2019 ACA Boston Program Book_149th Congress of Correction

facilities than any other group of people. This panel will: address the key policies and practices that prisons, jails and juvenile facilities must put into place in order to implement PREA protections for transgender inmates; describe efforts by the Oregon Department of Corrections to develop related PREA-compliant policies and practices; and provide guidance on responding to transitioning transgender staff and building cultural norms that ensure a respectful environment for both the population and staff. Objectives: Participants will be able to review the key requirements in the PREA standards for screening, housing and searching of transgender inmates that are designed to protect transgender inmates from sexual abuse; gain practical advice from a state DOC that has done extensive work to develop safe and PREA compliant policies and practices for housing and treating transgender and intersex inmates respectfully; and learn strategies for developing cultural sensitivity toward the transgender community among staff and inmates. Moderator: Michela Bowman, Co-Director, National PREA Resource Center, Impact Justice, Oakland, California Speakers: Michela Bowman, Co-Director, National PREA Resource Center, Impact Justice, Oakland, California; Rachel Esters, Corrections Consultant, The Moss Group, Telluride, Colorado; Amanda Rasmussen, PREA Compliance Manager/PREA Auditor, Oregon Department of Corrections, Sherwood, Oregon

B-2C Working Collaboratively to Improve Outcomes for Individuals with Mental Illness (CE/CME) Room 204 Sponsored by the Nurses Committee The Texas Legislature enacted the Mental Health/Criminal Justice

Initiative to provide courts with sentencing alternatives for offenders with mental health disorders. This workshop will explore the evolution of the mental health initiative model, from its development to current practices which show outcomes with lower arrest rates and significantly lower incarceration rates, with high-risk offenders having the most significant reduction in recidivism. The program model, based on best practices, requires a specialized probation officer and mental health provider to work together to address the needs of offenders with mental illness. Objectives: Participants will be able to understand Texas Mental Health Initiatives; understand mental health services that TDCJ offers to individuals releasing on supervision; and find ways to reduce recidivism among mental health clients on supervision. Moderator: Pam Thielke, Parole Division Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Austin, Texas Speaker: April Zamora, LCDC, Division Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Austin, Texas B-2D Implementing the PREA Standards’ Protections for Transgender Inmates and Building Cultural Competency Among Staff and Inmates (CE/CME) Room 210 Research by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and other academic and research organizations show that transgender people are at significantly higher risk of being sexually abused in prisons, jails and juvenile

Workshops Sunday, Aug. 4 t 10–11:30 a.m.

B-2E The Influence of Mental Health and the Built Environment in Progressive Jail Design and

Operations (CE, CME) Room 201 This course illuminates the intersection between mental health and built environment essentials with progressive justice design. Originating from a technical assistance

88 — ACA 149 th Congress of Correction