Andrew M. Cuomo Governor
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, guided by the Departmental Mission, is responsible for the confinement and habilitation of approximately 54,700 individuals under custody held at 60 state facilities and 36,500 parolees supervised throughout seven regional offices.
Appriss Inc. announced its new mobile app for their service known as VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday). The free app allows crime victims and others to easily access information about an inmate’s status, to register, and to receive change notifications via their iPhone or Android devices.
On Monday, April 22, the New York City Department of Corrections held the 3rd annual candlelight vigil on Rikers Island in recognition of National Crime Victims Rights Week. The solemn ceremony gave those attending the opportunity to quietly remember victims of crimes, like fallen Correction Officers Michael Renshaw of Mid-State Correctional Facility and Michael Ransear of Mohawk Correctional Facility. Both officers were brutally murdered on March 13, 2013 in the Herkimer rampage in upstate New York.
The candlelight vigil also honored the women and men whose outstanding efforts have shown us that we all have an obligation to help victims and their families in healing and moving forward with their lives.
“Governor Cuomo has issued an Executive Chamber proclamation declaring May 6 - May 12, 2013 Nurses Week in New York State and Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci thanked the more than 1,000 dedicated nursing professionals with the agency. A number of openings exist throughout New York State correctional facilities where nurses play an important role in patient outcomes, while reinforcing our mission of quality care. Please consider joining the hundreds of dedicated nurses within our agency.”
As he ended his 44 year career, Commissioner Fischer reflected on how he started, came to join the agency and wanted to thank the employees for their hard work, support and especially friendship.
Commissioner Fischer has announced that National Volunteer Week has been scheduled for the week of April 21-27, 2013 and the theme designated by the Points of Light Foundation is “Celebrate Service”. The Commissioner welcomes the opportunity to thank the approximately 5,000 volunteers and believes that by highlighting their work more people will come forward to volunteer.
The Volunteer Services Program is designed to promote the involvement of responsible community persons in the services and programs available to the incarcerated offender and his/her family. The volunteers are involved in a variety of programs including: Alcoholics/Narcotics/Gamblers Anonymous, AVP (Alternatives for Violence Project), Veterans Programs, Parenting Programs, Literacy Tutoring Programs, Prison Fellowship, HIV/AIDS Programs and various Religious Workshops and Religious Education Classes.
In December of 2012, Commissioner Fischer solicited nominees for the agency’s first ever Accreditation Excellence Award. The Commissioner asked for nominees that have experience, a positive attitude, and take the initiative to go above and beyond. In return he got a quality list of staff demonstrating exemplary service to DOCCS and the Accreditation Program. A tough decision was made and Commissioner Fischer recently welcomed Melissa Coolidge, Principal Account Clerk at Moriah Shock Incarceration Facility, to his office to receive the 2013 Commissioner’s Accreditation Excellence Award.
Commissioner Fischer thanked Cooldige for her hard work and continued focus adding, "You have made history as the first recipient of this award." In nominating her Moriah Shock Superintendent Bruce McCormick wrote, Melissa started her career in corrections in 1989, became involved in the Accreditation process in 1993, during Moriah Shock’s first audit. Today she serves as the Accreditation Manager for the facility as well as a vital part of the statewide internal Accreditation Audit Team.
The Accreditation process offers our Department the opportunity to evaluate our operations and programs against national standards. The department celebrated its 30th anniversary of accreditation in 2012.
The newest member of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office is a 4 year old lab named Bear. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance adopted Bear from the Puppies Behind Bars program at Fishkill Correctional Facility in Beacon, NY. The story has been highlighted in both the NY Daily News and NY Post Gloria Gilbert-Stoga started Puppies Behind Bars in 1997, as a training program for inmates to raise puppies to be guide dogs for the blind. Over the years the non-profit organization has expanded to raise service dogs for other jobs including assisting wounded war veterans and explosive detection canines for law enforcement. Along with Fishkill CF, there are Puppies Behind Bars programs in Bedford Hills Correctional Facility (Bedford Hills, NY), Downstate Correctional Facility (Fishkill, NY) and Otisville Correctional Facility (Middletown, NY).
It was a three month focus on stopping violence in Rochester, running between the anniversary of the assassination of Mohandas Gandhi on January 30 and that of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, created by the MK Ghandi Institute.
Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas Gandhi and the founder of the Gandhi Center for Nonviolence in Rochester, worked with members of the community, law enforcement, Groveland Correctional facility staff and inmates, in a series of special events including an essay contest, art show, and talent show/peace concert, all with the theme of nonviolence.
Everyone was pleased with the results as the inmates pledged a total of $1,000, the facility’s Women in Correction Committee donated $500, and the Rochester PBA is matching the $1,500, with all the money going to the police Department’s gun buyback program.
DOCCS four-man relay team of correction officers won the Northeastern Chapter of the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation’s 25th annual stair climb at Albany’s Corning Tower, held on March 7, 2013, and
helping to raise almost $50,000 to help combat the disease. Correction Officers (L-R) Alex Rodriquez,
Labinot Stojkoj, Alfred Maunz, Adam Rivers flew up the 41 floors (809 steps) in 3 minutes, 21 seconds
topping the 17 team field.
Since 2010, the DOCCS Training Academy has partnered with OGS and the CF Foundation to provide
security for this event. This year volunteers from the Training Academy included: Melissa Miles,
Assistant Director, Anthony Rodriquez, Lieutenant, Kevin Tupper, Lieutenant, Thomas Doyle, Sergeant,
Shawn Morris, CO, Greg Hougen, CO, Dave Krawczyk, CO, Scott Mullen, CO, Lance Palmateer, CO.
Deputy Commissioner for Correctional Facilities, Joseph Bellnier, said, "The team’s success is an
example of the dedication of the officers and the caliber of training at the Academy. The many
volunteers show the value our people put on being there for emergency response and contributing to
our communities."
Commissioner Brian Fischer has presented awards to four female employees, as part of the 22nd Anniversary of Women’s History Month, which acknowledged the achievements and accomplishments of women throughout the Department. Commissioner Fischer thanked the DOCCS employees, noting their professionalism and the lasting impact women have on the fabric of New York. The honorees include: Catherine Jacobsen (Assistant Commissioner for Program Services-Central Office), Colleen O’Leary (Teacher IV-Mid-State, Susan Squires (Deputy Superintendent for Administrative Services-Willard), and Christina Wemette (Correction Officer-Downstate). Governor Cuomo’s proclamation announcing Women’s History Month can be found here.
Timothy Cardinal Dolan returned to New York City last week following three weeks in Rome, Italy where he participated in the selection of Pope Francis. One of his first stops was on Wednesday, March 27, 2013, he visited the maximum-security Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Ulster County to meet with inmates and staff and to say Mass. Cardinal Dolan, who led the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York as Archbishop for nearly three years, was named a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in January, 2012. He has previously visited New York facilities including Arthur Kill, Bedford Hills, Taconic, Green Haven, and Fishkill Correctional Facilities.
DOL and ESD today announced the state-wide "Work For Success" initiative that will bring qualified and trained ex-offenders to the workforce while offering incentives to businesses who hire them. Commissioner Fischer applauded the initiative noting that employment is crucial for the success of ex-offenders and their families.
Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas Gandhi and the founder of the Gandhi Center for Nonviolence in Rochester, visited Groveland and Livingston on February 7, 2013 to kick off the "Season for Nonviolence." During the 64 calendar days between the memorial anniversary of the assassination of Mohandas Gandhi on January 30 and that of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4 inmates are participating in a series of special events with the theme of nonviolence, including an essay contest, an art show, and a talent show/peace concert. Monies pledged by the offenders will be donated to the Rochester Gun Buyback Program on April 3rd when members of the community, the Gandhi Center, law enforcement, inmates and staff will review the best of show entries.
A new report, Children of Incarcerated Parents in New York State, summarizes
findings from a survey administered in December of 2010 to NYS incarcerated
individuals. The survey was developed in response to policy issues raised
by a cross-systems Subcommittee on Children with Incarcerated Parents. Learn
more about the data analysis here
.
Did you know that approximately one-third of our DOCCS facilities qualify as "Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas" by the National Health Service Corps (NHSC)? The NHSC awards scholarships and loan repayments to primary care providers in NHSC-eligible disciplines while providers, in turn, commit to serving for at least two years at an NHSC-approved site located in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). Learn more about the program here.
Commissioner Brian Fischer presented testimony
to the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Corrections on the subject
of Educational and Vocational Programs in Prison. During the November 29th
public hearing, Commissioner Fischer reiterated his support of educating offenders
in order to enhance the success of ex-offenders upon re-entry and described
the various program offerings that contributed to the record low recidivism
rates for offenders returning to DOCCS custody for new crimes.
DOCCS Commissioner Brian Fischer today (October 2, 2012) issued a public statement in response to a New York Civil Liberties Union report regarding the use of disciplinary segregation in DOCCS facilities.
Commissioner Fischer today announced that updated New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) prison facility visitation regulations, adopted in March 2012, take effect October 1, 2012.
Commissioner Fischer contributed an op-ed column to the Times Union (Albany, NY), which was published on Monday, August 20, 2012. Commissioner Fischer’s column emphasized the importance of maintaining the safety and security of DOCCS employees and the offenders under custody in the Department’s 60 facilities.
DOCCS today issued information that refutes allegations by NYSCOPBA that DOCCS facilities are understaffed and encountering elevated levels of violence. Please see the press release.
Work-Life Services provides New York State employees with a comprehensive network of resources to address their work, home, and life issues. Detailed information about these negotiated benefits is available at www.worklife.ny.gov and through program-specific telephone numbers and websites.
NYS-Balance, a confidential resource and referral service for NYS employees,
offers monthly webinars
.
A complete 2012 listing is available in two flyers,
January-June and July-December.
Additionally, we are pleased to share “Benefits
of the NYS Peer Employee Assistance EAP” with you. This document
describes the many benefits of the NYS EAP peer model and the wide range of
EAP services available to both employees and agencies.
Employees enrolled in the Flex Spending Account for the 2011 plan year have until March 31, 2012 to send in reimbursement requests for eligible expenses incurred under the Health Care Spending Account and the Dependent Care Advantage Account. For more information, log onto www.flexspend.ny.gov or call 1-800-358-7202.
Work-Life Services has scheduled full-day seminars for executive branch state employees to be held throughout NY. If you are eligible to retire in five years and have not previously attended a Directions: Pre-Retirement Planning Seminar, you are eligible to attend. Please contact your agency Human Resources Office to let your agency liaison know of your interest. You must be registered by your agency and have a confirmation notice in order to attend. Seminars have been planned at the following locations: March 8 in West Harrison, March 14 in Albany, March 22 in Liverpool, March 28 in Buffalo, April 5 in Albany, May 3 in Islandia, May 16 in Fishkill, May 23 in Binghamton, May 31 in Watertown, June 7 in Manhattan, June 11 in Albany, and June 28 in Rochester. For pre-retirement planning information including the Self Help Guide to Pre-Retirement Planning and 22 short videos, visit www.worklife.ny.gov/preretirement.
