Mentors at Ironwood give back

April 10, 2026

The Occupational Mentor Certification Program at Ironwood State Prison proudly donated over $5,000 in goods to the Blythe community.

An initiative at Ironwood State Prison started with a simple goal: to give back.

Incarcerated mentors in the Occupational Mentor Certification Program (OMCP) at Ironwood partnered with Harmony Kitchen to make it happen.

Harmony Kitchen is a nonprofit providing food and assistance to people in need in Blythe. The volunteer-operated community service program welcomed the collaboration and saw the value in connecting rehabilitation efforts with blessings for Blythe citizens in need.

The project shows how structured programs and community involvement can work together. The incarcerated mentors joined efforts to support the drive and demonstrate their commitment to positive participation.

The drive collected more than $5,000 in food and hygiene items. This shows how coordinated efforts deliver real benefits to the community.

What is OMCP?

OMCP is a voluntary program for individuals with three or more years left to serve (including long-term and life-term incarcerated individuals). OMCP provides participants with the training and education needed to become Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Counselors.

After graduating from the program, these OMCP mentors are assigned and paid as co-facilitators in the Division of Rehabilitative Programs Cognitive Behavioral Interventions (CBI) programs. These programs are available throughout all adult institutions as part of the Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment program. OMCP mentors provide guidance and peer-to-peer support to incarcerated individuals assigned to a CBI program.

OMCP mentors are assigned and paid as co-facilitators in the Division of Rehabilitative Programs Cognitive Behavioral Interventions (CBI) programs throughout all adult institutions, part of the Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment program.

At the completion of training and required internship hours, OMCP mentors can earn milestone credit, educational merit credit, and obtain an AOD Certification from a certifying organization recognized by the Department of Health Care Services. This certification can be used to obtain employment upon release, thereby facilitating the incarcerated individual’s successful transition into the community.

Story submitted by Lt. Chelsi Whalen