When a friend suggested a correctional institution nursing career, Dawn Freeman hesitated as correctional health care was unknown territory. What she found was a calling that reshaped her career and gave her purpose in helping patients in recovery.
National Recovery Month in September raises awareness about substance use disorder (SUD), highlighting the people and programs supporting recovery.
CDCR and CCHCS staff across institutions work daily to prevent overdoses, reduce stigma, and connect patients with life-saving treatment. Freeman’s journey is an example of how this commitment is making a difference.
Freeman began her CCHCS career in 2009 as a registered nurse at California Medical Facility in Vacaville, where she worked across multiple units. Those experiences taught her the value of meeting patients where they are, no matter their circumstances.
In 2022, she joined the Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT) program, which provides comprehensive care for SUD patients.
“It didn’t take long to fall in love with the program and how it was impacting the lives of patients,” Freeman said. “Seeing patients reconnect with family, friends, and loved ones, and having hope again, it is truly life changing.”
Now Chief Nurse Executive for ISUDT, CalAIM, and Whole Person Care, Freeman has seen how Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) helps patients quit cravings and withdrawals so they can focus on therapy, build coping skills, and begin to heal.
It takes a team
She said the program’s success is built on staff at every level. Nurses who recognize signs of patients struggling. Custody partners and even peers inside housing units administer lifesaving doses of Narcan. Providers and the Addiction Medicine Team guide patients through treatment. Behavioral health and mental health staff work to support long-term recovery. And behind the scenes, communicators and educators spread awareness, breaking down stigma.
“Without every one of them, treatment within CDCR and upon release would not be possible,” Freeman said. “I am proud to be part of this exceptional team and blessed to see the impact it is having on patients and the loved ones they are able to reconnect with.”
For Freeman, the journey from a nurse just beginning her CCHCS career to a statewide leader has been defined by compassion, teamwork, and hope. And in her words, it is a journey she feels blessed to continue.
CCHCS executives thank all staff whose dedication makes recovery possible.
“Your compassion and commitment save lives every day,” according to a CCHCS statement.
Written by Amanda Spangler, communications analyst
California Correctional Health Care Services
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