Family and Friends Newsletter-January 2021

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missouri department of corrections

Family and Friends Newsletter | January 2021

New Year New Opportunities

2021

2020 brought many new challenges.  Although the Department was forced to shift some priorities due to the pandemic, much was accomplished in 2020.  

20 Things the Department did in 2020.

We look forward to the opportunities that abound in 2021.  The Department continues to focus on our aspiration to "Improve Lives for Safer Communities".   Our strategic plan includes many initiatives and we anticipate great progress this year.

FY21 Placemat

COVID-19 Vaccines

Vaccine

The State of Missouri has activated Phase 1B, Tiers 1 and 2, of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout plan. 

The vaccine will be made available to all Missouri Department of Corrections staff as part of Phase 1B, Tier 1.

Phase 1B, Tier 2, includes all Missourians in high-risk populations, such as people age 65 or older and those with specific medical conditions placing them at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness. This category includes some offenders currently housed in Department of Corrections facilities. It applies only to offenders in high-risk populations. If an offender is eligible to receive a vaccination as part of Tier 2 of Phase 1B, medical staff will contact them in the near future and ask whether they choose to be vaccinated. The remaining offender population will be included in a later phase of the vaccine rollout plan.

Please note that at this time, a sufficient supply of vaccine to cover Phase 1B has not yet arrived in Missouri. However, an increased supply of the vaccine has started to arrive in Missouri.

Meanwhile, offenders are asked to continue to take precautions to protect themselves and the people around them.

You can learn more about the vaccine at MOStopsCovid.com


Cashapp Accounts

Cashapp

There is NO legitimate reason for an offender to request that their family and friends place money on a Cash App Account for purchases inside the prison. Many of our Offenders are convincing family members on the outside that it is for food, clothing or other items when they are actually having them transfer money to cashapp accounts for the purchase of K2, other drugs and contraband. 

The only way for a loved one to legally place funds on an offenders account is via Securus or by mailing a money order to the Offender Finance Office.

The only way an offender can legally purchase items is by utilizing their offender account to make purchases at the Offender Canteen or an approved vendor.

Individuals who are involved in illicit or illegal activities can place everyone at risk. Because prison is a place where these types of activities occur, the Department has established a way for you and the offenders to report such activities. If you are aware of inappropriate or illegal activities occurring, you may call the Crime Tips Hotline at (573) 526-7000. If an offender wishes to report such activities, they may do so by calling *9555 from an inmate phone within the prison. Be sure to leave as much information as possible to include dates, names and times.

Remember keeping illegal activities out of the prisons keeps everyone safer.


Resources for Families of Incarcerated Individuals

Federal Stimulus Check-Economic Impact Payment (EIP)

A federal court ruled that qualifying incarcerated people were eligible to receive a federal stimulus check (Economic Impact Payment, or EIP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). In order to receive a check, the offender had to fill out an IRS Form 1040 with “EIP 2020” written at the top and mail it to the IRS by the set deadline. Information was posted in housing unit wings and the offender library. 

You may check the status of a federal stimulus check online or at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment or by calling the IRS at 800-919-9835. 

You may learn more about how the Department is handling stimulus checks once received at https://doc.mo.gov/programs/family-friends/stimulus-check.