Opioid Epidemic / FEBRUARY 9, 2022 at 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
The number of opioid overdoses and fatalities continue to rise in the State of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) has observed an increase of opioid fatalities among individuals on supervision and individuals releasing from prison. DOC has taken a number of steps to combat this epidemic, including work that is being led by the Opioid Response Steering Committee, to include the development of the DOC Overdose Death Review Team and the DOC Opioid Advisory Team.
DOC hosted a virtual town hall meeting on Wednesday, February 9 at 11:30 am to address the opioid epidemic and explain the important work being done and the next steps in battling this pressing issue. During this town hall, our
expert panelists provided an overview of the opioid crisis and how it has impacted DOC before discussing the efforts of cross-divisional, cross-agency teams working to disrupt the rising opioid crisis and provide evidence-based intervention solutions. They also shared information related to how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the opioid crisis. Attendees heard from a
representative from the Department of Health Services and first-hand experience from a Community Supervision Client and Treatment Court Participant. During the second half of the town hall, our panelists led a Q&A session to answer live questions from the audience.
Watch a recording below or use the following links to review content discussed during the live town hall event:
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Gov. Evers' 2021-23 Budget Request / MARCH 15, 2021 at 12:15 PM – 1:30 PM
Secretary Carr hosted this virtual town hall meeting on Monday, March 15 to discuss Governor Evers' 2021-23 Budget Request as it relates to our agency. This event provided clarity to the budget recommendations, which included funding for programs, supplies and services, day-to-day operations and maintenance and operations of DOC facilities. During this moderated session, key stakeholders heard from DOC leadership and a number of subject matter experts on how the corrections-related content in the Governor's operating budget may directly or indirectly impact our agency and support our
strategic priorities.
Watch a recording below or use the following links to review content discussed during the live town hall event:
Violation Response + Revocation / NOVEMBER 18, 2020 at 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM
While much of our agency's focus has been on the health and safety of our staff and persons in our care during the COVID-19 pandemic, the DOC has also been working hard on several strategic initiatives, including our ongoing work in Violation Response and Revocation. After conducting a thorough review of the internal policies and procedures involved in the revocation process, we have identified practical areas our agency could make changes to increase its efficiency while safely reducing the number of revocations.
To address this critical topic and begin developing sustainable reform in Wisconsin, Secretary Kevin A. Carr hosted a virtual town hall meeting on Wednesday, November 18. During this moderated session, our panelists shared the latest updates regarding this priority and discussed the agency's proposed policy changes to improve practices related to violation response and revocation. This event allowed key stakeholders to hear from executive leadership on our strategic priorities and reform efforts, ask questions and provide valuable feedback for consideration prior to implementation. Our panelists also led a Q&A session with various subject matter experts from across the agency to answer questions from stakeholders.
Watch a recording below or use the following links to review content discussed during the live town hall event:
Earned Release Program / SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 at 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM
Secretary Carr hosted a second virtual town hall meeting on Wednesday, September 16 to discuss the Earned Release Program (ERP). ERP is an early release mechanism meant to incentivize justice-involved individuals with substance abuse disorders to engage in programming and treatment. During this moderated session, DOC leaders and a justice-involved individual led a virtual panel discussion and Q&A about the agency's ongoing work in the program and addressed future plans for expanding programming and treatment.
While all members of the public were welcome to attend, this event aimed to bridge constructive conversations around content targeted towards Wisconsin's judicial community and special interest groups focused on criminal justice reform. Over 150 people attended the live webinar including members from the Wisconsin Court System and the Wisconsin Office of Public Defenders and many Wisconsin Department of Corrections wardens, superintendents, administration and other staff.
Work Release Employers / JULY 1, 2020 at 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has a long-standing partnership with over 150 employers across the state to offer work release opportunities for individuals incarcerated in our facilities. These programs allow those in our care to gain valuable work experience and earnings while providing local employers with a skilled and committed workforce. With work release placements for persons in our care in the private sector temporarily suspended, many had questions about the future of work release programs.
Secretary Carr hosted a virtual town hall meeting on Wednesday, July 1 to discuss the unique challenges affecting work release employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this moderated session, panelists answered questions from our employer and educational partners, discussed the agency's planning efforts for safely resuming work release programs and offered actionable guidance through available resources and current best practices. Over 100 people attended the live webinar including several statewide employers, Wisconsin Technical Colleges partners and DOC wardens, superintendents and work release coordinators.