Advocate Updates, Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge - October 2010
Present Population
As of 2010/10/28, OOHL's population count is 38.
Medium = 21
Minimum = 17
We had 3 residents granted Day Parole on October 18th with one release on 2010/10/28 and the 2 other releases are still pending bed space availability. We have one Accelerated Parole release on 2010/11/03 and 2 women scheduled for NPB Hearing in November.
Committees operating (i.e.: Lifers, Sisterhood etc.)
OOHL has a combined Inmate Committee and Sisterhood, called Iskwewak. The current Iskwewak Executive is:
President: Norma Mooswa
Vice-President: Shannon Stonechild
Secretary/Treasurer: Rhonda Anderson
Member At Large: Erin Burke
Current Programming: (start & stop, how many women attend, complete?)
Nekaneet Four Seasonal Horse Teachings Program - Jul 5 - 30/10 (Summer Session)
Facilitated by community Contractor & Elders
12 participants successfully completed this program.
Nekaneet Four Seasonal Horse Teachings Program - Oct 4 - 29/10 (Fall Session)
Facilitated by community Contractor & Elders
9 participants will successfully complete the program.
Aboriginal Women's Engagement Program (AWEP) - Sep 7 - 30/10
Facilitated by Aboriginal Correctional Program Officer & Elder
8 participants successfully completed this program.
Aboriginal Women's Engagement Program (AWEP) - Oct 21 - Nov 12/10
Facilitated by Aboriginal Correctional Program Officer & Elder
5 participants currently assigned to this program.
Aboriginal Women Offender - Moderate Intensity Program (AWO-MIP) [Pilot] - Jul 26 - Oct 15/10
Facilitated by Aboriginal Correctional Program Officer & Elder
6 participants completed this program.
Aboriginal Women Offender - Self Management Program Institution (AWO-SMPI) - Sep 6/10 & ongoing
Facilitated by Correctional Program Officer & assistance of Elder for specific modules.
6 participants currently assigned to this program.
Social Integration Program for Women (SIPW) - Oct 18 - Nov 5/10
Facilitated by Aboriginal Correctional Program Officer
8 participants currently assigned to this program.
Pending Programming
Aboriginal Women Offender - Moderate Intensity Program (AWO-MIP) - Dec 7/10 - Mar 25/11
Facilitated by Aboriginal Correctional Program Officer & Elder
6 participants currently waitlisted for this program.
Aboriginal Peer Education Counsellor (APEC) - Nov 15 - 22/10
Facilitated by Health Services Nurse & Elder for specific modules.
6 participants currently waitlisted for this program.
Nobody's Perfect Parenting Program - Dec 6 - 16/10
Facilitated by Aboriginal Correctional Program Officer & Elder for specific modules.
5 participants currently waitlisted for this program.
Aboriginal Women's Engagement Program (AWEP) - Jan/11 (Tentative Date)
Facilitated by Aboriginal Correctional Program Officer & Elder
2 participants currently waitlisted for this program.
Aboriginal Women Offender - Self Management Program Institution (AWO-SMPI) - Feb/11 (Tentative Date)
Facilitated by Correctional Program Officer & assistance of Elder for specific modules.
Nekaneet Four Seasonal Horse Teachings Program - Jan - Feb/11 (Winter Session)
Facilitated by community Contractor & Elders
Nekaneet Four Seasonal Horse Teachings Program - Apr/11 (Spring Session)
Facilitated by community Contractor & Elders
Mother & Child Program (is it active)
There currently are no Mother-Child Program participants either part-time or full-time nor are there any pending applications for Mother-Child Program.
New Initiatives
Art Therapy by a community volunteer from Toronto, ON - Tentatively Nov 22 - Dec 3/10
This will be a voluntary program for the residents and conducted during evening and weekend hours over a period of 2 weeks.
Employment within the prison: positions:
OOHL continues to offer work placements in the Kitchen, Maintenance, Library, Janitorial Cleaning, APEC Peer Support, Ceramics, Stores, and Canteen. Most of the residents also are assigned to School half-time to work towards their GED 12 or to enhance their computer skills, if they already have grade 12/GED 12.
UTA’s, ETA’s:
OOHL continues to facilitate Personal Development ETA's to attend cultural/spiritual activities on the Nekaneet First Nation with 27 residents currently approved for these ETA packages. They must be free of institutional warnings (2)/charges (1) for at least 60 days and be regularly attending institutional cultural/spiritual activities/programs in order to be granted community ETA's. These ETA's occur as activities/events are scheduled in the community and are conducted as group non-security escorts with as many women as operationally possible (i.e. availability of escorting staff) and as always are dependent upon operational requirements.
There are also 15 residents currently approved for Personal Development ETA's to attend community AA meetings in Maple Creek, SK. Again they must be free of institutional warnings (2)/charges (1) for at least 60 days and be regularly attending in-house AA meetings in order to be granted community ETA's. These ETA's can occur as often as once a week however normally occur one to two times per month and are conducted as group non-security escorts with as many women as operationally possible (i.e. availability of escorting staff) and as always are dependent upon operational requirements. Unfortunately due to lack of staff availability we have not been able to conduct an ETA to a community AA meeting for quite some time now.
OOHL currently has no residents authorized for UTA's.
Work Release
We currently have 1 resident participating in a 60 day volunteer Work Release program in Maple Creek at the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Maple Creek and has just received approval from the Regional Deputy Commissioner to be extended beyond 60 days to 2011/03/31. We are very pleased to have received this extension and feel that it will be very beneficial to this woman's reintegration efforts. We have 1 ready to commence a 60 day volunteer Work Release Program at the Salvation Army Thrift Store & Church on 2010/11/08 to 2011/01/06. We have 1 other resident approved and will start likely in January 2011 and 1 pending applications being worked on and if approved will start in the near future.
Community Service
We have recently implemented Community Service ETA's to participate in voluntary activities within the Town of Maple Creek and the Nekaneet First Nations Reserve, SK. The Town of Maple Creek and the Nekaneet First Nation Reserve have several need areas where they are always asking for volunteers. Participation in the proposed Community Services ETA's will help participants to foster a positive community reintegration and a sense of community. The areas of need have been identified as, however not limited to, the following activities:
- Maintenance and upkeep of the Maple Creek cemetery
- Picking garbage and debris from ditches
- Maintenance and upkeep of local parks in Maple Creek
- Assisting with assembly and upkeep of the new Centennial Park in Maple Creek
- Snow removal on the walking trail in Maple Creek and other areas of the community (Maple Creek and Nekaneet First Nation reserve) during the winter
- Continued development, maintenance and upkeep of the walking trail in Maple Creek
- Maintenance, clean up and upkeep of Nekaneet First Nation Reserve
The duration of each ETA will vary dependant upon the volunteer activity however may be up to 6 hours from 0900 hours (9:00 a.m.) to 1500 hours (3:00 p.m.) per absence.
We currently have 4 women approved for Community Service ETA's and we have completed 5 such ETA's to Maple Creek thus far. The ETA's involve hard painstaking work however the women are really enjoying it and are getting a sense of satisfaction and pride for the positive results of their labour and for the visible improvements their work is making to the children's park area.
Health Services
Health Services department hours are 5 days per week for 8 hours per day.
Hours of health services
Health Services is open from 0800 hours (8:00 a.m.) to 1600 hours (4:00 p.m.) Monday to Friday only. In the case of emergency, the two full-time nurses can be contacted for consultation after hours and on weekend.
Medication distribution
Most medication is distributed to each resident through blister pack, which the resident is responsible for during the week. The resident must return their empty blister pack to Health Services to get a full one. Narcotics and restricted drugs are still dispensed during the hours that Health Services is open and through lock boxes in the Health Services department after hours and weekends that are witnessed by the Kimisinaw/Kistaceinaw (Older Sister/Older Brother) staff.
Availability of Nurses &. Doctors
As stated earlier, there is a Nurse on site, 5 days per week for 8 hours per day. Doctor services are obtained through the Medical Clinic in Maple Creek, SK. Maple Creek's health services continue to be a bit tenuous however there are still 4 doctors working at the Health Clinic. These are not all permanent assignments and critical shortages and hospital closures as a result of no available doctor are still a part of our reality. As well following a fire in April and then a flood in June 2010 the Dental office in Maple Creek has closed down so we are now taking residents to Medicine Hat for dental appointments. OOHL still is not able to provide the Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program due to no trained doctor specific to this program.
Mental Health Services
We conduct a monthly Multi-Disciplinary Committee (MDC) meeting chaired by the Psychologist and committee members consist of the Kikawinaw and or Assistant Kikawinaw, Kikawisinaw Assessment & Intervention, Kikawisinaw Programs, Parole Officers, Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Correctional Managers, and an Elder. The MDC reviews residents who present some traits or symptomology of mental health issues and discuss strategies to meet the needs and appropriately deal with the behaviours. Conversely a decision may be made by the committee that OOHL cannot meet the mental health needs of a woman and a referral will be made for transfer to RPC or EIFW, where there is greater access to mental health professionals.
We have a Community Mental Health Discharge Planner assigned to OOHL who works out of Prince Albert, SK. Any identified residents requiring mental health needs and assistance upon release are referred to the Discharge Planner six to nine months prior to their anticipated release date.
Availability of psychologists, psychiatrists
OOHL has one contract Psychologist who visits OOHL for 10 consecutive days per month. She is also available via telephone and email if consultation is required in between her visits.
Any changes to protocol (i.e.: Family visits, visits)
No changes and institutional procedures follow the CD's.
Smoking Ban
Number of women charged or fined with contraband or incident related to smoking ban.
Incidents related to the smoking ban do continue however are very low and have a minimal effect on the institution.
Spirituality
Elders available?
OOHL has a contract with Dale Mosquito of the Nekaneet First Nation to provide 5 local Elders to offer spiritual services to OOHL on a weekly rotation. Therefore there is an Elder at OOHL during the daytime hours (i.e. 0800 to 1600 hours) 7 days per week. We also have one Elder designated as a Program Elder who assists with the delivery of the new Aboriginal Women's Integrated Programs. Given that we are moving to all Aboriginal programming, we have identified the need for more Program Elder hours, which will be included in the next contract renewal.
Spiritual practices? (sweats etc)
OOHL generally conducts an institutional Sweat every other week however certain programs, such as Spirit of A Warrior and the Nekaneet Four Seasonal Horse Teachings Program have incorporated Sweat Lodge Ceremonies into their program curriculum and hold Sweats for program participants separate from the institutional sweats. The Elders also conduct Spring and Fall Feasts, Pipe Ceremonies, and additional healing ceremonies as they deem necessary or are requested.
We are hoping to take residents to at least one night of the Give Away Dance being held in the Nekaneet community Nov 11 - 14/10. The First Sundance Singing will likely be scheduled for Feb/11, Second Sundance Singing in Apr/11, Third Sundance Singing in May/11 and the Fourth Sundance Singing and Sundance Ceremony will be in June 2011. Participation and attendance at these spiritual events are important to those residents who have committed to dancing at the Sundance Ceremony as part of their self preparation.
Any special events or new initiatives you would like to share?
The residents have spent this week decorating the hall ways and Social Area in the Main Lodge for Halloween and are enjoying their Halloween Party tonight. They hosted a community Dinner on Oct 23/10.
Two Parole Officers from Regina Parole Office and the Program Director from the YWCA CRF in Regina will be on site to interview residents from the Regina area on Nov 3/10.
The Deputy Commissioner for Women, Jennifer Oades was on site for her first visit to OOHL on Oct 28/10.
OOHL in collaboration with the ACDO's in the community are currently processing approximately 4 applications for Section 84 release planning.
Any way E Fry might assist?
We look forward to Bernice's next visit and the Christmas Party with the residents scheduled for Nov 26/10.
November 5-7, 2010
The issue of lack of visitation of family at Okimaw Ohci is always present. The mother child program is still not running at Okimaw. Some children are coming for family visits but a number of women complained that the care givers of their children (family or foster) could not afford the cost of the trip and accommodation or did not have time to make the long trip to Okimaw. Staff also informed us that the process of applying requires a lot of paperwork, and many times the women do not meet the expected requirements.
The Iskwewak Committee was not completely formed on the last visit. The women were having difficulty with finding the constitution and therefore did not know what their roles entailed. It had been suggested that they ask staff for another copy or send out a request to EIFW.
Elder presence at Okimaw was reported to be good and the women did not bring any issue to us regarding access to Elders or ceremonies etc.
Isolation from family and friends was a common comment from the women. They also requested help to gather information from communities and services available upon release. They do not appear to be receiving the information they need.
We will be having a Christmas party at Okimaw Ohci. The date for this is November 26th, 2010. E Fry Saskatchewan will supply gifts for the women’s children and the women will wrap them on our next visit out.
Staff and the women at Okimaw Ohci have been very receptive to me as E Fry Advocate. It has been difficult for Caroleen and me to coordinate our times to visit Okimaw but we continue to strive for more consistent visits. The Deputy Director, Jennifer Flett met with us on our last visit. She was very helpful and has offered information on events and workshops etc.
OOHL Representative Bernice Perkins