the desire and demand for ongoing LEAN training is evident across the institution.

Instructors are currently revising the curriculum based on feedback from the initial cohort, with plans to offer the second class soon.

SATF Service Corps marks two years of service and growth

“Service Corps! At your service!” rang out across Facility F at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF) on May 14, during the group’s second anniversary celebration.

Associate Director Bryan D. Phillips, Acting Warden Raul Morales, Associate Warden Carrie Critchlow and Facility Captain Donald Stohl attended the event. Phillips said he was “proud of the hard work and service that Service Corps provides” and hoped to see the group grow.

The Service Corps has 48 members who assist with facility events and projects, often on short notice. Members earned certificates for hours spent setting up events such as the Day of Peace and Facility F Music Festival, and beautifying yards and staff walkways.

Launched by an incarcerated resident’s vision, the group has grown with support from SATF leadership. The goal is to one day establish a Service Corps on all seven SATF yards.

Their mission remains clear: serve others and give back through meaningful action.

In the Community

ASP leads Ethics Day

correctional officer speaking to students

Avenal State Prison (ASP) custody staff recently participated in Avenal High School’s Senior Ethics Day.

Staff served as table leaders, guiding students through a variety of exercises and ethical dilemmas. ASP facilitated meaningful discussions by encouraging students to practice active listening, share experiences, and engage in ethical decision-making.

ASP’s leadership created an open and respectful environment where students felt comfortable exploring complex moral scenarios, reflecting on their personal values. This collaborative effort enhanced students’ understanding of ethics, fostering mutual respect and community connection between the custody staff and high school students.

VSP donates bike to teen bike theft victim

A Madera teen was at school when he was surprised with a gift from leaders at Valley State Prison (VSP) in Chowchilla.

After the teen’s bike had been stolen, a representative with Madera Unified School District reached out to the institution for assistance.

Within 24 hours, Officer M. Rodriguez and acting Warden Bailey were at the school delivering the bike.

This is thanks to VSP’s Bicycle Refurbishing Program which allows incarcerated people to restore donated bikes for youth throughout the Central Valley.

“It’s truly an honor to come out to our local schools and support the community by donating to the youth,” said Bailey.

OVSRS presents at National Crime Victims Law Institute

Chief Mariam El-Menshawi, Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services (OVSRS), presented two sessions at the National Crime Victims Law Institute annual conference in Portland, Oregon. The first session discussed victims’ rights post-conviction while the second session focused more broadly on victims’ rights, highlighting barriers to victim engagement and involvement with the criminal legal system and restorative justice options.

In the Media

Cal State LA’s Prison Graduation Initiative celebrates new Chino campus dedicated to serving incarcerated students

Photo: California Institution for Men's (CIM) Associate Director Travis Pennington, far left, and Warden Eric Mejia join Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes, Provost Heather Lattimer, and Prison Graduation Initiative Director Bidhan Roy for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the CIM College Campus on Tuesday, May 27. (Credit: J. Emilio Flores/Cal State LA)

On Tuesday, May 27, Cal State LA, CIM, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new CIM College Campus, which is located just outside one of CIM’s three yards.

Two students, Alexia Friedman (top) and Mariah Kirkpatrick (bottom), and Art Education Professor James Woglom (right) paint a mural designed by Pelican Bay incarcerated artists.

Standing as a symbol of collaboration, compassion, and creativity, a new mural at Cal Poly Humboldt was created by incarcerated artists and University students.

The project, completed this month, is the result of a unique partnership between Pelican Bay State Prison and the University and part of a successful initiative led by the Prison Arts Collective (PAC).