2025 ACA Winter Conference Orlando_Program Book

Recruitment and Retention of the Military Community into Corrections Room W231 B/C Overview: Many state correctional departments struggle with staffing. Staffing requires recruitment and retention strategies tailored to the desired applicant pool, such as the military community. To increase recruitment and retention from the military community, the department should strive to meet the HIRE Vets standard of hiring veterans at a rate of 1:10 and retain 85% of veterans hired (Hire Vets, 2024). In order to meet this goal, the department should demonstrate its commitment towards being an employer of choice in general, by meeting Corporate Social Responsibility standards (ABS Group, 2024), Good Job initiative standards (DOL, 2024), Total Worker Health controls (CDC, 2024), Well-Building Standards (International Well Building Institute, 2016), and, for veterans, by meeting the Military-Friendly Standards (Military Friendly, 2024). Primary Presenter: Michele Laaksonen , Training and Development Coordinator Senior — Mental Health and Sex Offender Services, Academy of Staff Development, Crozier, Virginia Presenter 2: Roland Marker , Unit Manager, Dillwyn Correctional Center, Virginia Department of Corrections, Dillwyn, Virginia NIC Critical Incident Response and Assistance Program Room W230 C Overview: In times of crisis and adversity, leadership and organizational preparedness are essential. Examining real-world critical incidents, this presentation will provide participants with valuable leadership insights to elevate agency preparedness during crisis response. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of critical incident response considerations, focusing on leadership-driven agency success. Agencies will gain a greater understanding of the critical value of preparation, planning and response. Finally, the session will highlight

Saturday, Jan. 11 ▼ 8–9:30 a.m.

WORKSHOPS

a new initiative supported by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) that provides customized no-cost support to prison, jail and community supervision agencies experiencing a critical incident or during times of significant operational disruption. Primary Presenter: Scott Richards , National Programs Advisor, National Institute of Corrections, Washington, D.C. Presenter 2: Michael Colwell , Deputy Director, Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association, Boston, Massachusetts The Narrative in Reentry: Building Agency and Recovery in the Carceral Setting Room W230 D Overview: As the 2024 film Sing Sing depicts, arts in the correctional setting are a powerful platform for recovery, helping incarcerated individuals’ “reorient” through self-transformation, “model[ing] an approach to the justice system based on human dignity

78 — ACA 2025 Winter Conference | Orlando