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Q&A
Detailed discussion on SCOC approval process and construction modifications
1:00:10
·
151 sec
Council Member Sandy Nurse inquires about the specifics of working with the State Commission of Correction (SCOC) for approval of the therapeutic unit. Assistant Commissioner Alex Maldonado provides details on the process and required modifications.
- SCOC visits the Bellevue site at least once a month, with the last visit about two weeks prior
- SCOC provides feedback letters detailing expectations for commissioning
- Significant construction items are still outstanding, including upgrading fixtures to correctional grade
- DOC is working on policies, training programs, and a staffing plan for SCOC approval
- The biggest obstacle is staffing, as the facility requires a staff-rich model
Sandy Nurse
1:00:10
Thanks.
1:00:11
I just wanted to follow-up on the therapeutic units.
1:00:14
Sorry to bring you back up.
1:00:23
Can you tell me about the the nature of working with the state commission?
1:00:26
Like, when was the last time you all had a meeting together?
1:00:30
Or you wait like, what's outstanding?
1:00:32
Just so that we have a little bit more sense of what you're dealing with.
Alex Maldonado
1:00:36
Sure.
1:00:37
They visit the site at Bellevue at least once a month, and I believe our last walkthrough was approximately two weeks ago.
1:00:45
And following those meetings, and we meet and we discuss the transition, and they also walk the site.
1:00:51
Following those meetings, they send a letter to our commissioner detailing the expectations that they would need to meet commissioning and sort of the progress they're in.
1:01:00
So, are some significant construction items that are still outstanding that our team, DC Dougherty and his team, will have to complete.
1:01:09
There are also
Sandy Nurse
1:01:10
Can you can you elaborate just a little bit more on some of those on the construction items?
1:01:15
Sure.
1:01:15
Just to understand how significant they are.
Alex Maldonado
1:01:17
Some of the design fixtures that were in place are behavioral health fixtures, and so we are remedying those to be correctional grade fixtures because this is a detention grade facility and under the state commission those are required.
Sandy Nurse
1:01:34
What kind of fixtures are you
Alex Maldonado
1:01:36
just exit signs, staff stations, there's glazing on the staff stations, for example.
1:01:42
There's also some trim that's utilized that's metal trim, for example, that we wouldn't put in a detention facility.
1:01:49
Those things are being remedied by our team.
1:01:52
We also have policies that we've submitted to the SCOC for review and approval.
1:01:58
We have received feedback recently, so we're in sort of an editing process with them.
1:02:02
We also have training.
1:02:04
Our training academy is working with our team and CHS as well in order to develop training, multidisciplinary training for everybody who will be assigned to this facility.
1:02:13
So that's ongoing.
1:02:13
The SCOC will have to approve those.
1:02:15
But the biggest obstacle in true transparency is our staffing issue.
1:02:20
As has been described here today, staffing is a problem for the department currently, and this is a staffing rich model.
1:02:30
The efficiencies are not maximized in this particular facility, so we are working again with the state to identify which posts are mandatory in order to provide a safe and secure environment for both staff and people in custody.