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
• Local Family Councils
• Statewide Family Council

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 Policy 530.155 - Family Councils (pdf) for additional information and the LFC Representatives with any 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 and the Policy 530.155 - Family Councils (pdf) for additional information.

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 upcoming meeting agenda below for virtual meeting and call-in information.

Meeting Schedule & Materials

See the 2025 (pdf) Statewide Family Council Calendar for all statewide meeting dates.

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

Meeting Date	Meeting Agenda	Meeting Materials
May 17, 2025	Agenda (pdf)
March 22, 2025	Agenda (pdf)	Minutes(pdf)
January 25, 2025	Agenda (pdf)	Minutes1/25/2025 (pdf)
November 16, 2024	Agenda (pdf)	Minutes11/16/2024 (pdf)
September 21, 2024	Agenda (pdf)	Minutes9/21/2024 (pdf)
July 20, 2024	Agenda (pdf)	Minutes7/20/2024 (pdf)
May 18, 2024	Agenda (pdf)	Minutes5/18/2024 (pdf)
March 16, 2024	Agenda (pdf)	Minutes3/16/2024 (pdf)
January 20, 2024	Agenda (pdf)	Minutes1/20/2024 (pdf)