2026 ACA 156th Congress of Correction Pittsburgh_Program Book

From Control to Connection: Transforming Correctional Culture Through Real-Time Interaction Room 317 Primary Community of Focus: Adult Corrections Overview: This workshop presents an innovative, Scandinavian-inspired housing unit model implemented within a general population correctional facility in Pennsylvania. Designed to promote normalization, accountability, and pro-social behavior, this unit emphasizes dynamic staff-resident interactions as a primary tool for behavior change. Participants will explore how staff utilize consistent, real-time interactions to model respect, reinforce communication skills and create a structured community environment without compromising safety or professional boundaries. The workshop will highlight key practices, including interpersonal skill-building workshops, structured daily engagement, communication redirection techniques, and reentry-focused resource connection. A unique aspect of this model includes staff collaboration across defined roles, demonstrating how a team-based approach contributes to culture change and improved resident outcomes. Practical examples— including interactive communication strategies and community-building initiatives—will be shared to illustrate how normalization can be adapted within an American correctional setting. This session will include interactive components, allowing participants to practice communication redirection techniques and apply team-based strategies to real-world correctional scenarios. Moderator: Paige Devane , Subject Matter Expert, SCI Chester, Chester, Pennsylvania Speakers: Andrea Johnson , Subject Matter Expert, SCI Chester, Chester, Pennsylvania; Cipriana Lassus , Subject Matter Expert, SCI Chester, Chester, Pennsylvania; Chris Morton , Subject Matter Expert, SCI Chester, Chester, Pennsylvania

correctional practices and individualized treatment interventions. Moderator: Lewis Peiper , Chief of Behavioral Health, North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, Raleigh, North Carolina Speaker: Lewis Peiper , Chief of Behavioral Health, North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, Raleigh, North Carolina

WORKSHOPS

Saturday, Aug. 1 ▼ 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

SATURDAY, AUG. 1

1–2:30 P.M.

Built, Not Bought: Utah’s Microservices Approach to OMS Modernization Room 318 Primary Community of Focus: Technology Overview: When the Utah Department of Corrections decided to reimagine how its agency operates, it turned to Vant4ge. Together, we built UCIMS, a next-generation corrections information management system grounded in 28 years of implementation expertise and UDC’s ambition to do things differently. The result is a modular microservices architecture with a unified UDC Launchpad giving staff single sign-on access to every application from every vendor, deployed statewide using Precision Implementation practices that aligned existing technology to how UDC actually works. This workshop walks through what it took to get there, and what agencies need to understand before they begin. Moderator: Josh Tewalt , Former Director, Idaho Department of Corrections, Meridian, Idaho Speakers: Jared Garcia , Commissioner, Utah Department of Corrections, Salt Lake City, Utah; JD Hosman , Senior Manager of Business Development, Vant4ge, Salt Lake City, Utah; Sean Hosman , CEO, Vant4ge, Salt Lake City, Utah

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