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Family Council

The Department of Corrections (DOC) recognizes the benefits when inmate's maintain family relationships during incarceration and supervision and acknowledges the many barriers that make maintaining these relationships difficult. In an effort to address these barriers, the Department established and maintains family councils.

About Family Councils

Family councils advise, collaborate, problem solve, and partner with the Department and the community to:

  • Improve communications with the Department,
  • Create opportunities to strengthen family and community connections,
  • Improve quality of life for those incarcerated,
  • Promote successful reentry,
  • Provide family input on related policies and operational memorandums, and
  • Address local and statewide issues/concerns that affect a broad range of those incarcerated and their families

Family is broadly defined to include immediate, extended, and elected family members, such as romantic partners, friends, neighbors, and clergy. Department employees and council members work together to bring awareness to the family councils to encourage participation. (Participation is strictly voluntary.)

Local Family Councils

Each prison facility maintains a Local Family Council (LFC). Family council meetings provide opportunity for family members to ask questions, get information, and share their perspective of the facility. All approved visitors may attend a family council meeting. See the LFC Representatives with questions.

In addition to family members, meetings are generally attended by the facility Superintendent or Associate Superintendent, Visiting Program staff representative, Family Services Program staff representative, and others as needed. At most facilities participants can attend in person or over the phone by calling in on a toll free number.

Scheduled Meetings, Agendas & Minutes

The LFC Facility Secretary and Family Secretary member officers will each take minutes during the meeting, and then will work together to finalize a single draft of official minutes.

Up to two years meeting's agendas and minutes will be posted for each LFC. See the LFC Representatives with questions.

Meeting dates and minutes are provided at the links below.

Participants

Family members who want to be on a facility's Local Family Council must be an approved visitor at that facility and agree to demonstrate commitment, integrity, honesty, good judgment, cooperation, professionalism, respect, courtesy, and work within department rules, regulations and policies.

Statewide Family Council

The Department maintains a Statewide Family Council (SFC) comprised of one elected representative from each Local Family Council (LFC), along with the Statewide Program Manager. SFC meetings are open to all family and friends to participate. See the list of SFC Representatives.

Meeting Details

Those who participate in the SFC meetings agree to demonstrate commitment, integrity, honesty, good judgment, cooperation, professionalism, respect, courtesy, and work within department rules, regulations and policies.

Location

See most recent meeting agenda (pdf)for virtual meeting and call-in information.

Meeting Schedule & Materials

See the Statewide Family Council Calendar (pdf) for all statewide meeting dates.

(audio) = a portion of this video is audio-only

Meeting Date Meeting Agenda Meeting Materials
March 16, 2024 Agenda (pdf)
January 20, 2024 Agenda (pdf) Minutes1/20/2024 (pdf)
November 18, 2023 Agenda (pdf) Minutes11/18/2023 (pdf)
September 16, 2023 Agenda (pdf) Minutes09/16/2023 (pdf)
July 15, 2023 Agenda (pdf) Minutes07/15/2023 (pdf)
May 20, 2023 Agenda (pdf) Minutes05/20/2023 (pdf)
March 18, 2023 Agenda (pdf) Minutes03/18/2023 (pdf)
January 21, 2023 Agenda (pdf) Minutes01/21/2023 (pdf)
November 19, 2022 Agenda (pdf) Minutes11/19/2022 (pdf)
September 17, 2022 Agenda (pdf) Minutes09/17/2022 (pdf)
July 16, 2022 Agenda (pdf) Minutes07/16/2022 (pdf)Recording 07/16/2022 (YouTube video)
May 21, 2022 Agenda (pdf) Minutes05/21/2022 (pdf)Recording 03/19/2022 (YouTube video)
March 19, 2022 Agenda (pdf) Minutes03/19/2022 (pdf) Recording 03/19/2022 (YouTube video) a portion of this video is audio-only
January 22, 2022 Agenda 1/22/2022 (pdf) Minutes1/22/2022 (pdf) Recording 01/22/2022 (YouTube video)