GOOD AFTERNOON
WE WILL CALL TO ORDER
ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE
NUMBER FIVE ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
TODAY WE WILL BE THIS DISCUSSING
BUDGET ISSUES FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND
REHABILITATION. WE WILL ALSO
HAVE A PANEL ON COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE IN
PERSON PROGRAMMING. MOST OF
THESE PANELISTS HAVE COME FROM
FAR AND WIDE DROVE FROM OUT OF
TOWN TO GIVE THEIR TESTIMONY
TODAY, SO I WANT TO THANK THEM
FOR MAKING THE TRIP. THE
PANELISTS ARE LISTED IN SPEAKING
ORDER, AND WE WILL HAVE
QUESTIONS FROM THE SUBCOMMITTEE
AFTER THE PRESENTATION OF EACH
ITEM. WE WILL NOT BE TAKING ANY
VOTES TODAY, AND PUBLIC COMMENT
WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER ALL
ISSUES HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AT
THE END OF THE HEARING BEFORE WE
BEGIN. WE WILL START WITH THE
ROLL CALL.
HERE. HEART FAILURE. YEAH.
PATERSON. THANK YOU. WE WILL ASK
ALL PANELISTS TO INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES. PRIOR TO SPEAKING.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH ISSUE NUMBER
ONE SB 1008 AND FAMILY
CONNECTION. ONE OF OUR PANELISTS
, MISS LAYLA AS YOU AS THESE
WILL BE JOINING REMOTELY. THIS
IS FOR CDCR. SB 10 08 AUTHORIZES
CDCR TO PROVIDE FREE VOICE
CALLING TO ALL INCARCERATED
PERSONS. THIS REQUEST WILL
PROVIDE 30.7 MILLION ONGOING
GENERAL FUND AND TO POSITION TO
SUPPORT THE PROVISION OF SB 10
08. THE REQUESTED FUNDING WAS
CALCULATED USING A MIX OF ACTUAL
AND ESTIMATED CALL DATA. DO THE
POTENTIAL VARIANTS OF ANNUAL
CALLING USAGE. CDCR IS ALSO
REQUESTING PROVISIONAL LANGUAGE
TO AUGMENT OR REDUCE THE ANNUAL
FUNDING AS ACTUAL DATA BECOMES
AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS AUTHORITY
TO UPDATE FUNDING LEVELS THROUGH
AN ANNUAL TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT.
IN ADDITION TO FREE CALLING CDCR
THROUGH THE COMMUNICATIONS
CONTRACT, PROVIDES 15 MINUTES OF
FREE VIDEO CALLS EVERY TWO
WEEKS. THE 2021 BUDGET ACT
INCLUDED FUNDING FOR AN
ADDITIONAL 16 63 MINUTES OF
CALLING VOICE CALLING EVERY TWO
WEEKS AND 60 ELECTRONIC MESSAGES
PER MONTH. THIS FUNDING WAS RE
APPROPRIATED AND CDCR CONTINUES
TO PROVIDE 63 ELECTRONIC
MESSAGES PER MONTH FOR EACH
INCARCERATED PERSON. RECOGNIZING
THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
. THE 2021 BUDGET ACT PROVIDED
20.3 MILLION GENERAL FUND AND
100 AND 24.1 POSITIONS FOR AN
ADDITIONAL DAY OF VISITING AND
FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE
REUNIFICATION TRANSPORTATION BUS
PROGRAM. THE CONTRACT FOR THE
REUNIFICATION TRANSPORTATION BUS
PROGRAM WAS EXECUTED IN JULY OF
2022, WITH SERVICE STARTING IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2022. CITY CR WAS
STILL UNDER THE COVID 19 HEALTH
AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS DURING THE
2021. 22 22 23 FISCAL YEARS AND
AS SUCH. PROVIDED THE ADDITIONAL
DAY OF VISITING VIA ONE HOUR
VIDEO VISITS. VIDEO VISITING
ALLOWED FOR PERSONS WHO ARE
UNABLE TO TRAVEL TO SEE THEIR
LOVED ONES AND FOR INCARCERATED
PERSONS TO WITNESS A VARIETY OF
LIFE EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES THAT
WOULD OTHERWISE BE AN
UNAVAILABLE TO THEM IN PERSON,
SUCH AS CHILD'S BIRTHDAY PARTIES
, FAMILY, PETS AND SCHOOL
PROJECTS. VIDEO VISITING OCCURS
IN THE SAME LOCATION, AS IN
PERSON VISITING AND REQUIRES
COMPUTERS TO BE SET UP ON
VISITING ROOM TABLES. CDCR STAFF
MUST VERIFY THE IDENTITY OF THE
CALLER AND MONITOR THE VIDEO
CALLS DURING THE DURATION, WHICH
PROVIDES THE SAME SECURITY
COMPLIMENT AS IN PERSON VISITS
DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS AND
OTHER FACTORS. VIDEO VISITING AN
IN PERSON VISITING TYPICALLY
OCCUR ON SEPARATE DAYS. AS WE
NOTED, I THINK WHEN THE
SECRETARY WAS HERE, THE
DEPARTMENT WILL BE SWITCHING TO
THIS TO THIRD DAY OF IN PERSON
VISITING ONCE TABLETS ARE FULLY
DEPLOYED, WHICH WERE ESTIMATED
TO BE COMPLETED BY JUNE OF 2023
. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT ON THIS, AND WE'RE
HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. WE'LL HEAR
FROM MS O'NEIL. NEXT CAITLIN
O'NEIL WITH THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE. WE HAVE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THREE
DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THIS
PROPOSAL. I'LL FAIRLY TECHNICAL
IN NATURE. THE FIRST IS ON THE
FUNDING AMOUNTS PROPOSED. AND IN
OUR REVIEW OF THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSAL, WE DID FIND THE
FUNDING AMOUNTS TO BE REASONABLE
. HOWEVER THERE'S TWO CAVEATS
HERE THAT WE DID WANT TO POINT
OUT. AND THOSE ARE THAT THE
FUNDING AMOUNTS BEFORE YOU ARE
BASED ON LIMITED CALLING USAGE
DATA THAT WAS, UM COLLECTED
PRIOR TO SB 108 GOING INTO
EFFECT, GIVEN THE TIMING OF WHEN
THE PROPOSAL WAS PREPARED, AND
WHEN THE LAW WENT INTO EFFECT.
UM AND THEN TWO. WE LEARNED ON
FRIDAY THAT CDCR RECENTLY
RENEGOTIATED ITS CONTRACT WITH
THE VENDOR THAT PROVIDES
COMMUNICATION SERVICES. UM TO GO
TO FROM A PURELY PERMANENT, UM
BASIS TO A TIERED PRICING MODEL,
WHICH WILL UM, PRESUMABLY
CHANGED THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING
THAT IS REQUIRED. SO WE
RECOMMEND WITHHOLDING ACTION ON
THE FUNDING AMOUNT AT THIS TIME
AND REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT TO
REPORT UPDATED USAGE DATA AS
WELL AS ESTIMATES OF THE COST
UNDER THE NEW PRICING MODEL AT
THE MAY REVISION. THE SECOND
ASPECT OF THE PROPOSAL THAT WE
HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON IS THE
PROVISIONAL LANGUAGE THAT THERE
IS PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET WITH
THIS ITEM. WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE TO AUGMENT
OR REDUCE THE APPROPRIATION
BASED ON ACTUAL OR ESTIMATED
EXPENDITURE DATA. AND WE FIND
THAT WHILE THERE IS SOME
UNCERTAINTY ON ABOUT THE AMOUNT
OF FUNDING THAT WILL ULTIMATELY
BE NEEDED, BECAUSE IT WILL
DEPEND ON HOW HOW MUCH HOW MANY
CALLING MINUTES ARE ULTIMATELY
USED. UM WE FIND THAT THIS
LANGUAGE IS UNNECESSARY AND
LIMITS LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT,
AND THAT'S BECAUSE, UM, THE
ANNUAL BUDGET ACT ALREADY
INCLUDES THE ABILITY FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE TO AUGMENT
DEPARTMENTS. BUDGETS UM, IN
RESPONSE TO UNEXPECTED COST
INCREASES, AND THAT'S THROUGH
THE ITEM. 98 40, WHICH INCLUDES
40 MILLION FOR UM, UNEXPECTED,
UNEXPECTED COSTS ACROSS STATE
DEPARTMENTS, UM AND ALSO
INCLUDES, UM, NOTIFICATION TO
THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE BUDGET
COMMITTEE IN THE EVENT THAT THAT
MONEY IS ALLOCATED, UM SO IN THE
EVENT. MOREOVER IN THE EVENT
THAT THIS 40 MILLION IS NOT
SUFFICIENT TO COVER THESE COSTS
AND OTHER STATE NEEDS IN THE
BUDGET YEAR. UM ITEM. 98 40
OUTLINES A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH
THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE OR THE
ADMINISTRATION MORE BROADLY, CAN
SEEK SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
FOR UNEXPECTED MIDYEAR COST
INCREASES. SO GIVEN THAT THOSE
MECHANISMS ALREADY EXIST AND
PROVIDE GREATER, UM, OPPORTUNITY
FOR LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT. WE
THEN THE ONE THAT IS PROPOSED
FOR THIS ITEM WE RECOMMEND
REJECTING THE PROPOSED
PROVISIONAL LANGUAGE. AND OUR
THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS ON THE
PROPOSED TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT
PROCESS TO UPDATE THE ANNUAL
FUNDING AMOUNT FROM YEAR TO
YEAR. AND WE FIND THAT THE
PROPOSED TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT
PROCESS LACKS TRANSPARENCY
BECAUSE FOR SUCH ADJUSTMENTS,
THE ADMINISTRATION TYPICALLY
DOESN'T SUBMIT, UM MATERIALS
PROVIDING JUSTIFICATION FOR THE
FUNDING AMOUNT. TO THE
LEGISLATURE, WHICH WHICH MAKES
IT DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY ANY
DISCRETIONARY DECISIONS THAT MAY
HAVE GONE INTO DETERMINING THE
FUNDING AMOUNT OR MAY HAVE
AFFECTED THE FUNDING AMOUNT,
WHETHER THE FUNDING AMOUNT IS
JUSTIFIED, UM AS WELL AS JUST
GENERALLY FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO
CONDUCT OVERSIGHT OF CDCR S
BUDGET AND, UM VOICE
COMMUNICATIONS, UM, FOR THE
INCARCERATED. SO WE RECOMMEND
THAT THE LEGISLATURE DIRECT THE
DEPARTMENT, TOO. ADDRESS THE
LEVEL OF FUNDING FROM YEAR TO
YEAR. USING AN EXISTING PROCESS
, UM, THROUGH WHICH IT ADJUSTS
VARIOUS ASPECTS OF ITS BUDGET
FOR CHANGES IN THE POPULATION.
IT'S POPULATIONS OF, UM, VARIOUS
AND VARIOUS SUB POPULATIONS AND
THAT EXIST THROUGH THAT EXISTING
PROCESS. THE ADMINISTRATION
SUBMITS ALONG WITH THE FUNDING
REQUEST. UM DOCUMENTATION
SHOWING ITS METHODOLOGY AND
SUPPORTING THE REQUEST, WHICH
MAKES IT EASIER TO REVIEW. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MS TOMLINSON.
SARAH TOMLINSON DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. WE'D LIKE TO START BY,
UH, RESPONDING TO THE IDEA THAT
THE PROPOSED FUNDING APPEARS
REASONABLE, BUT IT'S BASED ON
LIMITED DATA CURRENTLY
AVAILABLE, THE ADMINISTRATION
ACKNOWLEDGED ACKNOWLEDGES THE
REQUESTED AMOUNTS WERE BASED ON
HISTORICAL DATA AND PROJECTIONS
AND THAT ADDITIONAL DATA ON
ACTUAL IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION
WILL BECOME AVAILABLE THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY BE USED FOR
REFINEMENT PURPOSES. FOR SB 10
08. AND I JUST WANTED TO SINCE
IT JUST WENT INTO EFFECT ON
JANUARY 1ST 2023. ADDITIONALLY
THE LAOS POINT ON PROVISIONAL
LANGUAGE BEING UNNECESSARY AND
LIMITING OVERSIGHT, ALONG WITH
THE ANNUAL TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT
, UH, PROCESS LACKING
TRANSPARENCY, THE
ADMINISTRATION'S INTENT WAS NOT
TO LIMIT LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT
AND WE ARE OPEN TO WORKING WITH
THE LEGISLATURE TO REFINE THE
PROVISIONAL LANGUAGE AS
NECESSARY. OUR PRIORITY IS TO
HAVE A MECHANISM TO ADJUST THE
AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR SP 10 08
IMPLEMENTATION, GIVING THE
POTENTIAL THAT THE AMOUNT NEEDED
TO IMPLEMENT THE LEGISLATION
COULD EXCEED OR FALL BELOW
PROJECTED LEVELS. UM, FROM A
TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE, THE
ADMINISTRATION DOES FIND ME DOES
NOT FIND THAT ITEM 98 40 OR A
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION WOULD
BE A VIABLE OPTION. FOR FUNDING
AUGMENTATION RELATED TO SB 10 08
SPECIFICALLY, ITEM 98 40 IS
AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCY EXPENSES
AND CONTINGENCIES. UM AND THERE
IS ONLY A FINE OUT A FINITE
AMOUNT OF FUNDING AVAILABLE TO
ALL STATE DEPARTMENTS. UM THIS
AMOUNT SHOULD BE PRESERVED FOR
EMERGENCY PURPOSES AND FOR COSTS
THAT ARE TRULY NOT KNOWN AT A
TIME. NOT KNOWN AS A TIME WHEN
THE BUDGET IS ENACTED, IT WOULD
BE DIFFICULT TO ARGUE THAT
INCREASED COSTS ASSOCIATED AS
WITH SB 10 08 WERE NOT KNOWN
GIVEN THE ADMINISTRATION IS
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE COSTS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BILL ARE
LIKELY TO BE VARIABLE, AND IT
COULD EXCEED THE AMOUNT
APPROPRIATED. ADDITIONALLY THE
USE OF SUPPLEMENTAL
APPROPRIATION COULD PRESENT A
TIMING ISSUE. THIS BILL
TYPICALLY RUNS TOWARDS THE END
OF THE FISCAL YEAR AND CDCR MAY
INCUR COSTS BEFORE A
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION WOULD
BE AVAILABLE. ACCORDINGLY THE
ADMINISTRATION STILL FINDS THE
USE OF PROVISIONAL LANGUAGE IS
THE MOST APPROPRIATE MECHANISM,
AND THIS APPROACH HAS BEEN
LEVERAGED ACROSS THE BUDGET IN
INSTANCES WHERE IT IS
ANTICIPATED THAT COST COULD VARY
FROM PROJECTED ESTIMATES.
FINALLY WE NOTE AGAIN THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION IS OPEN TO
WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATURE
REGARDING THE BEST MECHANISM TO
ADJUST ANNUAL FUNDING LEVELS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU
AND I'LL START WITH SOME
QUESTIONS AND THEN TURN IT OVER
TO MY COLLEAGUES. BUT FIRST
WE'LL HAVE A MISS AZIZ, WHO IS
CALLING IN REMOTELY RESPOND TO
ANYTHING THAT THE CDCR HAS
PRIDED. HELLO THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME. MY NAME IS LEILA AZIZ
AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
OPERATIONS FOR PILLARS OF THE
COMMUNITY. I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF
THE COALITION FOR FAMILY UNITY
KNOWN AS C F. YOU. I'M THE
MOTHER OF IDENTICAL TWIN BOYS.
14 AND MY HUSBAND IS CURRENTLY
HOUSED AT HIGH DESERT STATE
PRISON AND SUSAN BILL,
CALIFORNIA. OUR SONS WERE SEVEN
YEARS OLD WHEN TERRENCE ARRIVED
AT HIGH DESERT STATE PRISON. I
LIVE IN SAN DIEGO. THE DRIVE TO
THE PRISON IS 13 HOURS.
COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT TO
OUR FAMILY. AS WITH OTHER
FAMILIES WITH INCARCERATED LOVED
ONES, IT PREPARES THEM FOR RE
ENTRY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
OUR CHILDREN DO BETTER IN SCHOOL
AND AT HOME, HAVING CONTACT WITH
THEIR IMPARTIAL, INCARCERATED
PARENT, AND IT INCREASES THE
SAFETY OF THOSE INCARCERATED BY
ALLOWING THEM AN OUTLET TO DEAL
WITH FEAR, ANXIETY AND
DEPRESSION. FIRST I WANT TO SAY
WE APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE
LEGISLATURE TO ENSURE THEIR
FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO KEEP IN
TOUCH WITH THEIR LOVED ONES
CURRENTLY INCARCERATED IN THE
STATE. PHONE CALLS HAVE BEEN IN
BIG HELP FOR PEOPLE ACROSS THE
STATE. BUT NOTHING IS A
REPLACEMENT FOR IN PERSON
VISITS. I DO WANT TO RAISE SOME
OF THEIR CURRENT BARRIERS THAT
SOME OF THE FAMILIES ARE
EXPERIENCING MYSELF INCLUDED.
WHEN IMPLEMENTING THAT TABLETS
AT HIGH DESERT PRISON. THEY
REMOVED THE WALL PHONES. THERE
IS NOW ONLY ONE WALL PHONE IN
EACH SECTION OF THE PRISON. ALSO
THE TABLETS MALFUNCTION OFTEN
IT'S A PILOT PROGRAM. THE WIFI
HAS BEEN DOWN FOR DAYS AT LEAST
TWICE A WEEK, AND MY HUSBAND HAS
A PROBLEM CALLING OUT NUMEROUS
TIMES WHEN I'M SPEAKING WITH MY
HUSBAND, THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON
WHO SUDDENLY APPEARS ON THE
LINE. ANOTHER INCARCERATED
PERSON. THE TEXT MESSAGING APP
HAS GONE DOWN FOR DAYS, AND
THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH TEXT
MESSAGING AT LEAST THREE TO AT
LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK, IF NOT
MORE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COST IN
2022. I SPENT $490 ON VOICE
COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH GLOBAL
TEL. WITH THE. RELEASE OF THE
TABLETS IN 2022. IT WAS, I THINK
, THIRD QUARTER OF 2022. I SPENT
100 AND $50 ON TEXT MESSAGING
COMMUNICATIONS. IN 2023 VOICE
COMMUNICATIONS BECAME FREE. I
HAVE SPENT $90 ON COMMUNICATION
FOR MYSELF AND $205 FOR HIM WITH
THE TABLET. IF MY HUSBAND WANTS
TO VIDEO CALL HIS CHILDREN OR
ME. IT COST HIM $5.60 EACH VIDEO
ALSO IT'S $2.80 FOR MYSELF. WE
HAVE SPENT $56 ON VIDEO CALLS
WITH HIS CHILDREN, SO THEY DO
NOT HAVE TO PAY. THUS FAR THIS
YEAR WITH WITH PRE PHONE CALLS
WE HAVE SPENT $350 ON
COMMUNICATION. WE ARE PROJECTED
TO SPEND 140 ON COMMUNICATION IN
2023. SO EVEN WITH THREE FUNNEL
CALLS, OUR COMMUNICATION BUDGET
HAS INCREASED. 33. PAUL'S ARE
NOW FREE. BUT THE COST HAS
INCREASED. BASICALLY RETURN ON
INVESTMENT AT 4% ANNUALLY FOR
$1400 PER YEAR, WHICH WERE
PAYING 10 YEARS FROM A 10 YEAR
SENTENCE IS 18,881. THIS IS FOR
COMMUNICATION ONLY. THIS DOES
NOT INCLUDE VISITS CANTEEN. OR
PACKAGES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE
DOING. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF
WORK THAT WE NEED AND THE COST
HAVE ACTUALLY RISEN INSTEAD OF
DECREASED WITH THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VIDEO
VISITS AND THE TEXT MESSAGING.
ALSO WITH THE THREE DAY IN
PERSON VISITS THAT ARE FINALLY
GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED, WERE
CALLED AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FREE VIDEO
VISITS GOING AWAY INSTEAD OF
HAVING A HYBRID OF BOTH FOR
THREE DAYS. THIS MEANS WE WILL
HAVE TO NOW PAY FOR VIDEO
VISITS. ANYTIME WE DO SO WHERE
BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO SCHEDULE
FREE VIDEO VISITS THAT OCCURRED
IN THE VISITING ROOM. A LOT OF
FAMILIES SUCH AS MYSELF. OUR 13
HOURS AWAY. 14 HOURS AWAY. THANK
YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU, MR AZIZ. SO I'LL MOVE
FORWARD WITH SOME QUESTIONS. IN
MY MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY A
FEW WEEKS AGO, HE MENTIONED THE
IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY CONNECT. WE
HEARD FROM MS AZIZ, UH, THAT THE
CRITICAL NATURE OF THAT AND THE
DEPARTMENT WILL FINALLY BE
IMPLEMENTING THREE DAYS IN
PERSON VISITATION THIS YEAR TO
WHICH WE ARE VERY THANKFUL TO
THE CDCR FOR FOLLOWING THROUGH
ON THAT MY QUESTION RELATES A
LITTLE BIT TO THIS VIDEO
VISITATION COMPONENT. IT SOUNDS
LIKE THESE WERE REPLACED WITH
VIDEO CALLS FOR THE TABLETS.
THERE WAS A REPLACEMENT OF THE
VIDEO CALLS FOR THE TABLETS, UM
, OR VIDEO CALLS FROM THE
TABLETS. UH WHY ARE THE VIDEO
CALLS SO EXPENSIVE? I KNOW THE
DEPARTMENT WILL PROVIDE 2 15
MINUTE VIDEO CALLS FOR FREE, BUT
THAT'S NOT REALLY A LOT OF TIME
. SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO DO AN
ADDITIONAL ONE HOUR CALL THAT
WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $12
SEEMS VERY EXPENSIVE. MR AZIZ IS
QUOTE QUOTING $18,881 SPENT
ANNUALLY ON COMMUNICATION ONLY.
TOTALLY THAT SEEMS VERY
EXPENSIVE FOR ONE FAMILY TO
BEAR. WHO IS CHARGED THAT
AMOUNTS THE FAMILY OR THE
INCARCERATED PERSON CAN, THE
DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED HOW THESE
VIDEO CHARGES WORK? CERTAINLY
MADELEINE MCLEAN, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF FISCAL CCR, SO THE
CURRENT PHONE CONTRACT PROVIDES
15 MINUTES OF FREE VIDEO CALLS
EVERY TWO WEEKS. AND SO I
THEY'RE SEPARATE AND THEY HAD
THEIR HANDLED THROUGH THE
TABLETS IN A KIOSK IN THEIR
HOUSING UNIT. THE VIDEO VISIT OR
IN PERSON. VIDEO VISITS AND
VIDEO VISITS ARE HANDLED IN THE
VISITING ROOM, AND THOSE ARE ONE
HOUR IN LENGTH. SO WHAT THE
DEPARTMENT DID WAS BECAUSE OF
COVID. WE HAD FUNDING TO DO
THREE DAYS OF VISITING. WE DID A
HYBRID APPROACH IN MANY
INSTITUTIONS WHERE WE HAD TWO
DAYS OF IN PERSON AND ONE DAY OF
VIDEO VISITING, SO IT'S A ONE
HOUR FREE VIDEO VISIT. THEY
DON'T THEY DON'T FAMILIES ARE
NOT CHARGED FOR THAT, AND THAT
WAS BASED ON. WE CONTINUE THAT
BECAUSE IT WAS BASED ON SURVEYS
THAT WERE DONE. THROUGH A
STATEWIDE INMATE FAMILY COUNCIL,
THE LOCAL REGIONAL, UH, IT MAY
ADVISORY GROUPS. EVERYONE REALLY
APPRECIATED THE ABILITY TO HAVE
THE IN PERSON AND THE VIDEO
VISITATION. SO FOR THE VIDEO
CALLS, THOSE ARE USUALLY IN 15
MINUTE INCREMENTS BECAUSE
THEY'RE IN THEIR HOUSING, AND
IT'S NOT A SEPARATE VIDEO
VISITATION. AM I ANSWERING YOUR
QUESTION? OKAY, AND SO THAT THE
CHARGES FOR THE 20 CENTS PER
MINUTE FOR THE VIDEO CALLS ARE
THEN CHARGED THE FAMILIES
BECAUSE THAT'S IN ADDITION TO
THE 63 EMAIL MESSAGES THEY GET
PER MONTH AND ALL OF THE FREE
CALLING, PLUS THE THREE DAYS OF
VISITING. THANKS HELPFUL. I JUST
I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT WHY
IT'S SO EXPENSIVE. THAT IS PART
OF OUR RFP FOR THE CONTRACT THAT
WENT OUT FOR THE NEW PHONE
PROVIDER. THAT WAS THE LOWEST
RATE THAT WE GOT FROM ALL OF THE
PROVIDERS. SO IS THAT THE PATH?
YES. OKAY SO JUST A FOLLOW UP
QUESTION ON THAT. THEN UM, HOW
DO YOU GO ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
YOU'RE GETTING THE LOWEST RATE
POSSIBLE FROM THE PROVIDERS THAT
YOU CONTRACT WITH? SO I KNOW
THAT YOU HAD EMILIO? PRESENT TO
YOU ANOTHER ANOTHER PLAN THAT
ESSENTIALLY IS 50% OF THE COST
OF VIA PATH. CERTAINLY SO THE
CDCR FOLLOWS THE STATE
CONTRACTING LAW, WHICH IS SET
THROUGH PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE AND
OVERSEEN BY DEPARTMENT OF
GENERAL SERVICES AND CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY. SO
THIS CONTRACT THAT WENT OUT WAS
ACTUALLY HAD PER PUBLIC CONTRACT
CODE WAS OVERSEEN BY CDT
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY
ACTUALLY OVERSAW THIS CONTRACT.
WE WENT OUT TO BID FOLLOWED ALL
THE STANDARD PROCEDURES. WE DID
A FULL RFP REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
AND FOR IN THIS INSTANCE WE
ACTUALLY DID A PRE RFP A FULL
YEAR PRIOR TO EXECUTING THIS NEW
CONTRACT. WE DID CITE WALKS WITH
INTERESTED VENDORS. WE HELD
FAIRS. WE DID INFORMATIONAL
SESSIONS SO THAT WE COULD GET
THE MESSAGE OUT SO THAT WE COULD
GET AS MANY INTERESTED PARTIES
TO BID ON THIS CONTRACT AND SO
CDT IS ACTUALLY THE ONE WHO
OVERSAW. THE ENTIRE CONTRACTING
PROCESS IN CONJUNCTION WITH DDT
WITH CDCR AND SO PER STATE
CONTRACT LAW, WE ARE REQUIRED TO
GO WITH THE LOWEST BIDDER. AND
BY A PATH WAS THE LOWEST BIDDER
FOR THOSE COMPONENTS. AND I DO
KNOW THAT YOU SAID EMILIO
PROVIDES A CERTAIN HAS INDICATED
A CERTAIN RATE INCREASE. I DO
WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OUR
CURRENT CONTRACT VIA PATH
MAINTAINS ALL OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL OF THE
EQUIPMENT FOR THE DEPARTMENT. UM
I AM UNSURE IF WHETHER THE RATE
THAT EMILIO HAS INDICATED DOES
THAT FOR US, SO I'M NOT
DISPUTING THEIR RATE. I'M JUST
SAYING OUR CURRENT CONTRACT HAS
SERVICE AGREEMENTS. THAT
REQUIRES THE VENDOR TO DO ALL OF
THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING.
FOR OUR SYSTEM. LET'S TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM. THE
TECHNICAL, UH SOME OF THE
TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT SOME
INMATES ARE EXPERIENCING, AND WE
HEARD FROM MS AZIZ THAT THERE
IS, UH, KIND OF INTERMITTENT
WIFI PILOT LIKE TECHNICAL
ASPECTS RELATED TO TEXT
MESSAGING. THAT GOES OUT, UH,
THE ACTUAL REMOVAL OF THE WALL
PHONES. THAT'S AN INTERESTING
PIECE TO ME. SO HOW IS THE CDCR
, ACTUALLY MANAGING OR
MITIGATING THE UH, TECHNICAL.
FAILURES OF THE SYSTEM THAT IS
IN PLACE AND THROUGH THE
CONTRACT WITH MY PATH. CERTAINLY
I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE
OF THE REMOVAL OF THE WALL PHONE
, SO THERE IS ONE WALL PHONE
UPON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
TABLETS AT ANY HOUSING UNIT. ONE
WALL PHONE IS REMOVED. HOWEVER
IT IS REPLACED BY A KIOSK THAT
HAS BOTH A DOCKING STATION FOR
THE TABLET AND A PHONE, AN
ACTUAL PHYSICAL PHONE AND FROM
THAT KIOSK, THEY CAN THEN ADD ON
MULTIPLE DOCKING STATIONS FOR
ADDITIONAL VIDEO CHATS OR CALLS
WITH THE TABLETS. SO YES, THERE
IS A ONE FOR ONE WALL PHONE IS
BEING REMOVED AND THEY'RE USING
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE
TABLETS ITSELF. SO IT'S BEING
ADDED, AND EVEN MORE IS BEING,
UM, ADDED ONTO THAT PIECE, SO
THEY ARE NOT LOSING ANY
CAPABILITY TO MAKE PHONE CALLS
NOW. GRANTED IT DOESN'T HAPPEN
OVERNIGHT. WHEN EVERY TIME YOU
DO A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, THERE
IS PROBABLY A FEW DAYS OR AT
LEAST A WEEK. WHERE YES, THERE
WITHOUT ONE PHONE, BUT THAT IS
ALL MOVING TOWARDS THIS. THE
DEPLOYMENT OF THE TABLETS TO
INCREASE COMMUNICATION. UM I
WILL SAY REGARDING THE TECHNICAL
ISSUES WE FULLY ADMIT WHEN WE
ROLL OUT TABLETS IN AN
INSTITUTION FOR THE 1ST 30 DAYS
VIA PATH IS OUT THERE AND THEY
ARE TROUBLESHOOTING. SO
OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE DEPLOY TABLETS
, IT'S A NO. A NETWORK AND
INFRASTRUCTURE BANDWIDTH ISSUE
THAT WE HAVE TO KNOW, NAVIGATE
AND MAINTAIN, AND SO VIA PATH
UPON RELEASE OF ALL THE TABLETS
WILL GO THROUGH AND MONITOR THE
NETWORK CONSTANTLY FOR THE 1ST
30 DAYS IN OUR F A Q. S ON OUR
WEBSITE AND ON VIA PASS WEBSITE.
WE FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE
WILL BE DISRUPTIONS AND SYSTEM
ISSUES FOR THAT FIRST PERIOD
WHILE WE GET EVERYTHING DIALED
IN ONCE THE SYSTEM IS DIALED IN,
THEN THERE IS A 24 HOUR PHONE
LINE THAT IS MANNED BY A LIVE
PERSON, 24 7. IT WOULD BYPASS
ANY INCARCERATED PERSON OR THEIR
FAMILY IS HAVING ISSUES WITH THE
PHONE LINE OR A TABLET. THEY CAN
CALL THAT HOTLINE AT ANY POINT
IN TIME. THEY CAN ALSO SEND AN
EMAIL. TO THE COMMUNICATIONS
GROUP THAT HANDLES ALL THE
TROUBLESHOOTING. THERE'S THIS
INFORMATION IS POSTED ON POSTERS
AND PUT IN THE HOUSING UNITS.
IT'S ALSO IN THE VISITING ROOMS
AND SENT OUT TO THE INMATE
ADVISORY COUNCIL AND, UH,
STATEWIDE INMATE FAMILY COUNCIL.
SO AGAIN. THERE ARE TECHNICAL
ISSUES THAT POP UP FROM TIME TO
TIME. BUT THERE ARE MANY AVENUES
THAT ARE IN PLACE. I WILL
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHEN THOSE DO
HAPPEN, WE FULLY ENCOURAGE
FAMILIES AND THE INCARCERATED
PEOPLE TO PROVIDE US WITH
DETAILED INFORMATION BECAUSE THE
PROVIDER CAN ACTUALLY GO TO THAT
EXACT MINUTE. AND PULL THE
RECORDS AND THE TECHNICAL DETAIL
TO SEE WHERE THE ERRORS ARE AND
ADDRESS THEM. JUST THE
DEPARTMENT CONSIDERED FAMILY
CONNECTION COMPONENT OF
REHABILITATION AND IMPROVING
OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
LEAVING PRISON. UH AND ALSO A
FACTOR IN IMPROVING THEIR
CITIZENS RECIDIVISM AND
PROVIDING MORE STABILITY FOR THE
PERSON FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
INCARCERATED. YES, IT IS A
COMPONENT. GIVEN THAT IT'S A
CLEAR REHABILITATIVE COMPONENT.
WHY AREN'T THE COSTS ASSOCIATED
WITH FAMILY COMMUNICATION
ABSORBED BY THE DEPARTMENT? $3
MILLION THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED IN
TERMS OF THE FREE CALLING OR
EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING SO THE
DEPARTMENT ISN'T FUNDED FOR THAT
, AND SO WE CAN'T ABSORB THAT
WITHIN OUR EXISTING RESOURCES.
BUT IT IS A PART OF
REHABILITATION. ADMITTEDLY SO WE
HAVE WE HAVE MANY REHABILITATIVE
PROGRAMS, WHICH WERE FUNDED
THROUGH FOUR THROUGH LEGISLATIVE
REQUESTS AND THROUGH BUDGET
CHANGE PROPOSALS INCLUDED IN THE
BUDGET ACTS. THANKS TO ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I
JUST MAYBE QUICK. I'M KIND OF
CURIOUS. UM, ABOUT THE PROCESS
THAT YOU GO THROUGH. TO HIRE A
VENDOR OR CONTRACTOR. UM, ARE
YOU INVOLVED IN THAT, OR IS IT
ALL? JUST THE GENERAL SERVICES.
YOU GIVE THEM SPECS, AND THEN
THEY HANDLE IT FROM THERE, OR
ARE YOU IN THE ROOM WHEN THEY
INTERVIEW OR AH! PICKING. LIKE
THIS BENDER HERE? YES. CBC
LOWEST BEST. PERSON. WHERE IS
THE LOWEST PRICE PERIOD OR IS
THE LOWEST BEST CLOSEST TO? I
DON'T UNDERSTAND. UNDERSTAND THE
CITY SYSTEM. I UNDERSTAND OF
STATE PROCUREMENT. I AM NOT A
CONTRACT EXPERT. HOW I WILL SAY
CDT IS THE ONE WHO OVERSEES SO
THEY DO WE DO THIS THE CONTRACT
IN CONJUNCTION WITH CDT, SO THEY
ARE THE ONES WHO DO THE BID ON
OUR BEHALF, BUT WE ARE INVOLVED
IN THE ENTIRE PROCESS BECAUSE
THEY WON'T KNOW WHAT TO PUT IN
THE SCOPE OF WORK WITHOUT OUR
INPUT, AND WE ARE ALSO INVOLVED
IN REVIEWING THE BIDS BEFORE
THAT THEY ARE BEFORE THEY'RE
SIGNED, BUT GENERALLY, STATE LAW
REQUIRES YOU TO GO WITH THE
LOWEST BID. WHO'S C D T. I DON'T
I'M SORRY DEPARTMENT OF
TECHNOLOGY. IT'S CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY
PROCUREMENT ON BEHALF OF THE
STATEMENT. AND THEIR SUCCESS
RATE IS SO I CANNOT. I CANNOT
COMMENT ON THAT. BUT I WILL TRY
TO MY COLLEAGUE NÓI. IN THE PAST
, THERE HAD BEEN SOME SOME
ISSUES WITH THE TECHNICAL
DEPARTMENT BEING ABLE TO NOT
ONLY PICK THE BEST. VENDOR. BUT
GET SOMEONE IN THAT CAN ACTUALLY
DO THE JOB AND THE BEST JOB.
SOMETIMES I I'M JUST GOING TO
THROW AWAY WE CAN FIND OUT THE
PROCESS OR CONNECT. OR ARE WE
ALLOWED TO VIEW THE BID PACKETS
AND GET A SENSE OF WHAT WAS IT
THAT TRANSPARENT OR IS IT CLOSED
? WHERE ONCE IT GOES OUT, YOU
CAN'T SEE IT ANYMORE BECAUSE
IT'S MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF TECHNOLOGY. I CANNOT COMMENT
ON THAT. I WILL DEFER TO MY
FINANCE COLLEAGUES. IF YOU HAVE
ANY COMMENT, NO. OKAY SO WE
WOULD DEFINITELY NEED TO REACH
OUT TO DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY
TO GET WHAT THEIR PROCESS IS.
BUT YOU KNOW, CDCR IS INVOLVED
IN THE PROCESS. WE DON'T JUST
HAND IT OVER TO THEM AND WALK
AWAY. IF I'M A CHAIR ALLYSON
HEWITT DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE,
WE'RE HAPPY TO CONSORT WITH OUR
COLLEAGUES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
GENERAL SERVICES AND DEPARTMENT
OF TECHNOLOGY SO THAT THEY CAN
COME HERE BEFORE THIS
SUBCOMMITTEE OR WE CAN TAKE
WRITTEN QUESTIONS BACK, BUT THEY
ARE ESSENTIALLY WHO WE RELY ON
TO IMPLEMENT STATE CONTRACTING
TO HELP US IMPLEMENT STATE
CONTRACTING CODE, SO IT'S NOT
ONLY JUST CDCR MAKING THESE
DECISIONS, THERE'S CRITERIA SET
FORTH THAT THE COMPETITIVE
BIDDING PROCESSES RFP PROCESS IS
COMPLEX. AND SO I JUST WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT'S WHY THE
DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES
AND APARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY HELP
IN THAT PROCESS IS BECAUSE IT IS
IT CAN BE COMPLICATED TO
NAVIGATE IN TERMS OF WHETHER
THOSE ARE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. I'M
NOT ABLE TO SAY, UM, BUT THAT
WOULD YEAH. WE HAPPY HAPPY TO
FOLLOW UP WITH YOU CURIOUS TO
SEE HOW IT'S DONE BECAUSE I KNOW
UM AND I WORKED IN PURCHASING ON
THE LOW, OBVIOUSLY SMALLER LEVEL
TO SAVE LOS ANGELES. BUT UM A
LOT OF TIMES. THE. THE
DEPARTMENT OF ACTUALLY GETTING
THE TECHNOLOGY. IT'S NOT REALLY
INVOLVED IN PICKING THERE. AND
SO THEY GET SOFTWARE TO GET DATA
TO GET WHATEVER THE TECHNOLOGY I
GET ISN'T QUITE WHAT THEY NEED
TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB.
EFFECTIVELY BECAUSE HANDED OFF.
TO THIS THIRD PARTY THAT CHINA
TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, SO I JUST
KIND OF CURIOUS IS YOU KNOW? ARE
YOU SATISFIED WITH WHAT THEY
GAVE YOU? THEY GOT VERY
BENEFICIAL PARTNER FOR US, AND
THEY RESPOND APPROPRIATELY WHEN
WE NEED THEM TO THAT VIA PATH BY
PATH. OKAY THANK YOU. JUST AS A
FOLLOW UP TO THE ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS TO KIND OF TAKE BACK.
I WOULD LOVE TO UNDERSTAND. HOW
MANY YEARS VIA PATH OR FORMERLY
, GTL HAS ACTUALLY BEEN THE
PRIMARY CONTRACTOR FOR
COMMUNICATIONS. AND HOW MANY
BEDS THEY'VE GOTTA CYCLES
THEY'VE GONE THROUGH. AND WHEN
ONE. THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS
. AND PARTICULARLY, THANK YOU TO
MRS YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND
SHARING HER EXPERIENCE WITH THIS
SUBCOMMITTEE. WE'LL MOVE ON NOW
TO ISSUE NUMBER TWO INCREASING
INMATE WELFARE FUND AUTHORITY.
THANK YOU AGAIN, MADELEINE
MCLEAN CDCR. SO THIS REQUEST
WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY OF 26.8
MILLION TO THE INMATE WELFARE
FUND TO ENSURE THAT CDCR IS
ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO
SUFFICIENTLY STOCK AND MAINTAIN
INSTITUTION CANTEENS. CANTEENS
OPERATE IN ALL CORRECTIONAL
INSTITUTIONS AND GENERATE
REVENUE THROUGH THE SALE OF
GOODS FUNDS AND I W F ARE USED
TO SUPPORT CANTEEN ACTIVITIES
AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. THESE
BENEFITS INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS
RECREATIONAL AND REHABILITATIVE
PROGRAMS AND SUPPORTING FAMILY
VISITING THE VARIANCE AND ANNUAL
CANTEEN PURCHASES. CDCR ALSO
REQUEST PROVISIONAL LANGUAGE TO
ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT THE ABILITY
TO INCREASE SPENDING AUTHORITY
AN ADDITIONAL 5% DURING THE YEAR
AND THE ABILITY TO REVIEW AND
ADJUST THE INMATE WELFARE FUND
AUTHORITY THROUGH THE ANNUAL
TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT. THE
PROPOSED INCREASE TO THE
AUTHORITY DOES NOT AFFECT THE
PRICE OF CANTEEN GOODS SOLD. IT
ALLOWS THE DEPARTMENT TO RESTOCK
THE CANTEEN USING ITS AVAILABLE
FUNDS. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ON THIS
ITEM. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM
, WE DIDN'T RAISE ANY CONCERNS
ON THIS PROPOSAL, OKAY? LINDY
SHE MET HER DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. GREAT. JUST A GENERAL
QUESTION AND THEN TURN IT OVER
TO MY COLLEAGUE. CAN YOU CLARIFY
AGAIN WITH THE BALANCE OF THE
INMATE WELFARE FUND IS AT THIS
POINT. CERTAINLY AT THE END OF
OUR LAST AUDITED YEAR, IT WAS
$48 MILLION. 21 22. IS THERE AN
OPERATIONAL BALANCE THAT NEEDS
TO BE MAINTAINED FOR THIS
GENERALLY PURSUANT TO GENERALLY
ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES,
WE USUALLY RECOMMEND KEEPING AT
LEAST TWO MONTHS ON HAND, WHICH
WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 16.8
MILLION. LEAVING A BALANCE OF
ABOUT 31.6 MILLION. IS THERE ANY
WAY OR HAVE YOU CONSIDERED TO
GIVEN THAT THERE'S $48 MILLION
AND THEN I GUESS AN ADDITIONAL
16.8 MILLION. WITHIN THAT OFF
THE 48 WOULD BE WE'D KEEP 16.8
MILLION RESERVED TO COVER AT
LEAST TWO MONTHS OF EXPENDITURE
, SO THAT WOULD LEAVE A FUN
BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 31.6
MILLION, OKAY? LET'S ACTUALLY
JUST FOCUS. QUITE FRANKLY, ON
THE 48 MILLION, UM IS THERE SUCH
A GIVEN THAT THAT'S A PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT BALANCE. DOES THAT
MEAN THAT THE SURCHARGE CAN
ACTUALLY BE LOWER THAN 65% THE
DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT OPTIONS
TO REDUCE THE MARKUP. UM, I JUST
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT
WHATEVER WE DO WE WANT IT TO BE
SUSTAINABLE OVER THE LONG TERM,
SO WE WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE
HAPPEN. IS THE MARKET GO AWAY OR
BE DECREASED SO SIGNIFICANTLY
THAT WE CAN'T MAINTAIN THAT FOR
SEVERAL YEARS? SO THAT'S PART OF
AN ANALYSIS THAT WE'RE DOING
RIGHT NOW. THERE'S WORKGROUP
WITH BOTH OUR CANTEEN FOLKS AND
FOCUS ON THE INSTITUTION TO TRY
AND LOOK AT THE BEST POSSIBLE
WAY TO ADDRESS THE FUND BALANCE
ISSUE WHILE MAINTAINING
SUFFICIENT, UM FUNDS IN THERE IN
THE EVENT OF NEEDING ADDITIONAL
EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY. WHEN CAN
WE EXPECT THE WORK PRODUCT FROM
THAT ANALYSIS THAT SHOULD BE
DONE BY THIS SUMMER? JUST, UH IF
YOU CAN, HOW MUCH IT IS, UH,
PACKAGE OF RAMEN. I HAVE THAT
HAD A CANTEEN. HAVE A PRICE
LIST. I'LL TAKE MY CLASS. UM.
SORRY IT'S BROKEN OUT IN
DIFFERENT AREAS, DIFFERENT
TYPES. LIKE MACARONI AND CHEESE
IS A DOLLAR 20 OATMEAL IS $2.65
SORRY. I'M TRYING TO FIND THE
HOT ITEMS THAT MAC AND CHEESE
WOULD KIND OF BE LIKE ONE
PACKAGE PACKAGE OF MAC AND
CHEESE. AND HOW MUCH DOES AN
INMATE EARN PER HOUR ANYWHERE
BETWEEN EIGHT CENTS AND 37 CENTS
PER HOUR? UNLESS YOU'RE IN A
FIRE CAMP, AND THEN IT'S
ADDITIONAL, AND THEN HELP TO A,
UM IS BETWEEN 35 CENTS AND A
DOLLAR AN HOUR. SO LET'S JUST
TAKE THE HIGHER BOUND NUMBER OF
30 CENTS 37 CENTS AN HOUR, SO
THAT MEANS THAT IT TAKES AN
INMATE 3.2 HOURS OF WORK IN
ORDER TO BE ABLE TO EARN ONE
PACKAGE OF MAC AND CHEESE.
CORRECT ALONG WITH ANYTHING
THAT'S BEEN DEPOSITED IN THEIR
INMATE TRUST ACCOUNT FROM THEIR
FRIENDS AND FAMILY OUTSIDE. BUT
ASSUMING THEY DON'T HAVE THAT,
SO THREE HOURS OF WORK FOR ONE,
MAC AND CHEESE OKAY. THANK YOU.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE. NOW I'LL BE
STRAINED. UH SO. SO IS THAT
KRAFT MAC AND CHEESE? I MEAN,
WHAT? HOW MUCH IS IT IF I WAS A
REGULAR PERSON GOING OUT THERE.
HAVE BEEN. I'M A DIABETIC, SO I
CAN'T HAVE KRAFT MAC AND CHEESE.
SO IF I WERE TO GO OUT Tð THE
MARKET. OR COSTCO TRY TO BUY IT
WAS TO COMPARABLE COSTS FOR
CIVILIAN. FOR SOMEONE NOT AN
INMATE. CERTAINLY ACTUALLY, WE
JUST DID. AN ANALYSIS OF THE
COST OF GOODS BETWEEN WHAT WAS
IN THE INSTITUTION AND WILL
SAFELY IN 7 11 AND I HAVE THE
ROOTS. I CAN EMAIL THAT RESULTS
TO YOU AS SOON AS THAT THE PRICE
IN THE CANTEEN IS GENERALLY
CHEAPER THAN THOSE GOOD TO KNOW.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I DON'T
HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. AT
THIS TIME. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE
NEXT ISSUE. NUMBER THREE, WHICH
IS COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
, DELIVERY OF IN PERSON
PROGRAMMING.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PANELISTS. I
THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING
WITH JENNY OSHIRO. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, UM NICHOLAS S¼. GOOD
AFTERNOON TO THE MEMBERS OF THE
SUB FIVE BUDGET COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS JENNY. OH CHERYL. I'M A
POLICY RESEARCHER FOR THE
TRANSFORMATIVE IN PRISON
WORKGROUP. YOU'LL HEAR US REFER
TO IT AS THE T P W. IT'S AN
HONOR TO ADDRESS THIS COMMITTEE
ON BEHALF OF THE T P. W R 85
ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS, AND
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF
INCARCERATED PARTICIPANTS.
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PANEL.
WE'D LIKE TO THINK A MOMENT TO
EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR THIS
COMMITTEE SUPPORT, CURIOSITY AND
OPENNESS TO HEARING FROM US
TODAY. WE'RE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL
FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF
CHAIRPERSON BANDA AND THE
SUPPORT OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
JONES SAWYER ON THE RIGHT GRANT
LAST YEAR. CBOS PROVIDE
REHABILITATIVE, RESTORATIVE AND
TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMMING IN
CALIFORNIA'S PRISONS THAT
INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY AND BUILD
STRONGER COMMUNITIES. COMMUNITY
BASED APPROACHES TO IMPRISON
PROGRAMMING ARE EFFECTIVE
BECAUSE AS YOU'VE HEARD MANY
TIMES AND CONTINUES TO BE TRUE,
THOSE THAT ARE CLOSEST TO THE
PROBLEM ARE CLOSEST TO THE
SOLUTION. CBOS ARE DIRECTED AND
RUN BY PEOPLE WITH MEANINGFUL
TIES TO THE CRIMINAL LEGAL
SYSTEM, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO
HAVE EXPERIENCED INCARCERATION
WHO HAVE RETURNED AS CREDIBLE
MESSENGERS, FACILITATING THE
SAME PROGRAMS THAT HELP TO
CHANGE THEIR LIVES WHILE THEY
WERE INCARCERATED. OUR PRISON
SYSTEM IS DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT
TELLS INCARCERATED PEOPLE THAT
THEY ARE WORTHLESS. THAT THEY
WILL NEVER BE MORE THAN THEIR
WORST MOMENTS. EXISTING WITHIN
THAT SYSTEM ERODES SELF ESTEEM,
HOPE CARE AND COMPASSION. CBOS
FELLA CRUCIAL GAP IN THE PRISON
SYSTEM BY PROVIDING LIFE
AFFIRMING PROGRAMS FOR
INCARCERATED PEOPLE. CBO
PROGRAMS VARY IN DELIVERY, BUT
THEY ALL HAVE SOMETHING IN
COMMON. THEY SEE INCARCERATED
PEOPLE AS PAST AND FUTURE
NEIGHBORS. AND THE INVEST
WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN THEIR
TRANSFORMATION. THEY ARE BUILT
AROUND CURRICULUMS THAT EXPECT
INCARCERATED PARTICIPANTS. TO DO
THE HARD WORK OF GAINING INSIGHT
INTO THEIR BEHAVIOR, PRACTICE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARN TO WORK
AND RELY ON OTHERS. IT IS THE
COMBINATION OF CARE, PRESENCE
AND INVESTMENT THAT FACILITATES
THAT TRANSFORMATION. I SPEAK TO
YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF OUR
MEMBERS AND THEIR INCARCERATED
PARTICIPANTS, BUT I ALSO SPEAK
TO YOU TODAY AS SOMEONE WHO
REALLY NEEDED PROGRAMMING WHILE
I WAS INSIDE AND DIDN'T GET IT.
10 YEARS AGO. THE CHANCES OF MY
NAME APPEARING ON AGENDA
ASSOCIATED WITH THE CALIFORNIA
ASSEMBLY, WHERE ZERO BUT THE
CHANCES OF MY NAME APPEARING ON
THE ROSTER DOWN THE STREET OF
THE SAC COUNTY JAIL WERE VERY
LIKELY. MY LIFE WOULD HAVE
LOOKED REALLY DIFFERENT IF I HAD
RECEIVED COMMUNITY CARE AND
RESPONSIVE PROGRAMMING DURING
THAT TIME. CBOS, AS YOU'LL HEAR
HAVE WAIT LISTS. THAT ARE OFTEN
YEARS LONG. IF YOU GET THE
OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT A PRISON
AND ASK ANY INCARCERATED PERSON
NOT ONLY WHAT THEY WANT, BUT
WHAT THEY NEED. THEY WILL ALWAYS
TELL YOU COMMUNITY LED PROGRAMS.
HOWEVER AT THIS TIME CBO
PROGRAMS CURRENTLY RECEIVE LESS
THAN ONE HALF OF 1% OF CDCR S
BUDGET. SO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE
FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE
IN THOUGHTFUL DIALOGUE WITH US
TODAY. PASS IT TO HIM, LEONARD
THANK YOU, MR RUBIO. GOOD
AFTERNOON. I'M LEONARD RUBIO.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
INSIGHT PRISON PROJECT, A
DIVISION OF FIVE KEY SCHOOLS AND
PROGRAMS. WE OFFER OUR VICTIM
OFFENDER EDUCATION GROUP KNOWN
AS VOGUE. IT'S SEVEN CDCR
FACILITIES. THE PROGRAM IS AN 18
TO 24 MONTH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
BASED TRAUMA INFORMED CARE
PROGRAM. FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING
ACCOUNTABILITY, INTEGRITY AND
RESPONSIBILITY. WE DO THIS BY
USING CAUSES COGNITIVE
BEHAVIORAL TOOLS AND MINDFULNESS
TO HELP OUR PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP
AN IN DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF THE
CAUSATIVE FACTORS THAT BROUGHT
US TO THE POINT OF COMMITTING
THE HARM WE DID. FACING THE
GUILT AND SHAME OF OUR ACTIONS.
PROCESSING OUR PAST TRAUMAS. AND
DEVELOPING GREATER EMPATHY FOR
THOSE WE HAVE HARMED. BY
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OUR
ACTIONS OF COST. YOU MAY HAVE
NOTICED THAT I SAID WE AND OUR
IN MY DESCRIPTION. THAT IS
BECAUSE I WAS FORTUNATE TO GO
THROUGH THE SECOND COHORT OF
VOTE IN 2005. I WAS ASKED TO
FACILITATE THAT THEIR COHORT AND
I'VE BEEN ATTACHED TO THE
ORGANIZATION EVER SINCE. I'M A
FORMER LIFE ROOM. SERVED OVER 23
YEARS. STARTING AT THE AGE OF
18. NOT KNOWING IF OR WHEN. I
WOULD BE PAROLED. LET ALONE
LEAVING AN ORGANIZATION THAT
HELPED ME OR SPEAKING IN FRONT
OF THE ASSEMBLY. I WAS PAROLED
IN 2010 AND BEGAN BEGAN
ADVOCATING FOR THE INSIDE PRISON
PROJECT. IN 2011. I WAS ASKED TO
JOIN THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AND IN 2017. WAS ASKED TO LEAVE
THE ORGANIZATION. WE ARE
CURRENTLY SERVING ABOUT 150
PEOPLE. PRIMARILY DUE TO THE
PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS AND
TRANSFERS. WE TYPICALLY SERVED
300 PEOPLE. WE ARE HOPING THAT
BY THE END OF THIS YEAR WE ARE
BACK UP TO THAT NUMBER. OUR
PROGRAMS WERE PREVIOUSLY
EVALUATED IN 2012 BY THE
NATIONAL COUNCIL ON CRIME AND
DELINQUENCY. DEMONSTRATING
IMPROVED. EMOTIONAL CONTROL AND
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. WE'VE
RECEIVED LETTERS FROM CDCR
CUSTODY. COMMENTING ON THE
IMPROVEMENTS THEY HAVE WITNESSED
ON THE YARDS WHEN OUR PROGRAMS
HAVE BEEN INITIATED. WE ARE
LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING
TO COVER THE COSTS OF FURTHER
RESEARCH. TO LOOK AT QUALITY OF
LIFE. COMMUNITY IMPACT. AND, OF
COURSE, RECIDIVISM. SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES WE FACE AND OFFERING
AN EXPANDING OUR PROGRAMS. TEND
TO BE THE REMOTE LOCATIONS OF
MANY OF THE INSTITUTIONS, WHICH
MAKES IT HARD TO FIND
VOLUNTEERS. INSIGHT PRISON
PROJECT HAS BEEN OPERATING SINCE
1997. PRIMARILY ON A VOLUNTEER
FACILITATOR MODEL. WHICH LIMITS
OUR ABILITY TO REACH EVEN MORE
PEOPLE AND MORE FACILITIES. MY
LONG TERM GOAL IS TO FIND
ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO START
PAYING OUR FACILITATORS.
COVERING THEIR TRANSPORTATION
COSTS. AND TO BRING BACK OTHER
GRADUATES. TO CONTINUE TO SPREAD
THE THAT HOPE INSIDE. TO SERVE
MORE PEOPLE. AND SHOW WE CAN
SUCCEED. BY CONTRIBUTING TO OUR
COMMUNITIES AND PREPARING OTHERS
TO SAFELY COME HOME. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, OKAY. IT'S BENJAMIN.
GREETINGS MY NAME IS AYLA
BENJAMIN. AND I'M, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR FOR BALANCE FREEDOM
PROJECT BALANCE FREEDOM PROJECT
PROVIDES MEDITATION AND
MINDFULNESS PROGRAMS AND SEVEN
CDCR FACILITIES WITH OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FACILITIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WE ALSO
PROVIDE REINTEGRATION, SUPPORT
AND PROGRAMMING IN COUNTY JAILS
AS WELL AS IN THE COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONALLY BALANCED FREEDOM
PROJECT IS COMMITTED TO
DEVELOPING THE WORKFORCE IN
CALIFORNIA BY PROVIDING
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. JOB
TRAINING AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT
FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED
INDIVIDUALS AT OUR ORGANIZATION
. WE HAVE CENTERED THOSE WITH
DIRECT EXPERIENCES AND HAVE
HIRED FORMER PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS TO ENSURE THAT THE
EFFICACY OF OUR PROGRAM MATCHES
THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE'RE
SERVING. UM DUE TO THE
INVOLVEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH
DIRECT EXPERIENCE. WE ALSO HAVE
BEGUN TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED
SUPPORT TO OUR PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS AS AN EFFORT TO AID
AND SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION. NO
MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS MAY
SOUND LIKE FEEL GOOD PROGRAMS,
HOWEVER MINDFULNESS AND
MINDFULNESS BASED INTERVENTIONS
ARE ACTUALLY SCIENTIFICALLY
BACKED AND HEAVILY RESEARCHED.
THEY ARE SHOWN TO HAVE AN IMPACT
ON STRESS REDUCTION, EMOTIONAL
REGULATION, IMPULSE AND ANXIETY
CONTROL ENHANCED SELF AWARENESS
, DECREASED BLOOD PRESSURE AND
SO MUCH MORE. MINDFULNESS
INTERVENTIONS ARE COMMONLY USED
WITH BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE
DISORDERS AND IN HIGH STRESS
OCCUPATIONS, LIKE WITH FIRST
RESPONDERS, MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS OR IN THE HIGH
STRESS ENVIRONMENTS, INCARCERATE
SYSTEMS. NOW UM, WHILE WE ARE
REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN WHAT WE DO
, WE STILL FACE MANY BARRIERS TO
OUR ABILITY TO PROGRAM INCLUDING
PROLONGED LOCKDOWNS AND
TRANSFERS OF PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS. WITH THIS, WE SEE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND CREDIT
EARNING ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMMING
AS WELL AS ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY
FOR COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. BALANCE FREEDOM
PROJECT AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
ARE PART OF A RACK PILOT PROGRAM
, WHICH IS A REHABILITATIVE
ACHIEVEMENT. CREDIT FOR
CORRESPONDENCE AND WE HAVE ALSO
SUCCESSFULLY TESTED VIDEO
PROGRAMMING CAPABILITIES AND
MAXIMUM SECURITY FACILITIES, BUT
ARE ACTUAL ACCESS TO THIS
TECHNOLOGY AND REACH FOR
ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMMING IS
LIMITED NOT BY OUR CHOICE.
ANOTHER BIG ISSUE. WE FACE OUR
STAFF RELATIONS AND LACK OF
PROGRAMMING CULTURE ON THE
GROUND. STAFF OF THE PRISON ARE
NOT ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE OF PROGRAM
PROVIDERS OR PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING PROGRAMS
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS ARE OFTEN
REFERRED TO AS VOLUNTEERS, EVEN
THOUGH LIKE MANY OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS HERE WE EMPLOY
HIGHLY SKILLED AND TRAINED
PROFESSIONALS TO BE INVOLVED
WITH OUR PROGRAMS. WE'VE ALSO
HAD CDCR SERGEANTS, MEDICAL
STAFF LIEUTENANT SAY THAT THEIR
STAFF NEED MINDFULNESS PROGRAMS
AND THESE SKILLS THAT OUR
PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE BEING
EXPOSED TO. SO WE SEE AN
OPPORTUNITY THERE. TO EXPAND
MINDFULNESS BASED INTERVENTIONS
TO INCLUDE CDCR STAFF. I THINK
IT'S ALSO WORTH MENTIONING THAT
WE'VE HAD MORE THAN ONE FORMER
CDCR STAFF MEMBER SEEK OUT OUR
ORGANIZATION AND PROGRAMMING AS
BENEFICIARIES AS WELL AS
FACILITATORS. IN ADDITION TO
THOSE BARRIERS, WE ALSO HAVE THE
INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE OF THE
DEMAND FOR PROGRAMMING BEING WAY
TOO HIGH, AND THAT'S IN PART DUE
TO THE FACT THAT CALIFORNIA
PRISONS ARE STILL OVER 100%
CAPACITY AND LIKE ALL THE
ORGANIZATIONS HERE TODAY, WE'VE
BEEN WORKING TO BUILD OUR
CAPACITIES AND SCALABILITY OF
OUR PROGRAMS. YET THE DEMAND FOR
PROGRAMMING INSIDE THE PRISONS
CONTINUES TO BE HARD TO REACH.
UH WE MUST SIMULTANEOUSLY
CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE PRISON
POPULATION WHILE INVESTING IN
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
WE BELIEVE THAT IN PRISON
PROGRAMS ARE BETTER FOR EVERYONE
THERE BETTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE BETTER FOR THE
FACILITIES FOR PEOPLE WORKING
THERE AND LIVING THERE. AND WE
CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE
INVESTMENT FROM THE STATE. THANK
YOU, MISS BENJAMIN. MR THOMAS?
YES GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
MANNY THOMAS AND I'M THE CO
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SUCCESS
STORIES, SUCCESS STORIES. UM, WE
HELPED, UM PRODUCE EVERY
COMMUNITIES BY DELIVERING
FEMINIST PROGRAM TO PEOPLE WHO
HAVE CAUSED HARM OF A COURSE OF
13 WEEKS, PARTICIPANTS WILL
DISCOVER WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO
THEM. HONOR ARE RECOGNIZED
WHETHER OR NOT THEIR BEHAVIOR
SUPPORTING WHAT THEY SAY IS
IMPORTANT TO THEM. UM HOW TO
KEEP THEIR WORD TO INVESTIGATE
WHETHER OR NOT TOXIC MASCULINITY
PATRIARCHY IS KEEPING THEM FROM
BEING THE BEST VERSION OF
THEMSELVES DEVELOPED COMPLEX
LANGUAGE TO EXPRESS COMPLEX
EMOTIONS AND THEN BECOME FUTURE
BASED ON THEIR THINKING. WE'RE
CURRENTLY DELIVERING IN A
PRISONS, AND WE CAN SERVE UP TO
ABOUT 1000 PARTICIPANTS A YEAR
IF EVERYTHING GOES ACCORDING TO
PLAN. UM AND 2005. I WAS ALSO
SINCE 32 YEARS OF LIFE. UM AT
SOME TIME DURING MY 16 YEAR
INCARCERATION, I ACCEPTED THE
FACT THAT I MAY NEVER LEAVE
PRISON. UM, I WAS KEENLY AWARE
THAT I HAD TWO CHOICES. AT THAT
POINT, I WAS EITHER GOING TO
LIVE A LIFE OF DESPAIR. OR I WAS
GONNA GIVE ALL OF MYSELF TO
ENCOURAGE POSITIVE CHANGE IN
MYSELF OR IN THOSE AROUND ME. OF
COURSE, I CHOSE THE LATTER. I
DISCOVERED MANY THINGS ABOUT
MYSELF AND HOW I ENDED UP IN
PRISON, ADDRESSED INSECURITIES,
TRAUMAS AND DEVELOP NEW TOOLS
THAT MADE ME NOT OF NOT ONLY
MORE FOR AFFECTIVE IN MY
PERSONAL LIFE, BUT TO THE
COMMUNITY THAT WAS CURRENTLY IN
UM, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN
POSSIBLE WITHOUT COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS ARE THE
ONES THAT ARE CREATED BY
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS
THEMSELVES. UM I GOT TO SAY THAT
THIS WORK IS DEEPLY IMPORTANT TO
ME BECAUSE TO BE HONEST, WITHOUT
IT, I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM
TODAY. UM I WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO
SEE THE BOARD UNTIL 2032. 4018.
BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT I WAS
DOING INSIDE. GOVERNOR JERRY
BROWN SAW FIT TO COMMUTE MY
SENTENCE. BUT IT WAS WITH HIS
OFFICE SAID TO ME THAT DAY THAT
STUCK WITH ME THE MOST, AND THAT
WAS THEY SAID THAT THEY CHOSE ME
BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT I
CONTINUE TO HELP OTHERS. UM I'M
JUST AS DEDICATED TO THE WORK
THAT I DO NOW AS I WAS AT THAT
POINT. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
CHALLENGES, BUT THANKFULLY NONE
THAT WE CAN'T SOLVE TWO TOGETHER
AND COLLECTIVELY. IT'S NO SECRET
THAT ARE SAFEST COMMUNITIES IN
SOCIETY ARE THE ONES THAT THE
RESOURCES MOST RESOURCES IN
PRISONS ARE NO DIFFERENT. I
REMEMBER BEING DEVASTATED WHEN I
COULDN'T GET THE SPECIFICS, UH,
FACILITIES THAT HAVE LIKE
SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING, AND
UNFORTUNATELY I SEE THAT SAME
DEVASTATION WITH OUR
PARTICIPANTS TODAY. UM AND IT'S
NOT THAT COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS DON'T
WANT TO BE EVERYWHERE. BUT THE
FACT IS THAT WE JUST LACKED THE
DEDICATED FUNDING. THAT'S A
CLEAR INVESTMENT NOT ONLY IN US,
BUT OUR PARTICIPANTS WHO NEED
US. UM WE'RE DEDICATED TO
PRODUCING CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR
AND IN CULTURE AS IT IS, I WOULD
SAY THAT THE SECOND THING IS
THAT WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO IMPROVE ON ACCESS. UM RIGHT
NOW THERE'S UNNECESSARY BARRIERS
TO PROGRAM TO DELIVERY RATHER BE
CLEARANCES OR SPACE OR ACTUALLY
GETTING IN THE WAY OF PROGRAM
PROVIDERS FROM BECOMING BROWN
CALLED BROWN CARDHOLDERS SO THAT
WE DON'T NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF
IN ORDER TO RUN OUR PROGRAMMING.
UM WE UNDERSTAND THAT NONE OF
THIS NONE OF US CAN DO THIS
ALONE AND THAT FOLKS NEED
OPPORTUNITY TO VARIOUS
PROGRAMMING TO HAVE THE ACCESS
TO THINGS THAT ARE PERSONAL,
RIGHT? LIKE EVERYONE THING IS
NOT GOING TO EDUCATION IS GREAT,
BUT SOME FOLKS NEED MORE THAN
EDUCATION MANAGEMENT IS GREAT.
BUT SOME PEOPLE NEED MORE THAN
ANGER MANAGEMENT. SUBSTANCE
ABUSE IS GREAT, BUT SOME PEOPLE
NEED MORE THAN SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT
COLLECTIVELY, WE GIVE PEOPLE
WHAT THEY NEED THAT THEY'RE MORE
LIKELY TO BE. KILLED AND COME
NOT ONLY COME HOME AND PRODUCE,
YOU KNOW, MORE RADICALLY
INVOLVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS BUT
ALSO TO IMPROVE THE PLACES THEY
ARE NOW, WHICH IS PRISON.
PRISONERS SAFER WHEN WE GIVE
PEOPLE FOLKS WHEN WE GET FOLKS
WHAT THEY NEED, THANK YOU.
AGAIN. MR THOMAS. MR HARTMAN.
THANK YOU. KEN HARTMAN ON THE
ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR THE T P W
I SERVED 38 YEARS IN THE CDCR
AND I'VE BEEN OUT FOR A LITTLE
MORE THAN FIVE YEARS NOW. WHEN I
WAS INSIDE. I BENEFITED FROM
SOME OF THE PROGRAMS I NOW
REPRESENT. AND I WAS A
FACILITATOR FOR SOME OF THOSE
PROGRAMS TÔI TO DOUBT THAT I'D
EVEN BE OUT OF PRISON WITHOUT
WHAT I LEARNED FROM THOSE
PROGRAMS, LET ALONE LIVING A
SUCCESSFUL LIFE, LET ALONE
SITTING HERE TALKING TO YOU WAS
UNIMAGINABLE AS YOU'VE JUST
HEARD. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF
REPRESENTING SOME TRULY AMAZING
ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DOING
EXTRAORDINARY WORK INSIDE THE
PRISONS, AND THEY DO THE
TOUGHEST. MOST IMPORTANT WORK
THAT CAN OCCUR INSIDE PRISON.
IT'S THE WORK OF HEALING HEARTS
AND SPIRITS. IT'S THE WORK OF
HELPING BROKEN PEOPLE BE PUT
BACK TOGETHER. UM IS THE WORK OF
DEEP TRANSFORMATION, RESTORATION
AND ACCOUNTABILITY. I SERVED ON
YARDS. I SERVED TIME ON YARDS
THAT HAD NO QUALITY PROGRAMS,
AND I SERVED ON YARDS THAT HAD
QUALITY PROGRAMS. THERE'S NO
DOUBT IN MY MIND ABOUT HOW
POWERFULLY COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDED PROGRAMS
IMPACT THE CULTURE OF A PRISON.
THE DIFFERENCES STARK. SINCE I
PAROLED. I VISITED NORWAY AND
FINLAND MULTIPLE TIMES. AND I'VE
TOURED THEIR PRISONS. PEOPLE ASK
ME ALL THE TIME. WHAT'S THE
BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT
THEY DO THERE AND WHAT WE DO
HERE, AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT
HARD TO ANSWER IN NORWAY AND
FINLAND. THE PEOPLE HELD IN THE
PRISONS ARE TREATED LIKE HUMAN
BEINGS. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S
NOT ALWAYS TRUE HERE. THE
OBJECTION, UH, THAT I OFTEN HEAR
FROM PEOPLE IS THAT WE CAN'T DO
HERE WHAT THEY DO THERE BECAUSE
SOMEHOW WE'RE SO DIFFERENT THAN
THEY ARE. AND MY ANSWER TO THAT
IS ALWAYS THE SAME ALL THE TIME
THAT I WAS THERE. I ONLY SAW
HUMAN BEINGS IN THEIR PRISONS,
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR
PRISONS TO HUMAN BEINGS. SO
THERE'S NO REASON WE CAN'T DO
JUST WHAT THEY'RE DOING. UM YOU
KNOW, AND OTHER ALSO IN NORWAY
AND FINLAND, THEY ALL OF THEIR
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMMING IS
DONE BY COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. THEY OPENLY ADMIT
WE DON'T DO IT BECAUSE WE DON'T
DO A GOOD JOB AT IT. BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT GOOD PROGRAMS WHAT
THEY CAN DO AND FROM A PERSONAL
PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE I CARE
DEEPLY ABOUT THE PEOPLE I LEFT
BEHIND. UM WE ARE COMMITTED TO
DOING ALL THAT WE CAN TO SEE
THAT EVERY PERSON IN CALIFORNIA
PRISON HAS ACCESS TO HIGH
QUALITY REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS
LIKE THE PROGRAMS YOU JUST HEARD
, AND MANY OTHER, EQUALLY
POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS
WITHIN OUR COLLECTIVE SO ON
BEHALF OF OUR 85 COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATION MEMBERS WHO ARE
PROVIDING THE ONLY REAL
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMMING
INSIDE THE CDCR AND THE 100,000
PEOPLE OR SO ARE STILL IN PRISON
THAT I DO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT. I
WANT TO THANK THIS COMMITTEE
CHAIR BONDS IN PARTICULAR AND
YOUR STAFF. AH YOU KNOW, FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH
YOU ALL TODAY, THE T P W LOOKS
FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS
CONVERSATION. AND I'VE LASTLY
AND I WOULD HOPE THIS WOULD BE
IN THE RECORD SO ALL THE REST OF
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE CAN
HEAR. IT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN
OPEN INVITATION. ALL OF YOU TO
PLEASE COME AND SEE OUR PROGRAMS
LIKE MR LACKEY DID, AND MR
LACKEY WAS POWERFULLY IMPACTED
AND LEFT THE FOLKS INSIDE
POWERFULLY IMPACTED. HE GAVE A
TREMENDOUS SPEECH INSIDE THAT
LEFT PEOPLE IN TEARS, AND HE
SAID HE HAD NOT BEEN DIS HE
COULDN'T IMAGINE HE WOULD BE
THIS IMPACTED BY SEEING WHAT WAS
GOING ON INSIDE. SO AND THAT'S
IT AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
REALLY APPRECIATE THIS
OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THANK YOU FOR ACTUALLY
RECOGNIZING MR LACKEY AND IN THE
WORK THAT HE'S DONE TO JUST HAVE
A GREATER UNDERSTANDING, AND I
CERTAINLY INVITE ALL OF MY
COLLEAGUES ON THIS COMMITTEE IN
ON MANY OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN THAT JOURNEY. I
JUST WANT TO FIRST THINK THE
PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE NOT
ONLY BECAUSE YOU TRAVELED MANY
MILES TO BE HERE, BUT ALSO
BECAUSE YOU ARE WILLING TO
ACTUALLY SHARE YOUR STORIES
EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU SHARE YOUR
STORY. I KNOW THAT IT'S A COST
TO YOU. TO HAVE TO TAP INTO THAT
EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD
UNDERSTANDING FOR EVERYBODY
ELSE. AND I'M IT'S A PRICELESS
EXPERIENCE. AND I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR, UH, AFFORDING THIS
COMMITTEE THAT OPPORTUNITY. I
DID WANT TO JUST GET A SENSE OF
SOME ADDITIONAL BARRIERS THAT
YOU ALL FACE IN TERMS OF
PROGRAMMING IN PRISONS, MR
THOMAS AND MR BENJAMIN BENJAMIN
MENTIONED SOME OF THOSE. BUT IF
SOME OF THE OTHER PANELISTS
COULD MENTION SOME OF THE
BARRIERS TO PROGRAMMING THAT YOU
FACE. UM THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
THINK I CAN START BY JUST
AFFIRMING, YOU KNOW SO MUCH OF
WHAT ALLAH MENTIONED. UM JUSTIN
, NUMBER ONE, THE WEIGHTLESS. WE
REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO MEET.
THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE LIKE IT
REALLY IS PAINFUL EXPERIENCE TO
KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE WHO TRULY WANT TO
PARTICIPATE IN REHABILITATIVE
PROGRAMMING AT AND DO NOT HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. UM AND
JUST REALLY REAFFIRM THAT WE
HOPE THAT THE DEPARTMENT CAN
CONTINUE TO INVEST IN, UM CBOS
TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING AND OTHER
FORMS, WHICH YOU KNOW, WE TALKED
ABOUT DOING CORRESPONDENCE. WE
ALSO TALKED ABOUT USING
TECHNOLOGY. UM AND CBOS ARE
REALLY WILLING, UM, TO PROVIDE,
OF COURSE, LIKE THERE'S NOTHING
LIKE PROGRAMMING FACE TO FACE.
BUT IN INSTANCES WHERE THERE'S
LOCKDOWNS, UM OR PRISONS ARE
EXTREMELY REMOTE, LIKE WE WILL
TAKE WHAT WE CAN GET AND SO WILL
INCARCERATED PARTICIPANTS. UM I
WOULD ALSO ADD THAT, UM, YOU
KNOW, YOU KNOW, MANNY TALKED
ABOUT IT A BIT. UM, THE
CLEARANCE PROCESS CAN BE OVERLY
BURDENSOME FOR PROGRAMS YOU SEE
HERE? UM, SO MANY PROGRAMS WHO
ARE STRETCHED INCREDIBLY THIN
AND THEY'RE DOING THE HARD WORK
OF SHOWING UP AND GOING INSIDE.
AND RUNNING PROGRAMS AND SO THE
ADDED LABOR OF BEING OF HAVING
TO GO THROUGH THE CLEARANCE
PROCESS. UM WHICH YOU KNOW,
VARIES BY INSTITUTION. UM YOU
KNOW IS EXTREMELY BRIGHT AND
BURDENSOME FOR ORGANIZATIONS. DO
YOU WANT TO ADD? AND I WOULD I
WOULD ADD. I THINK YOU KNOW, I
THINK FUNDAMENTALLY, IT REALLY
IS A QUESTION OF CULTURE. YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND
AGAIN I AM NOT IMPUTING EVERY
PERSON WHO WORKS IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND IN
MY 38 YEARS I MET MANY PEOPLE
WHO GENUINELY WANTED TO MAKE
THINGS BETTER. THEY REALLY DID.
UM I THINK THAT THE GENERAL
CULTURE THAT IS NOT CONDUCIVE
AND WELCOMING TO PEOPLE COMING
IN AND PROVIDING PROGRAMS TO
FOLKS, UH AND PARTICULARLY
FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE. I
MEAN, THIS PANEL 80% OF PEOPLE
ON THIS PANEL ARE FORMALLY
INCARCERATED. THREE OF THEM ARE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF EXTREMELY
POWERFUL PROGRAMS, AND WE HAVE
MANY OTHER FOLKS JUST LIKE THEM.
AND I THINK THAT YOU KNOW WHEN,
WHEN MANNY OR AYLA OR OR LEONARD
WALK INSIDE TO RUN PROGRAMS, THE
FACT THAT THEY'RE THERE AND
THEY'RE TELLING PEOPLE I CARE
ABOUT YOU AND I SEE YOU AS A
FELLOW HUMAN BEING. I CANNOT
BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW POWERFUL
THAT IS TO SOMEONE INSIDE. I
MEAN, THAT IS AND I THINK
THERE'S A CULTURE CHANGE NEEDS
TO HAPPEN THAT RECOGNIZES THAT
AND WELCOMES THAT. AND ONCE
PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE
BECAUSE THE FACT OF THE MATTER
IS EVERYONE IN PRISON IS A HUMAN
BEING. AND I THINK THAT PART
GETS LOST A LOT OF TIMES. YOU
KNOW, I THINK IT'S SO THERE'S A
DEEP CULTURE SHIP NEEDS TO
HAPPEN. WE ALSO LIKE TO ADD
ANYTHING TO THAT. YEAH I WOULD
JUST SAY IT'S EVEN SO, LIKE ONE
OF THE CLEAREST THERE'S TWO
CLEAR EXAMPLES THAT I CAN USE
LIKE WE WERE ALREADY CLEARED TO
BE IN A SPECIFIC INSTITUTION.
AND THEN AS SOON AS WE FINISH
THE COHORT, WHICH IS THE THREE
MONTH PERIOD OUR PROGRAM FOR
THREE MONTHS THEY SENT AN EMAIL
WAS LIKE, OH, NOW WE NEED YOU TO
COME DUE. AND THE IN PERSON
TRAINING THAT YOU WOULD
TYPICALLY DO OVER THE COMPUTER
IN ORDER TO GET ALL THE MODULES
DONE, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE CAN GET ALL THE CBOS TO
AGREE ON A CERTAIN LANGUAGES.
THAT'S A THAT'S A LOT TO ASK
FOR, AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT
HAPPENING IN A TIMELY FASHION IS
NOT GONNA HAPPEN. UM JUST TO
TURN AROUND AND THEN BE LIKE,
OKAY. NEVER MIND. YOU DON'T HAVE
TO DO IT. UM OR THEY HAVE
REALLY? STRICT GUIDELINES ON
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO
QUALIFY TO HAVE A BROWN CARD.
YOU NEED TO BE AT THE
INSTITUTION FOR CERTAIN DURATION
OF TIME COMING IN. ONCE THAT'S
BEING DONE. YOU COULD THEN ASK
FOR YOUR BROWN CARD. UM ALL OF
MY STUFF. ALL OF OUR STAFF IS
FORMING INCARCERATED. WHEN WE
DID THIS AT IRONWOOD IN
PARTICULAR, WE SPENT 35 MINUTES
ON A ZOOM CALL BEING ASKED. WHY
DOES THIS PERSON NEED A BROWN
CARD? I SAID, I'M CONFUSED. WHY
AM I BEING ASKED WHY MY STAFF
NEED TO BROWN CARD? DOESN'T HE
JUST HAVE TO BE HERE? SIX MONTHS
THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO
CONTINUE PROGRAM AND HAVE WE MET
ALL THOSE NEEDS? YEAH, WELL,
THEN WHY DOES HE NEED IT? AND
I'M LIKE IT DOESN'T SAY THAT YOU
CAN ASK ME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY
STAFF NEEDS IT. ONCE HE'S
COMPLETED THIS, IT SAYS ONCE YOU
COMPLETED THIS, THAT HE'S ABLE
TO GET THOSE THINGS WHEN THEY
KNOW IT MAKES PROGRAMMING EASIER
FOR YOU. BECAUSE IF I HAVE A
BROWN CARD, THEN I COULD THEN
HAVE MY PARTICIPANTS BY MYSELF.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO FIND
ANOTHER STAFF THAT HAS TO HAVE A
PARTICULAR SPACE. SO IT OPENS UP
EVEN FOR THE FACILITY, RIGHT.
THAT'S LESS PEOPLE THAT THEY
HAVE TO WALK IN HAND IN HAND, SO
IT'S JUST LIKE THAT IS THE
CULTURE THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT,
BECAUSE I GUARANTEE I'M ALMOST
WILLING TO BET THAT SOMEBODY
ELSE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A
BACKGROUND THAT WE HAVE. THEY'RE
NOT SPENDING 35 MINUTES IN A
ZOOM CALL EXPLAINING WHY THEIR
STAFF NEED TO BROWN CARD. AND
ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT SPACE IS A
VERY LARGE ISSUE. MANY OF THE
PRISONS WERE CREATED WELL BEFORE
THE R WAS ADDED, AND ARE NOT SET
UP FOR PROGRAMMING. SO THAT IS A
VERY BIG ISSUE THAT WE FACE AS
WELL AS THE PHYSICAL SPACES THAT
WE HAVE ACCESS TO. ONE MORE
ISSUE THAT DOES FREQUENTLY ALSO
COME UP. IS THE SOM SYSTEM THAT
CDCR USES IN ORDER TO TRACK AND
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT
DOUBLE DIPPING AS FAR AS CREDITS
GO. BUT THE WAY THAT WITH HOW
RUDIMENTARY THE SYSTEM IS. EVEN
WHEN THERE'S NOT ACTUAL BARRIERS
BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS.
BECAUSE THEY MAY TAKE PLACE ON
THE SAME DAY OF THE WEEK. BUT
NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME. UH
DAY. AND TIME. DISARM SYSTEM
BLOCKS THEM FROM HAVING CHANGES
MADE ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT AND ONE
OF MY COHORTS. I HAVE TWO
PEOPLE. THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE
IN A NEW PROGRAM. THEY ARE BEING
TOLD, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ONLY A
COUPLE MONTHS AWAY FROM
GRADUATING IN MY PROGRAM THAT
THEY NOW HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE,
WHETHER TO REMAIN IN MY PROGRAM
AND BE ABLE TO COMPLETE IT. OR
BECAUSE OF COVID. NOW FOR OVER
FOUR YEARS INTO IT. DROP THE
PROGRAM IN ORDER TO TAKE THIS
NEXT 16 MONTH PROGRAM. THERE
SHOULD BE SOME WAY TO MAKE
ADJUSTMENTS FOR THIS.
ABSOLUTELY. I APPRECIATE THAT. I
DO WANT TO ALSO JUST GIVE SOME
SPACE TO HAVE YOU ALL TALKED
ABOUT HOW YOU MEASURE SUCCESS
FOR YOUR PROGRAMS. I THINK
THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE
. UH AND IN TERMS OF OUR
OVERSIGHT OF ANYTHING QUITE
FRANKLY, JUST IMPLEMENTATION
SUCCESS AND THE OPPORTUNITY
THERE SO WE WANTED TO GET A
SENSE OF HOW YOU KNOW THAT YOUR
PROGRAMS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
WHETHER YOU ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT
THAT WITH JUST BOTH QUALITATIVE
AND QUANTITATIVE DATA THAT WILL
OFFER US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE INSIGHT
INTO THAT, AND WE JUST LOVE TO
HEAR FROM ONE OR TWO PANELISTS
ON THAT. UM I'LL START AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE THIS QUESTION
. UM YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY
INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU KNOW, SO
MUCH OF CBO PROGRAMMING IS
REALLY LIKE HEART CENTERED
DELIVERING THE PROGRAM. BUT
SOMETHING HAPPENS FOR PROGRAM
PROVIDERS AND INCARCERATED
PARTICIPANTS, UM, THAT THEY SEE
FIRSTHAND, RIGHT. AND IF YOU
VISIT A PRISON PROGRAM INSIDE
LIKE YOU CAN FEEL SOMETHING
HAPPENING FOR FOLKS UM, AND
BECAUSE OF THAT PROGRAM
PROVIDERS HAVE SPENT AN
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME
DEDICATED TO TRYING TO PROVE THE
EFFICACY OF THEIR PROGRAMS. WE
UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE
IN THE SEVENTIES, BUT YOU KNOW
WHEN, BEFORE THE R WAS ADDED,
THERE WAS A STIGMA AROUND LIKE
WHAT WORKS IN CORRECTIONS,
ESPECIALLY IN REHABILITATIVE
PROGRAMMING. UM BUT THAT IS WHY
I WE, UM ARE VERY INTENTIONAL
ABOUT SEEKING OUT OPPORTUNITIES
TO PROVE THAT EFFICACY. UM AND
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A WEALTH OF
INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD LOVE
TO SHARE WITH THE COMMITTEE
AROUND. UM, YOU KNOW, EVIDENCE
THAT PROGRAMS WORK. UM YOU KNOW,
THESE ARE EMPIRICAL STUDIES. UM,
SIDE NOTE. I'M ALSO GETTING MY
PHD UM IN CRIMINOLOGY AND I
STUDY IN PRISON PROGRAMS, SO I
HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN INSIDE
SCOOP THERE AND BE A HAPPY TO
SHARE THOSE RESOURCES. UM BUT
WOULD ALSO SAY THAT WE COLLECT
KIND OF QUALITATIVE RESPONSES
FROM FOLKS BOTH ABOUT THEIR
SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND KIND OF,
UM, IN FOCUS GROUPS SO WE CAN
PICK UP THE BROADER THEMES. UM,
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT WE HAVE
SOUGHT OUT A PARTNERSHIP WITH
NOTRE DAME LAB FOR ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY. AND YOU KNOW,
BEFORE I PASS TO AYLA, WHO
BALANCE FREEDOM PROJECT IS
ACTUALLY PART OF THAT COHORT
WILL BE RUNNING A RANDOMIZED
CONTROL TRIAL, WHICH IS THE GOLD
STANDARD AND RESEARCH. BECAUSE
PROGRAMS KNOW THAT THEIR UM LIKE
THEIR PROGRAMS OF WORK, YOU KNOW
, AND SO WE'RE NOT AFRAID OF
ENGAGING WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO
PROVE THAT SO I'LL PASS TO A
LIST SO SHE CAN SHARE MORE ABOUT
IT. YES THANK YOU. SO IN
ADDITION TO THE TONS OF
TESTIMONIALS WE GET FROM
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN
THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS WERE ALSO
SEEKING TO PARTICIPATE IN, UM
LEGITIMATE RESEARCH OF OUR
PROGRAM. AS WE FEEL REALLY
STRONGLY OF OUR PROGRAMS,
EFFICACY, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH
NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY TO PROVE
THAT, UM, AS PART OF THAT
PROCESS, WE HAD TO GO THROUGH A
VERY RIGOROUS VETTING PROCESS
WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE
DAME. AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH
A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS FROM THE
UNIVERSITY AS WELL AS TRAVELING
TO THE UNIVERSITY ITSELF TO
CREATE THE RESEARCH DESIGN, AND
THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN SUPPORTED
BY THE CDCR. AND SO WHILE NOT
ALL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
PARTICIPATED IN THIS TYPE OF
RESEARCH OR BEEN ABLE TO SHOW
THE IMPACT OF THEIR PROGRAMS.
THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE'RE
HEADING IN, AND WE'RE HOPING
THAT MORE AND MORE ORGANIZATIONS
LIKE DOWN THE STREET, UM,
PROJECT WILL BE ABLE TO SHOW
JUST EXACTLY THE IMPACT WE'RE
HAVING. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE
THAT. AND I KNOW YOU PROBABLY
DON'T HAVE IT. IN FRONT OF YOU.
BUT OUR COMMITTEE ANALYSIS AND
THIS IS JUST ALL SHARE ON PAGE
10. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A BREAKDOWN
OF THE TYPE OF EXPENDITURE
THAT'S NEEDED FOR DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF SUPPORTING. UM UH
FOLKS WHO ARE INCARCERATED. AH
SECURITY IS 42.3% OF THE BUDGET.
AH ADMINISTRATION IS 9% OF THE
BUDGET FACILITIES, OPERATIONS
AND RECORDS AS ANOTHER 9%
REHABILITATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE
RUN BY CDCR ARE 3.4% AND THE
CATEGORY OF PROGRAMMING WHERE
YOU ALL ARE IN PROGRAMMING
PROVIDED BY COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. HIS 0.7. SO IN
JUST AS A POINT OF COMMENTS FOR
YOU ALL THAT WOULD LIKE TO GIVE
YOU THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EACH
PANELIST TO PROVIDE A SHORT
RESPONSE TO WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO
CHANGE. SHOULD WE BE MADE TO
HAVE TO IMPROVE THE IMPACT OF
PROGRAMMING THAT YOU PROVIDE? I
HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING FIRST. UH
CHANGES SO ALSO, AND THAT'S UH,
I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS
AROUND RESEARCH, AND THOSE ARE
SOME OF THE BERRIES ARE RUNNING
INTO TWO. IT WAS FUNNY. I WAS ON
ONE MEETING. THE WEEK PRIOR THAT
SAID CDCR WAS GOING TO MAKE IT
EASIER FOR PROGRAMS TO BE ABLE
TO GET RESEARCH DONE AND THEN
GOT THAT DENY THE FOLLOWING
WEEK. UH SO THAT'S ONE ASPECT
AGAIN. I THINK ACCESS IS
IMPORTANT. UM I WAS FROM MY
ORGANIZATION. IT'S NOT THAT WE
HAVE A SHORTAGE OF COACHES. IS
THAT AGAIN? WE DON'T HAVE THE
DEDICATED FUNDING IN ORDER TO
GET THOSE COACHES AND THEN HAVE
THE ABILITY TO GET THEM WHERE
THEY NEED TO BE IN A TIMELY
FASHION. UH, THERE HAS BEEN AT
LEAST TWO PRISONS THAT I CAN
THINK OF. RIGHT NOW WE'RE CLEAR
TO DELIVER A PROGRAM WHERE IT
TOOK OVER A YEAR TO GET INTO UM
, SO IT'S LIKE I ALREADY HAD THE
AGREEMENT ALREADY SECURED THE
FUNDING IN ORDER TO BE THERE,
LITERALLY. JUST TALKING TO THE
PRESIDENT TOOK A YEAR TO GET
INTO, UM AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
SUSTAINABILITY THAT CAN'T BE AT
THE COMPANY. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
YOU KNOW THE VALUE OF LIFE. LOOK
HOW MANY PEOPLE LOST AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH
MEANINGFUL PROGRAMMING IN A
YEAR. UM I WOULD ALSO SAY AGAIN.
KENNETH TALKED ABOUT CULTURE
CHANGE, RIGHT? UM I'M OFTEN
CONFUSED ON THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
OF HOW SUCCESSFUL FOLKS KNOW
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
ARE WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR WORK
WITH INSIDE PRISONS AND THEN
WERE MET WITH HESITANCY OR OR
QUITE FRANKLY, LIKE PUSH BACK UM
I DON'T I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW
SOMEONE CONTROL CAN TELL ME. OH,
NO. WE UNDERSTAND YOUR VALUE,
BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE IT AS HARD
AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO DO YOUR
JOB. UM, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE
TO ME. UH UM. AND LASTLY, I
WOULD I WOULD HOPE THAT UM I CAN
JUST USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE. SAN
QUENTIN. IS LIKE THE BEACON. OF
WHAT PRISON SHOULD LOOK LIKE. SO
MUCH SO THAT PRISONERS INSIDE
DON'T EVEN CONSIDER SAN QUENTIN
PRISON BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACCESS
TO EVERYTHING. AND MY QUESTION
ALWAYS HAS BEEN. IF
REHABILITATION IS THE ACTUAL
GOAL. WHY DOESN'T EVERY FACILITY
HAVE THAT? RIGHT IF WE'RE SAYING
THAT'S THE GOAL, WHY DOESN'T
EVERYTHING WE SHOULD HAVE TOO
MUCH PROGRAMS. NOT NOT ENOUGH
PROGRAMS RIGHT BECAUSE WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE COST OF HUMAN
LIVES. BOTH INSIDE WHETHER THERE
AND WHEN FOLKS RETURN HOME. SO I
DON'T GET WHY WE HAVE THESE ONE
OFFS, RIGHT? LIKE WHY ARE THERE
IF WE HAVE 30 PLUS INSTITUTIONS
WHERE THERE FIVE OF THEM THAT
ARE HIGHLIGHTED, AS YOU KNOW,
HAVING A BUNCH OF PROGRAMS. AND
AGAIN. THAT'S NOT BECAUSE
THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF US. AS KEN
SAID HE'S REPRESENTING 85 OF
THEM. 85 WHY? WHY DON'T WE HAVE
THOSE IN ALL INSTITUTIONS? FOLKS
SHOULD BE OVERWHELMED WITH
WHAT'S POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO GET
INTO. IF THEY CHOOSE TO. NOT
HUNGERING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S
NOT EVEN A WE DON'T HAVE THE
ABILITY TO PUT ON THEIR PLATE
AND IT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE SOMEBODY
ELSE IS GOING ON. WE DON'T NEED
IT. NO WE DON'T NEED IT. SO I
THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT CHANGE, IT'S REALLY THAT
SIMPLE. LET'S GET PEOPLE WITH
PEOPLE NEED IN ORDER TO BE
HEALTHY PEOPLE. UM I WOULD ADD
THAT ANOTHER THING THAT COULD
POSSIBLY CHANGED FOR COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS RIGHT NOW.
THE TERMS OF OUR CONTRACTS ARE
AT MAXIMUM THREE YEARS. UM MOST
OF THEM ARE, TOO. AND SO THAT
MEANS EVERY 2 TO 3 YEARS
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS OR
HAVING TO GO THROUGH A
COMPLETELY NEW RFP CYCLE AND
COMPETE FOR THESE GRANTS, WHILE
MOST OTHER CONTRACTS, THE
DEPARTMENT ARE OFTEN LONGER UM,
TERM AND THAT WOULD BE GREATLY
BENEFICIAL FOR COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO ACTUALLY SPEND
A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME IN
AN INSTITUTION WORKING TO SHIFT
THAT CULTURE OF PROGRAMMING. LET
IT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WITH
THE RFP PROCESS, THE LAST ONE OF
THE GRANTS THAT WENT OUT FOR RFP
. ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THEY HAD
OVER 200 ORGANIZATIONS APPLY FOR
IT. UM I FORGET HOW MANY HOW
MUCH MONEY BUT IT WAS SOMETHING
SOMEWHERE. $55 MILLION IN
APPLICATIONS FOR $5 MILLION OF
GRANTS. SO FINDING THAT FUNDING
TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE PROGRAMS
GOING. PROGRAMS LIKE MY WANTING
TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE VOLUNTEER
FACILITATOR MODEL. BRINGING BACK
SOME OF OUR GRADUATES TO RUN
THESE PROGRAMS BEING ABLE TO PAY
THEM A LIVING WAGE TO DO THAT.
WOULD ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY
TO EXPAND EVEN FURTHER. YEAH,
AND I THINK I COME BACK TO, UM,
JUST TAKE THE KIDS THE QUESTION
OF CULTURE. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT
AND I THINK WHATEVER WAYS THAT
WE CAN DO TO BRING PEOPLE
INSIDE, I MEAN, I THINK YOU
KNOW? I THINK MANY TIMES THE
FENCES ARE THERE, YOU KNOW,
ESSENTIALLY DEFENSES THERE TO
KEEP ME IN. BUT I THINK THE
FENCES ALSO KEEP EVERYBODY ELSE
OUT. AND LIKE I SAID, I KNOW YOU
DIDN'T GET TO HEAR ME SAY THIS
EARLIER, MR LACKEY, BUT YOU KNOW
YOU HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE
FOLKS WHO LISTENED TO YOU. THERE
WERE PEOPLE WITH TEARS IN THEIR
EYES, YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE
BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOKING, THEY
WERE LISTENING TO A MAN IN A
POSITION OF AUTHORITY. SOMEONE
WHO PEOPLE LOOK UP TO SAYING I
CARE ABOUT YOU GUYS. I'M REALLY
PROUD OF YOU WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I MEAN, THAT HAS SO MUCH POWER
AND IMPACT, AND I THINK IF WE
CAN, ANY WAY WE CAN GET THE
BORDERS TO BE A LITTLE MORE
POROUS SO WE CAN GET FOLKS
INSIDE PEOPLE LIKE YOU, ALL
PEOPLE, OTHER FOLKS IN POSITIONS
OF AUTHORITY AND RESPECT IN
SOCIETY TO WALK INSIDE AND SAY
WE CARE ABOUT YOU GUYS. WE CARE
ABOUT YOU. YOU'RE OUR FELLOW
HUMAN BEINGS, AND I THINK THAT
IS JUST ULTIMATELY THE END OF
THE DAY. I THINK THAT'S THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING. THAT CAN
HAPPEN, AND IT'S JUST LIKE HOW
DO WE STOP DEHUMANIZING PEOPLE
AND PROMOTE HUMANITY. I MEAN, I
FEEL LIKE THAT'S THAT'S THE
BIGGEST THING. DO YOU WANT TO
SAY SOMETHING? I CAN JUST CLOSE
IT REALLY QUICK AND I'LL JUST
SAY TWO ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LACKEY.
THIS IS THAT KEN HARTMAN THAT
ALL THE FOLKS INSIDE WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT, UM, AND SO IT'S
AMAZING TO HAVE YOU BOTH IN THE
SAME ROOM, ESPECIALLY IN THIS
SPACE RIGHT NOW. UM BUT OTHER
THAN THE SPECIFICS, AND OF
COURSE, THE CULTURE CHANGE THAT
EVERYONE HERE TALKED ABOUT. UM I
THINK LIKE ONE OF THE BARRIERS,
WE CAN ALSO ADDRESSES THE
VISIBILITY. UM YOU KNOW, AND FOR
THAT REASON, I REALLY THINK THIS
COMMITTEE FOR HEARING US TODAY
AND REALLY INVITE ALL OF YOU
INSIDE TO WITNESS THE POWER OF
CBO PROGRAMS. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
QUESTIONS. MR LUCKY. I DON'T
REALLY HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST
HAVE KIND OF A COMMENT TO MAKE
THAT I FIND IT THAT. THIS
POPULATION IS VERY COMPLICATED,
JUST LIKE OUR ENTIRE POPULATION
, BUT ESPECIALLY AS POPULATION.
THAT'S OFTEN MISCHARACTERIZED.
AH BECAUSE OF THE. THE DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE PRESENT
WITHIN THE PRISON SYSTEM AND THE
LIVES THAT MANY OF THESE PEOPLE
WHO ARE AH SERVING PRISON
SENTENCES HAVE ENDURED. BUT ONE
THING THAT I DO BELIEVE VERY,
VERY SIGNIFICANTLY THAT PROGRAMS
THEMSELVES. ARE NOT THE REAL
ANSWER. WHAT IS THE REAL ANSWER
AS THE GENUINE QUALITY OF THAT
THAT PROGRAM AND WHO CARRIES IT
OUT. UM IT DOES MATTER, AND I
THINK ONE OF THE UNDERUTILIZED
TOOLS THAT ARE SPEAK. OUR SYSTEM
DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ARE THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN FORMERLY INCARCERATED
OR SOON TO BE, UH, RELEASED.
THEY HAVE SUCH AN IMPACT BECAUSE
THEY HAVE AUTOMATIC CREDIBILITY
WITH THAT POPULATION, AND I FIND
THAT IT'S AN UNDERUTILIZED TOOL.
UM I THINK THAT WHEN I MADE THE
VISIT THAT WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT, I'VE MADE MANY OF THOSE
VISITS AND I FELT UNIQUELY
ACCEPTED THERE, AND I COULDN'T
EXPLAIN IT. BUT I THINK THAT
THERE'S A STEREOTYPE THAT'S
UNFAIR. OF THE PRISON POPULATION
. AND I THINK THAT, UM AS LONG
AS WE HAVE GENUINE OUTREACH. I
THINK IT WILL BE RECEIVED. MAYBE
NOT BY EVERYONE, OR EVEN THE
MAJORITY, BUT THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WE CAN REACH PROFOUNDLY
IMPACTS PEOPLE'S WORLD AND I
THINK THEY DESERVE THAT. AND I
HOPE THAT WE WILL, UM MORE
UTILIZED THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN
THAT SYSTEM. TO BE ROLE MODELS.
Tð. ENCOURAGE THESE PEOPLE THAT
THERE IS LIFE AFTER PRISON.
SUCCESSFUL LIFE AFTER PRISON.
THANK YOU JUST WANT TO SAY WE
COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH WE APPRECIATE
YOU KNOW YOUR FROM LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND, FRANKLY, THAT'S
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU'RE SO
ACCEPTED, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK
THAT'S A REALLY COMPLICATED
THING, BUT AT SOME LEVEL, THAT'S
WHY IT IS. YEAH. MR JOHN SAWYER.
THAT SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN TO
NORWAY. WITH C C P O A
CORRECTION OFFICER. IT'S ALL HOW
THEY. HANDLE THEIR PRISON SYSTEM
, WHICH IS BASED ON INDIVIDUALS
THAT WERE IN CONCENTRATION
CAMPS. DURING WORLD WAR TWO THAT
THEY KNEW HOW DIFFICULT. IT WAS
TO BE THERE THAT THEY MADE A
CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO CHANGE THE
WAY PRISON LIFE WOULD BE IN
NORWAY. AND SO THE LEADERS OF
THAT TIME WHO ACTUALLY HAD BEEN
INCARCERATED. DIDN'T CHANGE
NORWAY. SOME PEOPLE SAY MAYBE
ALL POLITICIANS TO GO TO JAIL SO
I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE
TO BE IN JAIL. UM AFTERWARDS,
UM, LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THAT.
THE SAME PEOPLE I WENT. TO
NORWAY WITH UM THEN. CRITICIZED
ME FOR GOING ON THAT TRIP AFTER
THEY PROMISED THEY WOULD BE INTO
FOR REHABILITATION. THEY DIDN'T
PUT A TARGET ON MY FACE. WENT
AFTER ME. AND SO THAT'S. I FEEL
YOUR PAIN WHEN YOU SAY IT'S NOT
REALLY ACCEPTED WITHIN WITHIN
THEIR. BUT ONE OF THE ONE OF THE
THINGS I DO WANT TO SAY WHAT
MOVED THE NEEDLE. FROM WHEN I
GOT HERE 10 YEARS AGO. WAS R O.
I RETURN ON INVESTMENT. UH, IT
REALLY WAS ABOUT THE
QUANTITATIVE VALUE OF YOUR
PROGRAMS. NOT THE QUALITATIVE
PROGRAMS. YOU CAN TALK UNTIL
YOU'RE BLUE IN THE FACE. YOU CAN
SHOW ALL THE DIFFERENT UM,
VIDEOS OF PEOPLE AND HOW THEIR
LIVES HAVE CHANGED. FROM WHAT I
CAN SEE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS
WERE REALLY MOVED US TO PROP
47-57 REALLY MOVED IT. WAS BEING
ABLE TO QUANTIFY. BACK THEN. IT
WAS LIKE $85,000. SO WE'RE
TALKING A WHILE AGO BECAUSE UP
TO 106,000 WOULD'VE COST
INCARCERATE SOMEONE. AND THEN WE
COMPARED IT WITH A COST TO SEND
SOMEONE TO COLLEGE. UH UM. I'M
IN A DOCTORAL PROGRAM AT USC. SO
THAT'S A WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY.
ABOUT 65,000 YEAR. AND I WOULD
SAY, AND I'M WORKING ON PUBLIC
SAFETY. THESIS AND THEORY. SO
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO AWAY THE
NOTRE DAME TO GET TO GET THAT
DONE. UM JUST A LITTLE. UM. BUT
WHAT BOTHERED ME WAS ON THE
RETURN ON INVESTMENT WHEN I
WOULD ASK NONPROFITS TO GIVE ME
UM. HOW DO YOU DETERMINE
DETERMINE RETURN ON INVESTMENTS
? SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WHAT?
PEOPLE GO THROUGH YOUR PROGRAMS
. THEN YOU GET PAROLED. THEY'RE
OUT THERE. HOW MANY ARE
SUCCESSFUL? I WOULD GET WE DON'T
KNOW. DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN COME
OUT THOSE NUMBERS. OH, AND
BEFORE I GOT IN A DOCTORAL
PROGRAM, I SAID IF THEY'RE
WORKING, YOU CAN GO. AND SEE
WHAT THEIR FRANCHISE TAX YES,
BECAUSE IF THEY'RE WORKING
UNLESS THEY'RE REALLY INTO BEING
CRIMINALS WORKING EIGHT HOURS A
DAY AND THEN TRYING TO DO
CRIMINALITY LATER. WOULD BE
HIGHLY IMPOSSIBLE. AND SO YOU
CAN ACTUALLY TRACK THEM. THEN I
FOUND OUT WE HAVE SILOS AND
NOBODY WOULD TALK TO ONE
ANOTHER. BUT THEN THEY STARTED
THINKING. OH, WE CAN'T TRACK
THIS. AND SO I'M GOING TO TELL
YOU IF YOU CAN CONVINCE THE
PUBLIC THAT YOU CAN SAVE
$100,000 WE HAVE. WHAT 123
PEOPLE THAT WERE FORMED,
INCARCERATED. FOUR. THAT'S
$400,000 A YEAR WITH SAVING
TAXPAYERS. $400,000 A YEAR, WE
SAID WITH WHAT DO WE PLAY? 0.7%
OF OUR BUDGET INVOLVED IN THIS
ANOTHER 42% IS INSECURITY. WHAT
WE FLIPPED AT. HOW MUCH MONEY WE
COULD SAVE TAXPAYERS. AS PART OF
THE BURDEN. AND WE DON'T EVEN
THINK ABOUT THE SOCIETAL BURDEN
. AND SO WHAT I WOULD ASK IS
IT'S REALLY EASY TO QUANTIFY.
WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE. BECAUSE
THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT'S
GOING ON RIGHT NOW. I'M CHAIR OF
PUBLIC SAFETY AND WAS BOUGHT,
AND I ARE BOMBARDED ALMOST ON A
DAILY BASIS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE
REPEAT OFFENDERS. AND WE NEED TO
COME DOWN HARD ON THEM, AND WE
NEED TO AND BUT THEN YOU GUYS
COME IN AND SAY WE'RE SAVING
LIVES. PEOPLE AREN'T REPEATING,
SO WE'RE GETTING MIXED
INFORMATION. WE NEED DATA.
QUALITY. QUALITATIVE STUFF IS
GOOD. AND I KNOW I'M IN A HE
SAID. I'M IN THE DOCTORAL
PROGRAM, BUT THE QUANTITATIVE
ANALYSIS. IF YOU CAN GET THAT
DONE WE'LL TAKE US MUCH FURTHER
ALONG, ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN SHOW
SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS BY SAVING
LIVES. PEOPLE WHO ARE WHO ARE
INSIDE AND SO I KNOW YOU'RE
GONNA REPORT BACK. BUT FOR ME
THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO
, UM, FOR THIS COMMITTEE, AND I
WOULD TELL YOU FOR THE STATE IF
YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO QUANTIFY IT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A VERY HARD
TIME TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC TO
CONTINUE. INVESTING IN WHAT
WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. AND YOU
LOOK UP IN THAT POINT. 07% FOR
PROGRAM BY COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATION MAY GO DOWN.
INSTEAD OF GO UP. AND WE NEED TO
INCREASE THAT NUMBER AGAIN. AND
I'M REPEATING OVER AND OVER THE
ONLY WAY WE CAN PROVE THAT IF
YOU HELP US. HELP YOU. THANK
YOU. I WANT TO THANK THE
PANELISTS AND THE COMMITTEE FOR
CONTRIBUTING TO THIS VERY
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. AND
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE REST OF
THE AGENDA, I JUST WANTED TO
SHARE ONE THOUGHT. WHICH IS THAT
SOME OF US BELIEVE PRISON SHOULD
BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE
LOCKED AWAY AND NOT PROVIDED
WITH ANY OPPORTUNITY OR
ANYTHING. THEY HAVE BEEN
CONSIDERED OTHER SOMETHING OTHER
THAN A PRIVILEGE. IN FACT, IN
OUR RECENT COMMITTEE, WE
LITERALLY HEARD SOMEBODY SAY
COLLEAGUE. THE WAY THAT YOU
PRESENT PREVENT. RECIDIVISM IS
BY JUST KEEPING PEOPLE LOCKED UP
LONGER. AND THAT'S THE REALITY
THAT WE ARE OUR FACE STEP FACED
WITH HERE. UM. AND THAT PRISON
SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE NOTHING
ELSE HAPPENS. BESIDES PUNISHMENT
. I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THE
FACT THAT THE R IS A NEW A NEW
PARTS. OF THE DEPARTMENTS WORK.
IN CULTURE. THE REALITY IS THAT
95% OF PEOPLE WHO GO TO PRISON
EVENTUALLY COME HOME. AND THE
IMPORTANT QUESTION IS. WHAT DO
WE WANT THAT CONDITION TO LOOK
LIKE? HOW DO WE WANT OUR PEOPLE
WHO ARE RE ENTERING OUR
COMMUNITIES? TO BE WHEN THEY
COME HOME. THE FIRST THREE
ISSUES THAT WE DISCUSSED TODAY
IN THIS HEARING HAS TO DO WITH
FAMILY CONNECTION REHABILITATIVE
PROGRAMMING. AND FOOD AND
HYGIENE SUPPLIES. IMAGINE IF YOU
COULD ONLY SEE YOUR CHILD FOR
30. MINUTES A MONTH. I DON'T
HAVE TO HAVE YOU IMAGINE IT.
THIS IS FOR OUR BROADER IMAGINE
HAVING A PRISON JOB WHERE YOU
ARE MAKING EIGHT CENTS AN HOUR
AND IT TAKES YOU 48 HOURS OF
LABOR TO BUY A BOX OF CRACKERS.
IMAGINE THAT YOUR FAMILY IS
SPENDING 18,881. OVER THE COURSE
OF THE TIME THAT YOU ARE
INCARCERATED. JUST FOR THE
SIMPLE BASIC NEED. OF BEING ABLE
TO COMMUNICATE. AND FINALLY
IMAGINE SITTING IN A CELL FOR
YEARS ON END WITHOUT ANY
PROGRAMMING OR CONNECTION TO THE
COMMUNITY TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND
THE IMPACT OF THE DECISIONS THAT
YOU MADE. WHY YOU MADE THEM? AND
WHY YOU CAN MAKE BETTER ONES.
CULTURE SHIFT AS MR. APARTMENT
STATED IN MS OREO SHIRO TALKED
ABOUT IS SOMETHING WE ARE NOT
ABLE TO LEGISLATE EASILY, BUT
THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS AND
POLICIES WE'VE DISCUSSED TODAY
CAN INFLUENCE THAT CULTURE. LESS
THAN 1% OF OUR BUDGET HAS BEEN
DEDICATED TO HIGH QUALITY
PROGRAMS DELIVERED BY CREDIBLE
PEOPLE. OUR BUDGET IS AN
EXPRESSION OF OUR VALUES. AND BY
MY ACCOUNTS, THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA HAS A LONG WAY TO GO.
BEFORE WE ARE ACTUALLY
REPRESENTING THE VALUE. OF
RECOGNIZING THAT PEOPLE CAN BE
REHABILITATED THAT THEY DESERVE
TO BE CONNECTED TO THEIR
FAMILIES. THAT THEY DESERVE. THE
RIGHT AND THE ABILITY TO FEEL AS
MR HARTMAN SAID. HUMAN SO I WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR TO THE
PANELISTS FOR COMING THIS LONG
WAY AND TO OUR PRIOR PANELISTS
WHO JUST GIVE US A GOOD SNAPSHOT
OF BOTH THE WORK AND OPPORTUNITY
THAT WE HAVE IN IN OUR REVIEW OF
OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. MHM. SOME STUFF, I
PROMISE. WE WILL NOW BE MOVING
ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM ISSUE FOR
WHICH IS THE JOINT COMMISSION
ACCREDITATION OF PROPOSAL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DUANE READE
. I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR
CALIFORNIA CORRECTIONAL HEALTH
CARE SERVICES FISCAL OFFICE. UM
TODAY. WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT
JOINT COMMISSION. WHICH IS A
REQUEST FOR $6.1 MILLION.38
POSITIONS OVER FIVE YEARS TO
ROLL OUT JOINT ACCREDITATION
INTO THE INSTITUTIONS. UM. WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ROLL OUT JOINT
ACCREDITATION AT FOUR
INSTITUTIONS SO FAR, AND WE'D
LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH THAT
EFFORT AND GET SOME PERMANENT
AUTHORITY TO CONTINUE TO JOIN
ACCREDITATION. TODAY WITH ME IS
KENNETH MARTIN, ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR OF LICENSING AND
COMPLIANCE TO PROVIDE SOME
ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW. UH GOOD
AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR LETTING
ME BE HERE TO PRESENT. UM, AS MR
READERS STATED, WE CURRENTLY
HAVE FOUR INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE
RECEIVED JOINT COMMISSION
ACCREDITATION. OH, I'M SORRY. UM
SO OUR SUCCESSES WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO A CREDIT FOR
INSTITUTIONS. AH OUR GOAL IS TO
MOVE FORWARD WITH OLIVER
INSTITUTIONS TO RECEIVE JOINT
COMMISSION JOINT COMMISSION IS
THE GOLD STANDARD IN THE
COMMUNITY. UM 80% OF HOSPITALS
IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE JOINT
COMMISSION ACCREDITATION. IT
SETS A FRAMEWORK THAT IS
CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING REGARDING
HEALTH CARE STANDARDS. UM,
ACROSS THE NATION. UM, THERE, UM
. THEY'RE REVIEWED AND RE
EVALUATED TWICE PER YEAR AND
UPDATED BASED UPON INPUT FROM,
UH PERSONS WHO RECEIVE CARE.
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. THE
GOVERNMENT STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS
THE CENTER FOR MEDICAID
SERVICES. UM THEY'RE NATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED THEIR FRAMEWORK THAT
HELPS ORGANIZATIONS TO AIM TO
IMPROVE HEALTHCARE. AND
ASSISTING THE ORGANIZATIONS
PROVIDE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE CARE.
THE STANDARDS ASSIST IN
DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS
COMPLEX ISSUES IDENTIFIED
KEYBOARD KEYBOARD
VULNERABILITIES. THE JOINT
COMMISSION LOOKS AT PROCESS AND
FOCUSES ON SYSTEMS. UM IT'S
ABOUT, UH, SUSTAINABILITY
PROCESS, CONTINUOUS RISK
ASSESSMENTS AND PROCESS
EVALUATION. ACCREDITATION IS
TYPICALLY ABOUT THREE YEARS AND
INSTITUTIONS REQUIRED TO PERFORM
SELF EVALUATIONS ON ALL THE
REQUIREMENTS EVERY YEAR IN
BETWEEN THEIR CYCLE AND
DEVELOPED ROBUST PLANS FOR
CORRECTION. IT INCLUDES BOTH
MENTAL HEALTH, DENTAL UM.
MEDICAL AS WELL AS WORKING WITH
OUR INSTITUTIONAL CUSTODY
PARTNERS IN LEADERSHIP. THE
JOINT COMMISSION ALSO FOCUSES IS
THE WHOLE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO
HEALTH CARE DELIVERY WITHIN OUR
CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS. THEY LOOK
AT LEADERSHIP AND THEY LOOK AT
CULTURE AND THEY ASSESS THOSE
FINDINGS AND DEVELOP IMMEDIATE
REPORTS UPON A SURVEY WITH
REQUIREMENTS FOR CORRECTIVE
ACTIONS WITHIN 60 DAYS. I LOOK
FORWARD TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY
HAVE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY
NAME IS ORLANDO SANCHEZ WITH THE
L A. L WE RECOMMEND REJECTING
THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO
PROVIDE RESOURCES TO OBTAIN THE
JOINT COMMISSIONER ACCREDITATION
AT THE STATE PRISONS. THREE MAIN
REASONS LED TO THIS
RECOMMENDATION. FIRST IS THAT WE
FIND THAT THE COURTS HAVE NOT
ORDERED ACCREDITATION. ALSO THE
COURTS HAVE NOT SELECTED A
SPECIFIC TYPE OF ACCREDITATION
AS THE MOST APPROPRIATE. OUR
SECOND FINDING IS THAT A CORRECT
ACCREDITATIONS COULD DUPLICATE
SOME OF THE OVERSIGHT ALREADY
PROVIDED BY EXISTING ENTITIES
SUCH AS THE COURTS AND THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL. IT IS LIKELY
THAT ACCREDITATION WOULD FIND
THE SAME DEFICIENCIES ALREADY
CAPTURED BY EXISTING OVERSIGHT
ENTITIES THERE BY NOT PROVIDING
MUCH ADDITIONAL VALUE. THIRD, WE
FIND IT. MORE APPROPRIATE FOR
THE STATE TO PRIORITIZE ITS
RESOURCES AND EFFORTS TO ENDING
COURT OVERSIGHT. THIS IS BECAUSE
THE STATE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO
FULLY DEMONSTRATE TO THE COURTS.
THE ADEQUATE CARE IS BEING
PROVIDED AT ALL STATE PRISONS.
WE ALSO NOTE THAT THIS PROPOSAL
COULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE
FUTURE. IF ACCREDITATION IS
ORDERED BY THE COURTS, OR OR IF
OR TO MAINTAIN CARE AFTER COURT.
UM OVERSIGHT ENDS. THANK YOU,
AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE
QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
FROM MR VANDY'S HI. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR AND MEMBERS
ALYSSA CERVANTES WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. SO
ALTHOUGH THE OFFICE OF THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL DOES PROVIDE
SOME OVERSIGHT TO THE DEPARTMENT
, THEIR OVERSIGHT IS LIMITED TO
HOW WELL THE DEPARTMENT IS
MEETING THEIR OWN POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES. THE JOINT COMMISSION
COMMISSION ACCREDITATION IS
RATHER BASED ON A COMMUNITY
STANDARD OF CARE AND GOES BEYOND
THE METRICS OUTLINED BY THE
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
THIS ACCREDITATION COULD HELP TO
SHOW THAT THE LEVEL OF CARE CDCR
PROVIDES TO ITS PATIENTS IS
CONSISTENT WITH CARE THAT THEY
MIGHT RECEIVE OUTSIDE OF
INCARCERATION. THIS
ACCREDITATION WILL NOT ONLY HELP
THE DEPARTMENT BY ENSURING
PROACTIVE AND PREVENTATIVE
MEASURES ARE TAKEN, BUT IT ALSO
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE
THEIR OVERALL DELIVERY OF THE
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. THANK YOU.
UH I HAVE ONE QUESTION. THEN
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SEE IF MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY SO I YOU
TALKED ABOUT THE REALITY THAT
THIS WOULD PROVIDE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GO ABOVE AND
BEYOND THE POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES AT THE OFFICE OF
INSPECTOR GENERAL ALREADY
REVIEWS WE HAD A MEETING. YEAH.
LAST WEEK WHERE WE HEARD HOW
EGREGIOUS THE CURRENT STATE OF
CARE IS FOR CERTAIN SECTORS OF
THE DEPARTMENT. AND THE OFFICE
OF INSPECTOR GENERAL HAD
PROVIDED A REPORT AROUND THAT
ALREADY. SO I'M REALLY CURIOUS
ABOUT IT ABOUT WHY IN THIS POINT
IN TIME GIVEN THE STATE OF OUR
BUDGET. UH WE SHOULD MAKE THE
WHY THE DEPARTMENT IS MAKING
THIS A PRIORITY RIGHT NOW. HMM.
GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN. UM. THE
DEPARTMENT FEELS THAT THIS IS
GOING TO SUSTAIN OUR HEALTHCARE
MOVING FORWARD, AND THIS IS
GOING TO BE A FOOTPRINT FOR THE
FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE. BEYOND
THE COURT CASES. UM, THIS LOOKS
AT ALL THREE HEALTHCARE AREAS,
MEDICAL, DENTAL MENTAL HEALTH
AND ALSO INVOLVES OUR CUSTODY
PARTNERS, UM, WHICH HAVE LIMITED
REVIEW BY HØI G. SO WE FEEL THAT
THIS IS GOING TO PROVIDE A
SUSTAINABLE FOOTPRINT FOR OUR
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. THAT BRINGS
US UP TO THAT COMMUNITY STANDARD
, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE CONTINUE
TO STRIVE TO ACHIEVE. SHOULDN'T
THERE REQUIREMENT BE JUST
MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE
OF THE LAWSUITS THAT WERE
ALREADY UNDER UM, WE'RE WORKING
TOWARDS THAT. I THINK THAT WE
HAVE 20 INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE
DELEGATED BACK TO CDCR. UM THAT
ARE BASED ON O I G INSPECTIONS,
SO I THINK WE CONTINUE TO MAKE
PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT GOAL AND
TOWARDS UM SUSTAINABILITY WITH O
E. G, UM BUT MOVING ON FROM MY G
AND AFTER WE HAVE DELEGATED
WE'RE GOING TO NEED A STANDARD
TO MEET IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN
HEALTH CARE AND NOT FALL BACK
UNDER LAWSUITS. UM THE ONE THING
ABOUT JOINT COMMISSION LIKE
KENNETH MENTIONED 80% OF
HOSPITALS IN THE COMMUNITY
STRIVE TO ACHIEVE JOINT
COMMISSION. UM AND IT'S A
REVOLVING STANDARD THAT ISN'T
COMPLACENT. THEY UPDATE THE
STANDARDS TWICE ANNUALLY, AND,
UM, YOU'RE UP FOR A CREATIVE
AVIATION EVERY THREE YEARS. THEY
ALSO DO SPOT REVIEWS IN BETWEEN
THOSE THREE YEAR REVIEWS AND SO
IT'S REALLY, UH HIGH STANDARD TO
ACHIEVE JOINT ACCREDITATION, AND
IT WILL MAINTAIN OUR HEALTHCARE
TO THAT COMMUNITY STANDARD THAT
EVOLVES OVER TIME AND ISN'T JUST
SET IN TIME. SO UM, I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO,
UM AND PART OF THE STATE AS A
WHOLE TO TRY AND CONTINUE THIS
EFFORT TO GET JOINT
ACCREDITATION. RIGHT NOW, AT
THIS POINT IN TIME, WE ARE NOT
MEETING THE BASIC STANDARD. OF
CARE UNDER THE LAWSUITS THAT WE
HAVE IS THAT WELL, LIKE I
MENTIONED WE DELEGATED 20
INSTITUTIONS BY MEETING NÓI G
STANDARD. AND SO THERE ARE GAPS
IN THE SYSTEM THAT WE NEED TO
WORK ON AND WE NEED. WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO LOOK AT, BUT WE ARE
MOVING. WE HAVE THE MAJORITY OF
INSTITUTIONS DELEGATED AND WE
CONTINUE WITH THAT EFFORT. SO UM
, YOU KNOW, THE CORRECTIONAL
ENVIRONMENT IS A CHALLENGING
ENVIRONMENT. THAT'S WHY WE WERE
VERY PROUD THAT WE COULD GET
JOINT ACCREDITATION AT A FEW
INSTITUTIONS. UM AND WE THINK
THAT OMG THIS WILL COMPLEMENT
OIG AND THE EFFORTS. WE'VE, UM
WE'VE HAD THERE. MR BLACK. DID
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS
TIME? AGAIN ONCE MORE, JUST NOT
REALLY QUESTIONS. MORE OF JUST A
COMMENT. I THINK WE HAVE A
DIMINISHED BUDGET SITUATION
RIGHT NOW, AND SO I THINK THAT'S
A PRIORITY. SHOULD BE TO REACH
THESE COURT REQUIRED PROVISIONS.
AND THE OTHER STUFF WOULD BE
NICE. BUT I THINK OUR FOCUS
SHOULD BE ON THESE MINIMAL
STANDARDS THAT WE'RE HAVING
TROUBLE REACHING. AND SO IT JUST
MAKES GOOD, LOGICAL SENSE FOR ME
TO, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE
LIMITED FUNDS AVAILABLE THAT WE
SHOULD FOCUS THOSE FUNDS. ON THE
COURT REQUIREMENTS. AND SO
THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I'M FOCUSED
ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I
THINK I'M FOCUSED ON THAT AS
WELL. MR LOCKE USED TO THANK YOU
FOR RAISING THAT. I DON'T HAVE
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AT THIS
TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WILL
BE MOVING ON NOW TO ISSUE FIVE,
WHICH IS COMPREHENSIVE EMPLOYEE
HEALTH PROGRAM. GOOD AFTERNOON,
DWAYNE READER AGAIN. UM. THREE
REQUESTS FOR EMPLOYEE HEALTH.
148 POSITIONS IN 22.7 MILLION TO
CONTINUE OUR AN EMPLOYEE HEALTH
PROGRAM THAT WAS STOOD UP.
DURING COVID. SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO USE COVID FUNDING TO FUND THE
PROGRAM AND MOVING FORWARD. WE
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PERMANENT
RESOURCES FOR THE EMPLOYEE
HEALTH PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN
LACKING WITHIN THIS DEPARTMENT
FOR MANY YEARS. WITH ME TODAY IS
DEBORAH AMOS TERRELL, DIRECTOR
OF NURSING AND SHE CAN PROVIDE
SOME ADDITIONAL OVERVIEW. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE
TODAY ON BEHALF OF BARBARA
BARNEY KNOX, WHO'S OUR STATEWIDE
CHIEF NURSE EXECUTIVE. MY NAME
IS DEBORAH. MISS TERRELL AND I
AM THE ASSISTANT STATEWIDE CHIEF
NURSE EXECUTIVE. SO WHEN COVID
CAME IT JUST JUST, YOU KNOW,
IMPLODED RIGHT? AND SO IT OPENED
OUR EYES IN TERMS OF WHAT GAPS
WE CURRENTLY HAVE. RIGHT SO WE
STOOD UP THE EMPLOYEE HEALTH
PROGRAM STATEWIDE. BUT YET WE
ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE GAPS
WERE JUST NOT FOR GO COVID,
RIGHT? SO UM, CURRENTLY WE
WORKED WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS
WITH THE CAL OSHA 80 MODEL PLAN
THAT IS REQUIRED AND AGAIN. THE
GAPS WERE HIGHLIGHTED WHERE WE
WERE NOT MEETING THOSE CAL OSHA
STANDARDS. SO UM, THE STAFF
RESIDENTS AND PATIENTS, UM YOU
KNOW, OUR SYSTEMS ARE AN
ECOSYSTEM AND THEY'RE IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY, SO THAT MAKES
OUTBREAKS EASY TO HAPPEN,
ESPECIALLY WITH AEROSOL
TRANSMISSION. I AM PROUD OF THE
STAFF, THE E HV STAFF WHO EVERY
DAY MITIGATE THOSE RISKS BY
SURVEILLING AND UNDERSTANDING
WHERE THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL LINKS
HAVE OCCURRING AND THEY'RE
WORKING WITH THE INSTITUTIONAL
LEADERS TO MITIGATE THOSE
OUTBREAKS. UM AND THE FUTURE E
HP PLANS TO ADDRESS OTHER
COMMUNITY POOL OUTBREAKS OR
DISEASES THAT ARE CHALLENGING US
TODAY. CURRENTLY WE HAVE T B IN
OUR INSTITUTIONS. WE HAVE
LEGIONELLA IN OUR INSTITUTIONS.
WE HAVE SERRATIONS TO GIARDIA
SHINGLES, NOROVIRUS, AND SO WE
HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO NOTIFY OUR
STAFF AND KEEP THEM SAFE THAT
THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND
AGAIN. IT'S NOT JUST COVID. SO
PHP WILL ALSO COLLECT EMPLOYEE
DATA AND TRACKING OF THINGS SUCH
AS VACCINATIONS AS WELL AS
EXPOSURES, INFECTIONS, ETCETERA
IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT. I ALSO
WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE
EMPLOYEE HEALTH STAFF THAT HAVE
BEEN DEDICATED OVER THE YEARS
AND HAVE FACILITATED THE
PROGRAMMING WE TALKED ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT PROGRAMMING IS AND SO
UM, WE INSTITUTED A TEST TO
TASTE STRATEGY SO IN INDIVIDUALS
THAT WERE EXPOSED TO COVID, UM,
PRIOR BEFORE WE IMPLEMENTED THIS
TEST TO STAY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO
BE OFF WORK FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
BUT WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED THE
TESTES STATE STRATEGY THAT
ALLOWED THE ASYMPTOMATIC STAFF
THAT WERE EXPOSED TO COME BACK
TO WORK, SO I JUST REALLY WANTED
TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WORK
THAT HP HAS DONE AND WILL
CONTINUE TO DONE TO DO AND THE
LAST THING I'D LIKE TO SUBMIT IS
ESTÁ. THAT THE HP IS IN
ALIGNMENT WITH THE GOVERNOR.
SMARTER PLAN. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU WILL GO WITH THE L E O.
THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIRMAN IS
ORLANDO SANCHEZ. UM WE RECOMMEND
THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED THE
22.7 MILLION FOR THE EMPLOYEE
HEALTH PROGRAM ON A ONE TIME
BASIS. GIVEN THE ONGOING
PRESENCE OF COVID 19 IN THE
STATE'S PRISONS. WE FIND A
REASONABLE TO MAINTAIN THE
PROGRAM IN THE BUDGET YEAR. WE
NOTE THAT THESE RESOURCES SHOULD
BE ENOUGH FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO
BEGIN ITS EFFORTS TOWARDS
MITIGATING OTHER DISEASES, AS
NOTED. AMONG CDCR EMPLOYEES AS
WELL. BUT BECAUSE DATA IS NOT
YET AVAILABLE ON HOW EFFECTIVE
THIS PROGRAM IS, AND IT IS
UNCLEAR WHETHER THESE RESOURCES
ARE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE. WE
ALSO RECOMMEND THE LEGISLATURE
DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE
A REPORT BY JANUARY 10TH OF
2024. THIS REPORT SHOULD INCLUDE
INCLUDE THREE ITEMS, THE FIRST
BEING THE AMOUNT OF WORKLOAD
ASSOCIATED WITH COVID 19. THE
SECOND IS THE AMOUNT OF WORKLOAD
ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER DISEASES
OTHER THAN COVID 19, AND THEN
THE THIRD ITEM IS ANY ESTIMATES
OF THE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM
THAT COULD INCLUDE AVOIDED
INFECTIONS OR REDUCED OVER TIME.
THIS INFORMATION WOULD ALLOW THE
LEGISLATOR LEGISLATURE TO BE
BETTER POSITIONED TO WEIGH THE
MERITS OF THE PROGRAM IN THE
FUTURE. THANK YOU HAPPY TO TAKE
QUESTIONS. DEALER. HI GOOD
AFTERNOON. ALYSSA'S TORONTO'S
AGAIN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE SO FIRST EVEN WITH THE
END OF THE COVID 19 EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO TAKE
PRECAUTIONS TO MITIGATE THE
SPREAD OF COVID AND LIMIT
QUARANTINE IN ORDER TO PROTECT
THE HEALTH OF INCARCERATED
INDIVIDUALS AND STAFF AND TO
MAINTAIN REGULAR PRISON
OPERATIONS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE
WANT TO NOTE THAT WHILE THE
PRIMARY FUNCTION HAS BEEN COVID
19 PANDEMIC, AS THE DEPARTMENT
MENTIONED HAS HIGHLIGHTED A GAP
IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, WHICH
IS THE ROLE THAT STAFF'S HEALTH
AND WELLNESS PLAYS INTO THE
BROADER PRISON INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WHILE HP HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON
COVID OUT OF NECESSITY FOR THE
LAST FEW YEARS, THERE ARE MANY
OTHER STAFF HEALTH RELATED
ISSUES. THAT THIS PROGRAM WILL
BE FOCUSED ON SUCH AS
TUBERCULOSIS, LEGIONELLA
SHINGLES, MONKEY POX AND THE FLU
TO NAME A FEW. WE ALSO WANTED TO
NOTE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS
PROPOSING ONGOING FUNDING, UM IN
ALIGNMENT WITH THE GOVERNOR'S
SMARTER PLAN. AND GIVEN THE
SEVERE IMPACTS THAT COVID HAS
HAD ON THE STATE AND ALSO THE
STATE PRISON SYSTEM. THE GOAL IS
TO HAVE THESE ONGOING RESOURCES
IN THE EVENT THAT WHEN, IF AND
WHEN THE NEXT PANDEMIC HITS THEY
HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO
MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF READINESS
AND ENHANCE THEIR CAPACITY TO
RESPOND TO THESE HEALTH RELATED
ISSUES. THESE RESOURCES WILL
HELP TO SUPPORT A MORE RESILIENT
PRISON SYSTEM WHILE ALSO
PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND WELL
BEING OF THOSE THAT LIVE AND
WORK IN THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT.
THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE ONE. UH,
JUST GENERAL QUESTION. THE, UM
THE FEDERAL FUNDING RECEIVED
ALLOWED THERE TO BE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO COVID
19 PANDEMIC. WE KNOW THAT WE'RE
AT THAT'S STILL VERY DYNAMIC IN
TERMS OF THE MOVEMENT FROM A
PANDEMIC TO AN ENDEMIC, IT
SOUNDS LIKE FROM THE L A. OH,
THAT THERE'S A DESIRE TO REALLY
CONSIDER, UH ONE TIME BASIS
FUNDING AS OPPOSED TO ONGOING
FUNDING WITH THE TRADE OFF BEING
THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING
INFORMATION. FROM YOU ALL ABOUT
THE IMPACT OF OTHER DISEASES, UH
, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
THAT REPORT, SO QUESTION FOR YOU
ALL IS ARE YOU WILLING? AND WILL
YOU CONSIDER ACTUALLY PRODUCING
A REPORT THAT ALLOWS THERE TO BE
SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
SHARED ABOUT THE OTHER DISEASES
AND THE MITIGATING OR KIND OF
THE LOWERING IMPACT OF NEED TO
BE ABLE TO DRESS CODE 19. THE
DEPARTMENT IS WILLING TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND, UM
TO WORK WITH THE L A AND TO WORK
WITH ALLEGED COMMITTEES. UM WE
FEEL THIS IS A GAP IN
ORGANIZATION, AND IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO TRY AND, UM YOU
KNOW, CODIFY THIS PROGRAM, BUT
WE ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE
COMMITTEE IN THE MOVING FORWARD.
TO PROVIDE IT IS WHATEVER
INFORMATION IS NEEDED, SO THERE
WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO
THAT, WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ONE
TIME BASIS FUNDING AND THEN TO
BE ABLE TO REVISIT WITH A
REQUEST FOR ONGOING FUNDING AT A
LATER DATE. YES. OKAY? MR
LACKEY. DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS? OKAY, THAT'S MY ONLY
QUESTION. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE
ON TO ISSUE SIX, WHICH IS THE
INTEGRATED SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER TREATMENT PROGRAM. GOOD
AFTERNOON AGAIN. UM. THIS
PROPOSAL IS, UM, TO DEVELOP
DEVELOP, WE DEVELOPED A
METHODOLOGY TO ADJUST SCT
RESOURCES AND FOR POSITIONS AND
FUNDING. UM HMM. IN ORDER TO RE
ALIGN IT WITH THE POPULATIONS IN
THE PROGRAM, AND SO WE HAVE
INTRODUCED THAT METHODOLOGY, AND
IT'S A NEW METHODOLOGY. SO THERE
MAY BE SOME REFINEMENTS NEEDED
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT
THAT MOVING FORWARD. UM WE HAVE
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY HERE IN THE
MAY REVISE TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL
ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE FEEL OUR
HELP TO RESPOND TO. SOME OF THE
CONCERNS ADDRESSED ARE PROVIDED
BY ELIO. WITH ME TODAY IS LISA
HINES. WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF
LEGISLATION AND SPECIAL PROJECTS
TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL
OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM. THANK
YOU. SCIENCE. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. LISA HINES, DIRECTOR
LEGISLATION, SPECIAL PROJECTS
AND THE PROJECT EXECUTIVE FOR
THE CALIFORNIA INTEGRATED
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT
PROGRAM. I WANT TO THANK THIS
LEGISLATIVE BODY FOR ITS SUPPORT
OF THE DEPARTMENT'S I T PROGRAM
AND OUR EFFORTS TO SIGNIFICANTLY
CHANGE THE WAY WE TREAT THOSE
DIAGNOSED WITH SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDERS IN OUR PRISONS. THE
OPENING CRISIS FACING THIS
NATION IS UNPRECEDENTED,
RESULTING IN ADDICTION, LOSS OF
LIFE, HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH
DISPARITIES THROUGHOUT OUR
COMMUNITIES. AND THIS PORTION
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS THAT I
S U D T PROGRAM CONTINUES TO
MAKE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN
TREATING AND REHABILITATING CDCR
S MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION.
CURRENTLY 99% OF OUR POPULATION
HAS BEEN SCREENED FOR SUD USING
THE NIGHT AND NEED A QUICK
SCREEN. OVER 36,000 INDIVIDUALS
HAVE BEEN ASSESSED FOR SUD USING
THE NIGHT OR AN ACE, UM, SUITE
OF TOOLS, NEARLY 16,000
INDIVIDUALS ARE RECEIVING
MEDICATED ASSISTED TREATMENT FOR
THEIR ADDICTION. APPROXIMATELY
10,000 PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE
REHABILITATIVE COGNITIVE
BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION
PROGRAMMING ON AND ONGOING
BASIS. COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL
THERAPY PROGRAM COMPONENT BEGAN
LAST MONTH AT CDW AND WILL BE
PHASED IN IT ALL 33 INSTITUTIONS
TO SERVE OVER 2 27 100
PARTICIPANTS NEEDING ADDITIONAL
THERAPY TO ADDRESS TRAUMA AND
STIGMA ALWAYS ATTACHED TO
ADDICTION. OVER 2300 BEDS ARE
DESIGNATED AS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
UNITS WITH OVER 10,000 ACTIVE OR
FORMER. I ACTUALLY PARTICIPANTS
OCCUPYING THOSE BEDS OVER 15,000
PARTICIPANTS ARE RECEIVING
ENHANCED PRERELEASE SERVICES
WITH AT LEAST 87% OF OUR
PATIENTS CONNECTED TO COMMUNITY
PROVIDERS. BY OUR TRANSITION
SERVICES TEAM UPON RELEASE FROM
PRISON. UPON RELEASE 80% OF OUR
GENERAL REALLY SEEM POPULATIONS
HAVE ACCEPTED NALOXONE WITH 89%
OF THOSE RELEASED ON MATT
ACCEPTING THE LUXAN. WE CONTINUE
TO SEE A REDUCTION IN OVERDOSED
US OF AT LEAST 50% FROM OUR PEAK
IN 2019 IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS
OF THIS PROGRAM. NOT ONLY IS
THIS PROGRAM SAVING LIVES
TOGETHER, WE ARE ALSO OFFERING
THE POPULATION. WE SERVE
OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE THEIR
LIVES FOREVER. THE DEPARTMENT
HAS EXPANDED THE OMC P PROGRAM
FROM THREE PRISONS TO SEVEN
PRISONS AND WE ARE CURRENTLY
WORKING ON INCORPORATING THE
SGTP, YOUR MENTOR PROGRAM. TO
ASSIST THE POPULATION WE SERVE
IN BECOMING CERTIFIED PURE
MENTORS OBTAINING PAY WHILE
INCARCERATED AND EVENTUALLY
OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT UPON
RELEASE. CALIFORNIA'S I S G
PROGRAM IS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL
. WE ARE AWARE OF OUR CHALLENGES
AND WORK DAILY TO OVERCOME THEM
TO ENSURE WE CONTINUE TO SAVE
AND CHANGE LIVES. I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY
HAVE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND MY CO
CHAIR. DR RENE CANAAN, IS ALSO
IN THE AUDIENCE AVAILABLE FOR
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, UM, AS A
REMINDER, AS MENTIONED AS PART
OF LAST YEAR'S ISSUE, DTP
EXPANSION OF THE INTEGRATED
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT
PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT
INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD
ANNUALLY ADJUST THE PROGRAM'S
RESOURCES BASED ON CHANGES IN
THE POPULATION. LAST YEAR, THEY
PROJECTED THAT THEY WOULD REACH
ABOUT 25,000 PEOPLE ON
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT,
ALSO KNOWN AS MATT. CURRENT
PROJECTIONS NOW PUT THE
POPULATION ON MAD ABOUT 15,000
IN THE CURRENT YEAR AND 16,000
FOR THE BUDGET YEAR, ROUGHLY THE
PROPOSAL BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE
REPRESENTS THE FIRST TIME THE
DEPARTMENT IS MAKING THESE
ADJUSTMENTS AND WE RECOMMEND THE
LEGISLATURE WITHHOLD ACTION.
GIVEN THAT THE PROJECTIONS WILL
BE UPDATED IN MAY. WE ALSO
RECOMMEND THE LEGISLATURE DIRECT
THE DEPARTMENT TO REVISE VARIOUS
PARTS. WE HAVE CONCERNS WITH
SOME OF THE CALCULATIONS. UM
THAT DETERMINES HOW MUCH
RESOURCES AND STAFF POSITIONS
THE DEPARTMENT WOULD RECEIVE,
AND I'LL GO THROUGH EACH OTHER'S
AT A HIGH LEVEL. BUT BASED ON
OUR ASSESSMENT, WE FIND THAT
THAT DEPARTMENT IS INCLUDING
NURSING POSITIONS THAT HAVE
WORKLOAD OUTSIDE OF THE PROGRAM
AND ITS CALCULATIONS THIS
PROBLEMATIC, GIVEN THAT THE
OTHER WORKLOAD IS ALREADY FUNDED
ELSEWHERE IN THE BUDGET.
ACCORDINGLY, WE RECOMMEND THAT
THE LEGISLATURE DIRECT THE
DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP A NEW
METHODOLOGY SPECIFICALLY FOR
THESE LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSES
. UM THAT IS NOT INCLUDE OTHER
WORKLOAD. SECOND THE
CALCULATIONS USED TO DETERMINE
THE NUMBER OF PHARMACISTS AND
PHARMACY TECHNICIANS NEEDED WERE
NOT CLEAR ENOUGH FOR US TO
DETERMINE WHETHER THESE
ADJUSTMENTS WERE APPROPRIATE. I
GUESS WE RECOMMEND THE
LEGISLATURE DIRECT THE
DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE CLEAR
JUSTIFICATION AND HOW IT ARRIVED
AT THE REQUEST FOR THE SPECIFIC
POSITIONS, THEN THIRD. THE
DEPARTMENT IS ALSO REQUESTING
SOME RESOURCES. FOR THE PROGRAM
BASED ON AN ASSUMPTION THAT
THERE WILL BE ROUGHLY 3000
ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES FROM
CDCR. THAT RATE HAS HISTORICALLY
BEEN TRUE. UPDATED DATA SHOW
THAT ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES ARE
LOWER. THEN ASSUMED IN THE
ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSAL.
ACCORDINGLY WE'RE RECOMMENDING
THE LEGISLATURE DIRECT THE
DEPARTMENT TO UPDATE THE REQUEST
BASED ON RECENT DATA. AND LASTLY
, AS PART OF THE PROGRAM,
TOXICOLOGY TESTING IS USED TO
MONITOR ADHERENCE. TO PEOPLE
UNDERGOING TREATMENT THROUGH
MEDICATION ASSISTED, UM WE ALSO
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING TO
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TESTS
BUDGETED. UM, BEFORE FROM A RATE
OF ABOUT 10 TESTS PER PERSON PER
YEAR TO INCREASE IT ON AN
ONGOING BASIS TO 14 TESTS. WE
FIND THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO DO
SO IN THE NEAR TERM, BUT NOT SO
MUCH IN THE LONG TERM, GIVEN
THAT THIS RATE COULD CHANGE.
THEREFORE WE RECOMMEND THE
LEGISLATURE DIRECT THE
DEPARTMENT TO BETTER TIED ITS
RESOURCES WITH ACTUAL TESTING
RATES IN THE FUTURE. INSTEAD OF
12 14 PER PERSON ON AN ONGOING
BASIS. THANK YOU. I'D BE HAPPY
TO TAKE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
CERVANTES GOOD AFTERNOON. SO THE
I S U D T METHODOLOGY IS A BRAND
NEW ONE THIS YEAR, AND THE
DEPARTMENT IS CONTINUING TO
REFINE SOME OF THESE
METHODOLOGIES, UM, SIMILAR TO
OUR OTHER POPULATION
ADJUSTMENTS. WE DO PLAN TO
PROVIDE UPDATES THAT MAY
REVISION AND THOSE UPDATES MAY
ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
THANK YOU. HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS
. LAST WEEK, WE SPOKE TO THE
ISSUE OF CONTRABAND INTERDICTION
IN THE PRISONS. ACTUALLY, MY
COLLEAGUES AND I SPOKE ABOUT IT,
BUT WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET MUCH
OF A RESPONSE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT IS THE REALITY. MISS
HINES G èC DRUG INTERDICTION AS
A COMPONENT OF MAKING THE ISSUE
DDP PROGRAM MORE EFFECTIVE. YES
MA'AM. UM I'M HAPPY TO, UM,
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON SOME OF THE DIVERSION
RELATED ITEMS SURROUNDING THE
ACTUALLY PROGRAM. AND SO WE'VE
ALSO IMPLEMENTED STRATEGY. SO
OUR STRATEGY FOR THE I G PROGRAM
IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR NURSING
TEAM WHO ARE JUST AWESOME
UTILIZE THE SIX RIGHTS OF
MEDICATION DELIVERY. THAT'S THE
RIGHT PATIENT. THE RIGHT
MEDICATION, THE RIGHT DOSE THE
RIGHT TIME, THE RIGHT ROUTE AND
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
RECORDING ALL OF THAT
APPROPRIATELY. OUR PHARMACY TEAM
ENSURES THAT, UH, THE
DISTRIBUTION OF CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCES, ALL FEDERAL
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS ARE
FOLLOWED, WHICH IS QUITE AN
EXTENSIVE UNDERTAKING WITH THEM.
NUMBER OF PATIENTS WE ARE
SERVING. WE'VE INCORPORATED
RANDOMIZED TOXICOLOGY SCREENS.
FORMAT PATIENTS. UM WE ARE
TESTING A LEAN SIX MODEL TO HELP
STREAMLINE THE MEDICATION LINES.
FOR BETTER OBSERVATION WITH OUR
CUSTODY PARTNERS. WE ARE WORKING
ON OUR CLINICAL CUSTODY PARTNERS
TO ENSURE THAT INAPPROPRIATE
CONDUCT OF ANY KIND IS REPORTED
AND ACTED UPON APPROPRIATELY.
THAT MAY NOT MEAN IN A
DISPARAGING WAY TOWARDS THE
PATIENT, BUT RATHER ADDITIONAL
CONSULTATIONS WITH THEIR
ADDICTION PROVIDER. UM AND WE
ARE MOST IMPORTANTLY, FROM MY
POINT OF VIEW. WE ARE EDUCATING
OUR POPULATION ON THE
INAPPROPRIATE OR DAMAGE THAT I V
DRUG USE WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE
THEM AND OUR MOST RECENT
ADDITION TO THE POPULATION OF
THE HTT INSIDER, WHICH IS A
PERIODICAL SPECIFICALLY FOR
REACHING THE INMATE POPULATION
ON THIS PROGRAM FOCUSED ON THAT
DEADLY EFFECTS OF FENTANYL. UM
THE COVER THAT PRETTY DYNAMIC
AND SHOWS HOW LITTLE FENTANYL
CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE AN OVERDOSE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE
WORKING WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.
PARTNERS UH, WE ALSO HAVE ONE
ACTION ITEM ON THE I G S REPORT
THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE
, WHICH IS ASSISTING CUSTODY.
SHOULD THERE BE AN OVERDOSE,
DEATH OR OVERDOSE SITUATION IN
THE EVENT THAT IT'S LEGALLY
APPROPRIATE TO DO SO IS PROVIDE
THEM WITH THAT INFORMATION FOR
AN INVESTIGATION. JUST SEEMS TO
ME THAT IF WE'RE IN A WORLD OF
NEEDING TO EXTEND OUR CAPACITY
BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT
ADDRESSING THE AMOUNT OF DRUGS
THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR PRISONS
WERE CREATING MORE WORK WHERE WE
SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY. SO I REALLY
HOPE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A
REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THE WORK
THAT YOU ALL NEED TO DO TO BE
ABLE TO PREVENT THAT FROM
HAPPENING. UM IT'S ALSO JUST A
RELIEF TO SEE THE NUMBERS OF
DEATHS RESULTING FROM OVERDOSES
HAVING GONE DOWN. CAN YOU GIVE
US A TOTAL NUMBER OF OVERDOSES
IN 2019 AND 2021 OVERALL?
INCLUDING OVER SIX DOSES THAT
DID NOT RESULT IN DEATHS. SO
WITH REGARD INCREASED OVERDOSES
. UM OVERALL, I THINK CURRENTLY
ALL REDUCTION IS ABOUT 10% LOWER
THAN THOSE NUMBERS. I'M HAPPY TO
PROVIDE THOSE SPECIFIC NUMBERS
TO YOU IN WRITTEN FORM, BUT WE
ARE REDUCED FROM 2019. WE HAVE
REDUCED FROM OUR 2019. NUMBERS.
AND THE GOAL OBVIOUSLY IS TO
REDUCE THE OVERALL NUMBER OF
OVERDOSES, OVERDOSES. CORRECT?
YES. IS THAT A METRIC THAT
YOU'RE ACTUALLY ACTIVELY
COLLECTING IT IS OKAY, AND
YOU'LL JUST PROVIDE THAT TO US
IN WRITTEN FORM. YES, AT SOME
POINT. DO YOU COLLECT ANY OTHER
DATA POINTS THAT ALLOW YOU TO
EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF THE
PROGRAM? WE DO. WHAT ARE THEY?
MANY? UM, NAME A FEW. WITH
REGARD TO THE EFFICACY OF THE
PROGRAM. YES YES. SO WHERE YOU
ARE TRACKING UTILIZATION? UM IF
THE PATIENT IS ACTUALLY SHOWING
UP TO THE MEDICATION LINE, UM IN
APPROPRIATE TIMES, SO THAT THEIR
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IS UNDER
CONTROL. WE ARE TRACKING THEIR
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL
INTERVENTIONS. HOW OFTEN THEY'RE
THEY'RE RECEIVING THE CBC
PROGRAMMING. WE WILL ALSO BE
TRACKING. WE HAVE AN EXTERNAL
DASHBOARD THAT'S AVAILABLE TO
THE PUBLIC TO SEE. WE WILL ALSO
BE TRACKING THE COGNITIVE
BEHAVIORAL THERAPY COMPONENTS OF
THE PROGRAM FOR THOSE THAT NEED
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR TRAUMA.
THANK YOU. DO YOU TRACK ANY DATA
RELATED TO THE PROGRESS THAT
PEOPLE MAKE ONCE THEY LEAVE
PRISON? THANK YOU. WE WILL BE
TRACKING THAT AS WELL. UM WE ARE
WORKING WITH OUR TRANSITION
PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS
TO THERE'S REALLY A RELEASE OF
INFORMATION CONCERN THERE, BUT
YES, WE WILL. SO UM, WHAT WE CAN
DO IS PUBLIC DATA SO WORKING
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH TO OBTAIN DEATH
INFORMATION AND ALSO, UM, DURING
THE TRANSITION PHASE, HOPING
UNDER THE CALLUM INITIATIVE AND
SOME OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WE
WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, CONTINUE TO
WORK WITH THE PARTICIPANTS ON
THEIR, UM, SUBSTANCE USE IN
LETTING US KNOW THAT DATA. ON
WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE BEEN
ARRESTED OR CONVICTED. OR
OVERDOSED. SO IT'S HOSPITAL DATA
. IT'LL BE DOJ DATA AND WILL BE
PUBLIC HEALTH DATA. YOU SAID
WILL BE SO THIS IS THE DATA THAT
YOU PLAN TO START COLLECTING?
YES, THE PROGRAM. UM RECIDIVISM
DATA WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE. THE
PROGRAM STARTED IN 2020. SO OUR
THREE YEAR RECIDIVISM WILL BE
AVAILABLE. UM, WE'RE JUST GOING
TO START TRACKING IT FOR YEAR
ONE. BUT RECIDIVISM. THOSE WHO
HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM
AND ARE RELEASED WILL BE A LEAD
TIME FOR UP TO THE NEXT THREE
YEARS. DO MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MR QUICK
COMMENT THAT I SHARE THE SAME
PERSPECTIVE THAT WAS ARTICULATED
BY THE A S OFFICE ABOUT GETTING
MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION BEFORE
WE GIVE MORE FUNDING. ESPECIALLY
WITH CONSIDERING OUR BUDGET
SITUATION BEING VERY DIFFICULT.
I UNDERSTAND, SIR. IT WILL DO.
THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THAT. SO
WE WILL MOVE NOW TO, UH, PUBLIC
COMMENTS, AND I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES AND THE PANELISTS FOR
THE DISCUSSIONS TODAY PRIOR TO
DOING THAT. WE WILL START NOW
WITH ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS IN THE
HEARING ROOM, EACH PERSON WILL
HAVE UP TO ONE MINUTE FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. NEXT WE WILL TURN TO
THE PHONES. THE PHONE NUMBER TO
CONNECT IS ON THE COMMITTEE
WEBSITE AND SHOULD ALSO BE SEEN
ON THE SCREEN. IF YOU ARE
STREAMING THIS HEARING, THE
NUMBER IS FOR THE PUBLIC TOLL
FREE NUMBER 877692. THE PUBLIC
ACCESS CODE IS 131. 5437. COME
INTO THE ROOM. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR, MADAM AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
IVANA GONZALES WITH THE
COALITION FOR FAMILY UNITY BY
LEGAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS
WITH CHILDREN. I AM HERE IN
SUPPORT OF ITEM NUMBER ONE SP 10
AWAIT AND FAMILY CONNECTIONS.
THE COALITION FOR FAMILY UNITY
HAS BEEN WORKING FOR OVER THREE
YEARS AND REMOVING THE BARRIERS
CREATED BY CDCR TO KEEP FAMILIES
CONNECTED. SEE IF YOU BELIEVE
THAT VIDEO CALLS ARE NOT VIDEO
VISITS AS THROUGH A SCREEN
CHILDREN CANNOT HUG, TOUCH OR
KISS DURING CAR SURROUNDED
PARENTS. WE ASKED THAT CDCR
WORKS WITH THE I. F C, WHERE
INMATE AH FAMILY COUNCIL AND
INMATE ADVISORY COUNCIL TO
ALLOCATE SPACE IN EACH PRISON TO
PROVIDE THREE DAYS OF IN PERSON
VISITS WITHOUT AFFECTING VIDEO
CALLS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO
PERSONS PROVIDING IN PERSON
VISITS ON ALL THREE DAYS WITHOUT
AFFECTING VIDEO CALLS. THEY ARE
THE CORRECTIONAL TRAINING CENTER
AT SOLID AD AND PELICAN BAY
STATE PRISON, PROVIDING THREE
DAYS OF IN PERSON VISIT WITHOUT
AFFECTING VIDEO CALLS WILL
ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THE FINANCIAL
BURDEN IMPACTED FAMILIES. ARE
FACING TO STAY CONNECTED WITH
THEIR INCARCERATED LOVED ONES.
IT COST A FAMILY MEMBER $180 A
MONTH FOR $6 FOR 30 MINUTES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DEANNA
KURODA ROMEL ON BEHALF OF THE
GRIP TRAINING INSTITUTE,
PROVIDING COMMENT ON ISSUE 31 TO
THANK THE LEGISLATURE FOR THEIR
COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS IN THE
PRISONS AND URGE YOU TO CONTINUE
DOING SO, UM, JUST WANT TO SAY
THE GRIP PROGRAM HAS GRADUATED
552 FOLKS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS
OF OPERATING AND HAS LESS THAN A
1% RECIDIVISM RATE, PROVIDING
PROGRAMMING AT A COST ABOUT
$3500 PER STUDENT VERSUS THE
$8500 PER CDCR PROGRAMS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. HI GOOD
AFTERNOON TO THE MEMBERS OF THE
SUBCOMMITTEE. MY NAME IS NICK
GALVIN AND THE PUBLIC POLICY AND
ADVOCACY MANAGER AT EMILIO, A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO CONNECT
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WITH
THEIR FAMILIES, FRIENDS AND
CRITICAL SOCIAL SERVICES. WE
THINK THE SUBCOMMITTEE STAFF FOR
INCLUDING US IN TODAY'S
BACKGROUND MATERIALS. SUSTAINED
COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILY AND
FRIENDS. IT'S CRUCIAL TO
REDUCING RECIDIVISM. HOWEVER
COMMUNICATION COSTS ARE DRIVING
ONE IN THREE FAMILIES INTO DEBT
. THIS IS WHY WE DEVELOPED ARE
FREE TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO BRING
HIGH QUALITY COMMUNICATION AND
EDUCATION SERVICES TO THE
INCARCERATED. WE APPLAUD
CALIFORNIA FOR MAKING PHONE
CALLS FREE FOR THE INCARCERATED
WITH THE PASSAGE OF SB 10 08,
HOWEVER, THE COST FOR SUCH CALLS
WILL NOW BE SHIFTED TO THE STATE
AT A TIME WHEN CALIFORNIA IS
LOOKING TO CUT COSTS, SERVICES
LIKE EMILIO'S CAN OFFER
SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS UNDER THE
STATE'S CURRENT CONTRACT. THEY
PAY $1.50 FOR ONE HOUR PHONE
CALL. THAT SAME PHONE CALL WOULD
COST SIX CENTS USING EMILIO
SERVICES. WE HOPE TO IMPLEMENT A
PILOT PROGRAM TO OFFER OUR
SERVICES TO 10% OF CALIFORNIA'S
INCARCERATED POPULATION TO
DEMONSTRATE OUR VALUE AND
POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS JIM LINDBERG
ON BEHALF OF THE FRIENDS
COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION IN
CALIFORNIA. I JUST REALLY WANT
TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR THE
THIRD PANEL IN THE WORK THAT THE
T P W IS DOING. AH! I WAS HERE
BACK WHEN, UH WE PUT THE ARE
BACK IN REHABILITATION.
SCHWARZENEGGER WAS THE GOVERNOR
BACK THEN, UH, IRONICALLY AND
I'M SO GLAD ONE OF THE PANELISTS
MENTIONED IT. UH SAN QUENTIN WAS
ALWAYS ON THEIR SHORT LIST OF
PRISONS THAT THEY WANTED TO
CLOSE AND IT WAS ALWAYS IRA
UNDERSTANDING THAT ONE IN FOUR
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. IN THE
ENTIRE SYSTEM GOES TO SAN
QUENTIN. AND I KNOW THERE ARE
REAL ESTATE INTEREST AND SO
FORTH THAT WE'RE PUSHING THAT.
UH, BUT. IT IS VERY HARD TO
LEGISLATE CULTURAL CHANGE, BUT
WE WORKED WITH THE ALTERNATIVES
TO VIOLENCE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS
STARTED BY PRISONERS IN NEW YORK
STATE AND ONE OF THE GREAT
THINGS THAT GOVERNOR
SCHWARZENEGGER DID DO WAS TO
APPOINT GENIE WOODFORD AS
SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT, AND
SHE REALLY WENT TO BAT FOR THAT
PROGRAM. SHE WENT DOWN TO THE
QUARTERLY WARDENS MEETING AND
DID DEMONSTRATION. SO THANK YOU
GOT IT? HELLO MY NAME IS
GERONIMO AGUILAR ON THE POLICY
ANALYST WITH LEGAL SERVICES
PRISONERS WITH CHILDREN ALSO
HERE, REPRESENTING ALL OF US OR
NONE. UM IT'S AN HONOR TO SPEAK
HERE AND THANK YOU CHAIR AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I DON'T SOLVE
THAT CDCR CANTEENS MUST BE MADE
AFFORDABLE TO INCARCERATED
PEOPLE ON THEIR LOVED ONES WHO
ARE ALREADY BURNING WITH POVERTY
AND SETTLED WITH VARIOUS FINES
AND FEES ASSOCIATED WITH
INCARCERATION. INCARCERATED
PEOPLE RELY ON THEM SO THAT
CANTEEN TO MEET THEIR BASIC
NEEDS FOR FOOD AND HYGIENE. WE
JUST BELIEVE THAT THE
UNBELIEVABLE MARKUP THAT
CONTINUES TO HAPPEN NEEDS TO
NEEDS TO STOP. WE ALSO SUPPORT
THE FULL THE THREE DAYS OF IN
PERSON VISITATION, BUT NOT AT
THE EXPENSE OF VIDEO VISITS. WE
THINK THAT YOU KNOW ANY WAYS
THAT WE CAN EXPAND THE ACCESS TO
CONNECTING FAMILIES. IT'S ONLY
GONNA HELP PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S
ONLY GOING TO HELP. YOU KNOW,
CONTINUE TO REHABILITATE
INCARCERATED PEOPLE, SO WE STAND
IN FIRM SUPPORT OF, YOU KNOW,
THE THREE DAYS OF IN PERSON
VISITING I'M NOT TAMPERING WITH
THE VIDEO VISITS, IF ANYTHING,
INCREASING ACCESS TO VIDEO
VISITS, AS WELL AS PUTTING AN
END TO THE MARKUP IN THE
CANTEEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
HELLO I'M BARBARA CHAVEZ. UM I
AM WITH ALL OF US OR NONE AND I
AM LEGAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS
WITH CHILDREN. I AM FORMERLY
INCARCERATED. I HAD A LIFE
WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE
PAROLE SENTENCE WAS COMMUTED BY
GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN. UM I WANT
TO SPEAK ON THE CAN ON THE
INMATE WELFARE FUND THE CANTEEN.
IT WAS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO AFFORD
COUNTY IN WHILE YOU'RE
INCARCERATED AND YOU DON'T HAVE
SUPPORT. I HAD LIFE WITHOUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE, SO
SUPPORT ENDS UP DYING OFF AS
TIME GOES BY HAVING THAT MUCH
TIME THEY DON'T ALLOW YOU TO
RECEIVE TO GET INTO THE END TO
THE P I A PROGRAM TO THE
PROGRAMS THAT ARE POPULAR TO
OTHER PEOPLE, SO WE HAVE TO
REALLY STAND OUT AND TO GET INTO
THESE PROGRAMS SO A LOT OF US
HAVE RESTITUTION. SO WE HAVE TO
SEND MONEY TO OUR ROOMMATES THAT
DON'T HAVE RESTITUTION SO WE CAN
BE ABLE TO GET FOOD AND AFFORD
IT. SO WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS
ALYSSA MORE, UM, WITH LEGAL
SERVICES FOR PRISONERS WITH
CHILDREN, ALSO A MEMBER OF ALL
OF US OR NONE. I'M GOING TO TALK
TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE CULTURE
THAT EVERYBODY MENTIONED INSIDE
ASSISI CDCR. SURROUNDING
REHABILITATION. THEIR JOB
LITERALLY DEPENDS ON US BEING
INCARCERATED. RIGHT? SO HOW CAN
WE EXPECT THEM TO BE PARTNERS IN
OUR REHABILITATION? UM I WAS
INCARCERATED FOR 23 YEARS AND
FOR THE MAJORITY OF THAT TIME, I
HAD NO ACCESS TO PROGRAMMING.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO CDCR AT 17
YEARS OLD IN 1997, THERE WERE
THREE PROGRAMS. OKAY, SO. THAT'S
WHAT THE CULTURE WAS AND THE
STAFF WITHIN CDCR FOR THE
MAJORITY HAVE FOUGHT US TOOTH
AND NAIL TO EXPAND IN THE
WOMEN'S PRISONS. TO OVER 100. AS
I'M SURE YOU GUYS KNOW. BUT
THOSE PROGRAMS ARE SO CRUCIAL
AND IT'S CRUCIAL THAT THEY BE
LED BY COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. IT'S CRUCIAL THAT
THEY'RE LED BY FORMERLY
INCARCERATED PEOPLE BECAUSE I
WAS SOMEBODY THAT WAS SUPPOSED
TO DIE IN PRISON. BARBARA WAS
SOMEBODY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO
DIE IN PRISON. BUT NOW WE'RE OUT
HERE AND WE'RE YOUR NEIGHBORS.
WOULDN'T YOU GUYS PREFER US TO
COME HOME? HOPE. YOU KNOW,
WOULDN'T BE SAFER FOR EVERYONE.
UM I SUPPORT THE MAJORITY OF THE
PROGRAMS THAT WERE SPOKE ON, BUT
IT'S THE CULTURE THAT NEEDS TO
CHANGE. AND YOU GUYS ASKED US
WHAT WE NEED. WE NEED STAFF
TRAINING. ON REHABILITATION. THE
STUFF WITHIN CDCR NEEDS TRAINING
AND THEY NEED IT FROM US. HOW
PROFOUND IS THAT? THEY NEED IT
FROM FORMERLY INCARCERATED
PEOPLE. THANK YOU. WHO MOVES TO
THE PHONE LINES NOW. IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT TODAY. YOU MAY DO SO BY
PRESSING ONE, THEN ZERO THAT
COMMAND AGAIN ONE AND ZERO.
FIRST WE'LL GO TO LINE 16. HI MY
NAME IS ESTÁ BORDER. JASON AND
I'M THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER AT THE
L. A. BAKER CENTER HERE. THE
COMMENT ON ISSUE NUMBER TWO
REGARDING THE INMATE WELFARE
FUND. I WANT TO THANK CHAIR
BONDS AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S JOAN
SAWYER FOR THEIR INQUIRY ABOUT
THEIR PRICES OF FOOD AND
ESSENTIAL ITEMS IN THE CANTEEN
FOR INCARCERATED FOLKS. MY
CRIMINAL JUSTICE TEAM FROM THE
POLICE POLICY INSTITUTE HAVE
BEEN ANALYZING SOME OF THIS DATA
AS WELL AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO
SHARE ANY OF OUR FINDINGS. I
WANTED THE NAME OF YOU.
HIGHLIGHTS CHAIR BONTA ASKED
ABOUT THE PRICE OF RAMEN INSIDE
WHICH, UM FROM MY FINDINGS OF 45
CENTS PER SUIT AND TO THE POINT
OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE WORKING
AT EIGHT CENTS AN HOUR. THIS IS
EQUIVALENT TO OVER FIVE HOURS OF
WORK. 14.6 OUNCE OF COLGATE
TOOTHPASTE IS $4.60. THAT SAME
TOOTHPASTE CAN BE BOUGHT AT
TARGET FOR $2.99, WHICH IS
EQUIVALENT TO 57 HOURS OF WORK
FOR AN INCARCERATED PERSON, UM,
WHEN COMPARING CANTEEN PRICES
THE PRICES IN THE FREE WORLD,
FOR EXAMPLE AT 7 11 AS THE CDCR
REPRESENTATIVE NAME TODAY, IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER A
FEW THINGS ONE. OF COURSE,
INCARCERATED FOLKS ARE EARNING
FAR LESS MONEY COMPARED TO THE
AVERAGE CONSUMER. FOOD PRISON
CANTEENS ARE NOT TRADITIONAL FOR
PROFIT RETAILERS. THEY DON'T
HAVE TO PAY FOR THINGS LIKE RENT
OR ADVERTISING OR NEED TO
COMPETE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. AND
LASTLY, THE AVERAGE CONSUMER
PAYS LESS THAN 15% MARKUP AT A
GROCERY STORE AS COMPARED TO THE
65% MARKUP THAT INCARCERATED
PEOPLE IN THEIR LOVED ONES ARE
PAYING INSIDE. YOU KNOW THAT
INCARCERATED THANK YOU. AND NEXT
WE'LL GO TO LINE 21. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SUE KIM,
AND I'M A POLICY MANAGER ON
COLIN LOG HERE TO SPEAK ON ISSUE
NUMBER TWO, THE PRIMARY SOURCE
OF REVENUE FOR THE INMATE
WELFARE FUND IS THE PROFIT
MARGIN FROM CANTEEN SALES. THE
CANTEEN MARKET HAS AVERAGED 65%
FOR AT LEAST THE LAST DECADE TO
ENSURE THAT THE PROFIT MARGIN
CAN SUPPORT THE INMATE WELFARE
FUND. THIS PERCENTAGE IS
EXTREMELY HIGH COMPARED TO
MARKETS AND OTHER STATE PRISON
COMMENTARIES. WASHINGTON AND
KENTUCKY'S CORRECTION DEPARTMENT
, FOR EXAMPLE, CHARGE 10% MARKUP
ON THEIR COMMISSARY SALES
WORKING GROUP CONVENED BY THE
VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS. RECOGNIZE
RECOMMENDED THAT THEIR
LEGISLATURE ALLOCATE MONEY IN
THE GENERAL FUND TO REPLACE THE
9% COMMISSION. RECOGNIZING THE
UNFAIR FINANCIAL BURDEN, EVEN A
9% MARKUP PLACES ON INCARCERATED
PEOPLE IN THEIR FAMILIES.
THERE'S EXPENSE IN THE INMATE
WELFARE FUND IS THE COST OF
OPERATING CANTEENS. AND SECOND
UP IS THE INNOVATIVE PROGRAM
GRANTS, WHICH SUPPORTS VITAL
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMMING
ACROSS CDCR, MUCH LIKE THE
PROGRAMS YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT
TODAY IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR
INCARCERATED PEOPLE AND THEIR
LOVED ONES TO FUND CRITICAL CDCR
SERVICES AND PROGRAMS BY PAYING
EXCESSIVE MARKUPS ON BASIC
GOODS. SO THAT CANTEEN CEREMONY
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE COSTS.
I URGED THE COMMITTEE TO FOR
FUNDING THE INMATE WELFARE FUNDS
COST TO THE GENERAL FUND AND NOT
THROUGH CANTEEN SALES. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME. LINE 20. HELLO MY
NAME IS IRAN, GRANADO AND THE
POLITICAL LEADER. I MEAN, THAT
COLLECTED. I'M HERE TO TALK
ABOUT THIS ABOUT ISSUE NUMBER
TWO. I COME FROM SOMETHING
THAT'S A COMMUNITY THAT'S
UNDERFUNDED UNDER RESOURCED, AND
IT'S SURROUNDED BY TWO STATE
PRISONS. THE MAJORITY OF THE
POPULATION WORK IN AGRICULTURE
AGAIN MINIMUM WEIGHT, WHICH
MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE
SUPPORT THEIR LOVED ONES THAT
ARE INCARCERATED, ESPECIALLY
WITH HIGH CANCER PRICES AND
INFLATION. I AM A FORMER FOSTER
YOUTH AND KEEPING CONTACT WITH
SOME OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT I
WAS A FOSTER CARE WITH. WHO ARE
NOT ABLE TO AFFORD COUNTING
ISLANDS BECAUSE OF LACK OF
FAMILY SUPPORT. THIS IS A CASE
WHERE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE
REPORT FROM 2020 FROM IMPACT
JUSTICE 3/5 OF THE BOMBING
PORTION OF PEOPLE'S SERVICE SAID
THEY COULD NOT AFFORD CANTEEN
PURCHASES AND 75% REPORTS OF
ACCESS TO FOOD WAS LIMITED BY
THEIR OWN AND THEIR FAMILY
FINANCES. MANY PEOPLE REPORT
HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN BUYING
FOOD OR GOING HOME TO PURCHASE
CITIES SUCH AS TOOTHPASTE AND
I'VE BEEN POSTING THESE BARRIERS
HAVE ONLY GOTTEN WORSE SINCE
2020 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND
WRITING OF INFLATION RATES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LINE 23.
FIND 23. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO
MY NAME IS FELIPE KELLY. GOOD
AFTERNOON. I AM THE OUTSIDE
FELLOW FOR THE ELLA BAKER CENTER
BASED IN OAKLAND. I'M CALLING IN
TODAY. THE HISTORY NUMBER TWO
BUT TO SUPPORT. ELIMINATING THE
MARKUP ON ITEMS SO THAT THE
STATE PRISON CANTEEN I'M A
RETURN CITIZEN WHO SPENT THE
PAST 22 YEARS IN PRISON. THE
LAST 14 YEARS WITHOUT MY
PARENTS, WHO HAVE PASSED ON I
BRING THIS UP BECAUSE IT WAS
HARD TO SURVIVE LIVING DAY BY
DAY WITH MY PARENTS, BUT ONCE
THEY BECAME SEE PEOPLE ONCE THEY
DIE. I HAD NO REAL IDEA ON HOW
TO MANAGE OR SUPPORT MYSELF
REGULARLY. THEY PUT A STRAIN OR
OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, WHICH
EVENTUALLY BECAME BROKEN
RELATIONSHIPS. BECAUSE I BECAME
ANOTHER BILL AND A BURDEN. SO I
GOT A JOB IN THE KITCHEN. AND
THAT JOB WAS PAYING ME 8 15 HOUR
AND I MADE IT. DEVIN AND I MADE
$11 A MONTH. UH UM. SO AT THE
TIME. NOBODY WATCHES COSTING
EIGHT BUCKS AND IT STILL IS. AND
THE TOOTHPASTE COST $3. THE
THING IS THAT THAT'S THAT'S
THAT'S THAT'S MY CHECK. AND SO
WHAT ABOUT SO IN DEODORANT
LOTION AND A TOOTHBRUSH, INHERIT
CARE PRODUCTS? BY MAKING CANTEEN
PRECIOUS WORKS ANY INCARCERATED
PERSON CAN AFFORD G D. C. R S
ACTUALLY COMPROMISING PUBLIC
SECTOR INSIDE. THIS MAKES IT
INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS TO
SURVIVE ON THE INSIDE. PLEASE
CONSIDER THIS ISSUE OF CANTEEN
MARCUS TO SAVE LIVES ON THE
MONTHLY TO THE LEVELS FROM THE
EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, SPIRITUAL
PHYSICAL STANDPOINT. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. LINE 26.
THANK YOU. MEMBERS AND PANELISTS
FOR THE SCARING MY NAME IS
PATRICIA MURANO POLICY FOLLOWING
TBH A, WHICH IS THE CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL COMMUNITY. BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH AGENCIES, WHICH
REPRESENTS MENTAL HEALTH AND
SUBSTANCE USE COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS STATE
SERVING OVER ONE MILLION
CALIFORNIANS, INCLUDING JUSTICE
INVOLVED POPULATIONS. WE
APPRECIATE THE AGENDA OF THIS
HEARING, NAMELY, THE FOCUS IS ON
IMPROVING ACCESS TO CRITICAL
BEHAVIOR, HEALTH SERVICES THAT
HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO SUPPORT WELL
BEING AND PREVENT RESET OF
RECIDIVISM. MENTAL HEALTH AND
SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES, HELP
PEOPLE HEAL AND SUCCESSFULLY
REINTEGRATE WHEN THEY RETURNED
TO THEIR FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITIES. WE AND OUR MEMBERS
STAND READY TO SUPPORT AND
PARTNER WITH THE LEGISLATURE,
AND IT'S WORKED TO HELP JUSTICE
INVOLVED. CALIFORNIANS RECOVER
AND REINTEGRATE TO THEIR
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. I KNOW LINE 27. WAIT. MY
NAME IS SANDRA JOHNSON. I'M 30 S
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER. LEGAL AID
AT WORK. I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK
ABOUT ISSUES. 20 ISSUE NUMBER
TWO IS INCREASE INMATES WELFARE
FUN BEING FORMED, INCARCERATED
MYSELF. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT AND
HAVING ALSO SUPPORTED MY BROTHER
AFTER BEING RELEASED OF 40 AFTER
44 YEARS OF INCARCERATION, I
KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW CRITICAL IT
IS TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD CANTON
ITEMS AND TO SURVIVE IN PRISON.
BUT THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW
CALIFORNIA STATE PRISON DOES NOT
SUFFICIENTLY SURPRISED SUPPLY
AND FRUSTRATED PEOPLE. FOOD AND
PERSONAL HYGIENE LIKE SOAP TO
PACE OR EVEN DEODORANT. BECAUSE
OF THIS INCARCERATED PEOPLE NEED
TO BUY THESE ITEMS AT CANTEEN
BUT CANNOT DO SO WITH MONEY
CANNOT DO SO WITHOUT MONEY. SOME
FAMILY MEMBERS BECAUSE THE
PRISON WAGES ARE SO LOW.
CANTINAS NECESSARY SO THAT
INCARCERATED PEOPLE DOES NOT GO
HUNGRY. FROM MILTON MEAL BECAUSE
THE PORTIONS OF THAT IT'S SERVED
IMPRISONED AS NOT SUSTAINED
PEOPLE IN PRISON. IN MY OWN
EXPERIENCE, I WOULD HAVE GONE
HUNGRY. MANY NIGHTS OF MY MOTHER
HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO SQUEEZE
MONEY FROM HER ALREADY LOW
INCOME. MARK UP SOME CANTEEN
ITEMS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED TO
HELP FAMILIES LIKE MINE THAT ARE
JUST BARELY WORKING TO MAKE ENDS
MEET TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND
THEIR LOVED ONES INSIDE THE
CALIFORNIA PRECIOUS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MISS
SANDRA. AND WE HAVE NO FURTHER
COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU
WITH THAT WE WILL ADJOURN THE
ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE
NUMBER FIVE ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
CANTEEN. THAT'S AN ISSUE.
WE CAN WORK. AND WE'LL SEE