STATEWIDE INMATE FAMILY COUNCIL

October 10, 2024, 13:00-14:00

Meeting Minutes

SIFC Members in attendance: Clara Garcia, Linda Finney, Katia Campbell, Abigail Salim and Crystal Dean.

Meeting was brought to order and facilitated by Carlos Santos.

SB542 Funds- Are the funds available and information distributed to the facilities? If not when?Also, clarification of available funds for the visiting program and replacement of FV unit equipment.

Answer: Joyce Higdon from the Female Offender Programs & Services, indicated that the SB542 funds are available, and information has been distributed to each facility and funds must be used by end of the year 12/31/2024. Items listed on the form are not the only items that are approved for purchase. For items not listed, IFC’s can submit to admin for consideration. Headquarters will have a follow up with local CRM’s and Visiting Sergeants on setting aside funds for visiting events. Another suggestion was that facilities that are closing may have additional items to pull Family Visit furniture from.

Friends Outside -SIFC would like to know about their new contract and the changes that they announced on their page? Solano update.

Answer: No changes to the current contract. CDCR has followed up on competitive rates for staffing.

Update on Olsen Review: concerns with electronically being able to view private information.

Answer: Juston Montano from Classification Services Unit (CSU), stated that an EIS change request was submitted on September 25, 2024, via email to remove that portion of the review with personal information.        

Update on Tablet Contract

Answer: Kyle Clark from Enterprise Information Services, stated that an RFP went out September still in the vetting stages.

Update on belts for the population (Velcro)

Answer: Janan Cavagnolo from Office of Policy Standardization stated that regulations do not allow for belts, put on radar for prototypes but must go through the approval process.