Impact Georgia, Nov. 2013

Impact Georgia November 2013 Newsletter

In This Issue
Pg. 2
GDC Staff Tour Virginia Prisons
Calendar Events
Pg. 3
Lee Arrendale Holds Mother & Child Event
Pg. 4
Around the Agency Derek Chance Memorial
Pistol Competition
Have a great story idea?
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Lisa Rodriguez-Presley
Email:
rodril00@dcor.state.ga.us

CERT Teams Display Tactical Skills, Competitive Spirit

During Fourth Annual Commissioner's Cup Challenge

CERT members scale a log ladder during the obstacle course portion of the Commissioner's Challenge held at the Georgia Diagnostic & Classification Prison (GACP) Training Center. Eleven teams competed for the coveted Commissioner's Cup, testing their skills in a variety of events.

Story & Photos By Lisa Rodriguez-Presley
The day began with a bang as Corrections Emergency Reaction Team members took to the firearms range for the Fourth Annual Commissioner's Challenge, held Oct. 18. It's a friendly, but fierce competition between CERTs from 11 different facilities throughout the state, and tests the knowledge, leadership and physical fitness of every team member. This year's winning team was Ware State Prison.
In addition to the Obstacle course, teams were required to demonstrate proficiency in policy and procedures, firearms, and work together to devise solutions to complex problems during the leadership course. This is the culminating event in a year's worth of preparation for the teams, but the hard work ismore than worth it.
(see CHALLENGE Pg. 2)

Employees Honored at Quarterly Awards

On Oct. 29, the Department held the Quarterly Awards Cermony for the third quarter of 2013 in Roberts Chapel at State offices South at Tift College.
The Award Recipients are as follows:
CORRECTIONS
PO of the Quarter Sherrill Warren Augusta Circuit
CO of the Quarter Kelesha Walker Johnson SP

Customer Service Champion Elaine Crawford Probation RCC
Unsung Heroes Wilson Hall, Mark Moll, Jimmy White, Brad Johnson, Alan Coody, Linnequa
McClin, Dedrick Bell, James Blair, Dantavis Fluellen, Elgia Gamble, Tony Griffin, Nathaniel Harper, Drake Head, Ternandez Head, Geoffrey Hurst, Rashaan Jackson, Tamika Johnson, Jonathan Keen, Erick Miles, Mack Payne, Lee Reynolds, Ira Stone, Earnest Tyler, Jerrod
Walker and Daveion Zellner. Special Ops Command Staff and
Cobra Squad

OPERATIONS, PLANNING & TRAINING
Customer Service Champion Officer Christopher Boynton Campus Operations
Unsung Hero Uzoma Anadu Risk Reduction
ADMINISTRATION Customer Service Champion
Barbara Burns Central Purchasing
(See AWARDS pg 2)

Calendar Events
Monday, November 4 Open Enrollment Benefits
Fair
Tuesday, November 5 SCCP Fitness Walk
LASP "Dog Program" Grand Opening
Thursday, November 7 Board of Corrections Meeting
Friday, November 8 Wardens vs. CPOs Challenge @ GDC
Firearms Range
Monday, November 11 Veteran's Day **HOLIDAY**
Thursday, November 14 SCCP Cafeteria Service
Wednesday, November 20 SCCP "Jail Bail" &
SCCP "Pie in the Eye"
Thursday, November 28 Friday , November 29 Thanksgiving Day **HOLIDAY**

AWARDS (from Pg 1)
Unsung Hero Elaine Williams Budget Services
Customer Service Champion Yvette Crawford CHRM

Joseph Gudivada Dilip Kumar Mehra
Janusz Miynarz Veeraraghavan Sridhar
James Gilley Timothy Jackson Tammy Blount
Gene Quinn Rao Manekar

2
Becky East
30 Years Dane Dasher

Unsung Hero Richard Chromi
Intelligence
FAITHFUL SERVICE AWARDS
5 Years Litiki Jackson Kathleen Denk Donald Williams Joan Heath Kenneth Mantle
10 Years Jason Etheridge Kristin Hosford Charlene Laster Wendy Mazula Suresh Ganesapandhan

15 Years Beverly Dunn Kiatana Everett Cathy Smith Mae Snelson Ricky Albright Yvette Crawford Ricky Foskey Letieia Smith
20 Years Shirley Blalock Winniw Colbert Thomas Everett Lillie Wainwright Sharon Kelso
25 Years Debra Williams

(L to R) Comissioner Brian Owens, Dir. of Probation Operations Mike Kraft, PO of the Quarter Sherrill Warren, Asst. Commissioners Timothy Ward and Gregory Dozier
(L to R) Comissioner Brian Owens, Division Director of Administration Becky East, Budget Analyst Lillie Rogers Wainwright, Asst. Commissioners Timothy Ward and Gregory Dozier

Senior Staff Tour Virginia Prisons, Exchange Ideas

Content Contributed by Nancy Smith

On Oct. 10, GDC senior staff members of the Department of corrections got an inside look at Virginia's Progressive Housing Phase Program used to manage offenders in segregation due to recent disruptive behaviors, assaultive behaviors, severe behavior problems, predatory-type behaviors, and escape risks. They also exchanged information about Georgia Department of Corrections tier system with Virginia officials. Assistant Commissioner Timothy

ager Betty Bailey-Dean, Facilities Field Services/Special
Projects Nancy Smith, Risk Reduction Services Director Sherri Bloodworth, Risk Reduction Services Senior Manager Donna Tebought, and Tennessee DOC Assistant Commissioner of Facilities Tony Parker and Assistant Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services Bill Gupton toured Wallens Ridge State Prison escorted by Evidence Based Program Manager Todd Farris, and Red Onion State Prison escorted by Warden Ran-

C. Ward, Facilities Deputy Director Rick Jacobs, Tier Management System Man-

Pictured left to right: Back row - Todd Farris, Bill Gupton, Timothy C. Ward, Rick Jacobs, Tony Parker. Front row - Betty Bailey-Dean, Sherri Bloodworth, Nancy Smith, and Donna Tebought.

dall Mathena in Virginia. Both prisons are high security prisons.

CHALLENGE (from pg 1) "Our team has put in some long hours to get ready for this," said Deshawn Jones of Lee-Arrendale State Prison CERT. "This is a chance for us to all get together and compete, but build camaraderie at the same time because at the end of the day, we all work together and we are all one team."
Winners in the individual and

team event for this year's com-

petition were as follows:

Team Leadership Award

(Leadership

Reaction

Course): GSP CANINE

Team Marksmanship Award:

LEE ARRENDALE STATE

PRISON

Team Obstacle Course

Award: GEORGIA DIAG-

NOSTIC & CLASSIFICATION

PRISON

Team Rope Challenge: PHILLIPS STATE PRISON For the Commissioner's Challenge Championship, the runners-up are as follows: Third Place and a one-time bonus of $100 per member: GEORGIA STATE PRISON Second Place and a one-time bonus of $250 per member: MACON STATE PRISON To recognize the dedication

of Correction Officer Jessica Bruns during the team rope challenge, Commissioner Owens presented her with a Commissioner's Coin.
To see video highlights of the Commissioner's Challenge visit our Facebook page, or the GA CORRECTIONS YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/user/GACorrections

Mothers & Children Reconnect at Lee Arrendale

Content Contributed Chaplain Kemmie McNeese
The Lee Arrendale State Prison (LASP) Children's Center celebrated "Family Reunification Under the Big Tent" on Oct. 5. This year marks the second annual event that allows mothers of newborn babies, adolescents, and teens to participate in a festive type environment full of food, games, joy, laughter, and tears.
The purpose of this event is to initiate bonding relationships between the mothers and their child(ren), and to strategically guide them in the pathway of being healthy families living successful lives. The Children's Center Program restores hope to mothers through incentives to strive for growth through academic performance, disciplined be-

havior, and compliance to the order of rules and regulation.
The LASP Children's Center Program works with postpartum mothers and mothers of children age four weeks to 16 to reunify them through a prison based parenting program. This program allows inmates who fit the criteria to participate in 11 monthly visits, and weekly groups to build parenting, and cognitive behavior skills. In the program, the women develop character, learn goal setting and make preparation for re-entry into society. These women practically apply their training through visitation, video visits, family tele-conferences, and written communications.
Special thanks to LASP Warden Kathy Seabolt, Acting Deputy Warden of Security Anthony Dewberry, Deputy Warden of Care and Treatment Shelia Bracewell, Clinical Chaplain Susan Bishop, Chief of Security Captain Charles Todd, and non-security staff.
Special thanks also to individual volunteers, churches, non-profits, and civic organizations, which support the continued growth and development of the Children's Center Program through their prayers, volunteerism, financial support, and other types of donations. These groups and individuals include but are not limited to: Decatur First United Methodist Church, Quinn Hudson, Foreverfamily and Bridges of Hope.

3
Georgia Veterans focus
of JDTR Conference
Content Contributed by Kenneth Mantle
The 2013 Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery (JDTR) Unspoken Wounds: Breaking the Silence Conference, a first of its kind comprehensive, educational, and networking event designed to create synergy among those who defend, advocate, and care for justiceinvolved Veterans was held in Savannah Oct. 21-22. Commissioner Brian Owens and GDC staff attended the event to help ensure that the best possible services are being provided to veterans in the Georgia corrections system.
The workshop was designed to lay a foundation for the information needed by key civilian community resources to provide the help needed by these veterans. It also provided information such as the issues faced by military personnel, veterans, and their families; their cultural backdrop; the visible and invisible wounds they suffer; and how therapists, clergy, and faith community leaders can respond.

Waycross State Office To The Rescue
Officers, Probationers Rally in Honor of Student with Cancer
Content Contributed by Karen Leviton

Commissioner Brian Owens (center) with Phillips State Prison Mental Health Director Rhonda Billings (left) and Mental Health Counselor Tanesha Callahan at the JDTR Conference.

The Waycross Probation Office donated 90 pounds of pop can tabs to Waresboro Elementary School in Waycross, Ga. The tabs were being collected by Mrs. Lori High-

lies of children undergoing treatment. The funds are generated from the recycling of aluminum pop or soup can tabs. The Waycross Probation Office heard of the fundraising ef-

smith's third grade class in honor of Mattie Goble. Mattie, a forts for Mattie, a member of their community and decided to

first grade student at Waresboro Elemen-

help out. After four months of pulling

tary School was diagnosed on February 17, 2013 with Diffused Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, an inoperable brain stem tumor. The tabs were collected in her honor and donated to the Ronald McDonald House.
"Seeing the delighted and excited faces of Mrs. Highsmith and her children was priceless as they received this gift in honor of their friend, Mattie," said Waycross Pro-

and saving tabs, they were able to present the 90-pound donation to Waresboro Elementary School on October 7.
It was a team effort as both the staff and the probationers participated in the collection of tabs. If a probationer had a disability that prohibited them from doing their ordered community service, they were given the opportunity to collect tabs in lieu of community service. One cup of tabs

bation Office Secretary II Karen Leviton.

equalled five hours of community service.

The "Pop Tab Collection" is a pro- Chief Probation Officer Greg Taylor, Probation Officers Caleb

Mattie is still fighting for her life. To learn

gram of the Ronald McDonald House as a fundraising effort to help offset the

Worley and Matthew Tillman, Karen Leviton and Rachelle Howling of the Waycross Probation Office and Tommy Rouse from Day Reporting Center were on hand for the presentation

more you can follow her Facebook pageMattie Goble's Prayer Team at https://www.

costs to maintain their housing for fami- of 90 pounds of can tabs to Waresboro Elementary School.

facebook.com/MattieGoblesPrayerTeam.

4

Right On Target Shooters make their mark during 4th Annual Derek Chance Memorial Pistol Competition

Story & Photos By Lisa Rodriguez-Presley

An unusually chilly fall morning heated up quickly as shooters took to the range to compete in the Fourth Annual Derek Chance Memorial Pistol Competition on Oct. 25. Thirty-eight shooters participated in the event, with the ti-

tle of "Top Gun" going to Clinton Thornburg of the Valdosta Probation Office.

The competition is co-sponsored by the Georgia Probation Association and Smyrna Police

Distributors, and is held in honor of GDC Firearms Instructor Derek Chance who died tragically.

He was remembered by those who knew

him as a consumate professional, with

both a talent and passion for teaching.

"Derek really loved being a firearms in-

structor," said Marsha McIntyre, Deputy

Director of Probation Operations. "He

loved the people he worked with and

understood how important his job was."

Shooters were put to the test as they

fired the standard probation officer

requalification course. Several shooters

scored 298 on the course, resulting in

a tie-breaker round for seven shooters.

Shooters take aim at their targets from the 3-yard line during the competition. The course of fire was a standard requalification course, but competing for the title of "Top Gun" added some additional pressure.

Commissioner Brian Owens was in attendance to present trophies to the winners from each flight.

Shooters stand at the ready on the 25-yard line, waiting for the command to fire during the final relay of the Derek Chance Memorial Pistol competition.

Around the Agency....

On Oct. 1, the Columbus Day Reporting Center and Probation Office partnered with the Columbus Parole Office by hosting a Job Fair for Probationers and Parolees at the Day Reporting Center. Five major employers were represented at the Fair to include Alatrade, West Staffing, and Knight Recycling. Over 190 people attended the event to include 112 probationers.
MISSION The Department of Corrections creates a safer Georgia by effectively managing offenders and providing opportunities for positive change.
VISION To be recognized as the best corrections
organization in the nation.

On Oct. 16, the Augusta State Medical Prison staff dressed out in pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. Breast Cancer survivors who work at the prison were honored by Warden Stan Shepard. Be sure to have your yearly exams and conduct self-examinations regularly. Early detection SAVES LIVES.

BRIAN OWENS Commissioner

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Joan Heath Director

Gwendolyn Hogan Lisa Rodriguez-Presley Susan Megahee

Managing Editor

PA Specialist

PA Specialist