All DOC Central Office Complexes participated in the 2020 Prison Fellowship Angel Tree Christmas Project. Each child received a fun gift and a clothing gift. There were a total of 170 gifts purchased and the gifts went out to the 85 children of offenders in 40 households.

For over a decade, District 25 has held a full day of ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. In 2020, they had 14 staff assist from IAC’s and Probation and Parole Officers to even a retired SOSA who came back to offer support. District Administrator James Berry commented, "Our thanks goes out every year to the various organizations who help our community and our clients be more successful. From the Thrift Stores who work with us to obtain “interview ready” clothing for our recently returning clients (who often arrive with literally nothing), to our Rescue Mission who assist us with short term housing in times of crisis. A community needs many forms of support, and we feel this offers a great chance to support the overall group in our area. The willingness of our staff to step up and assist our community by just ringing a bell in the cold for couple of hours, during busy time of the year, (with a great attitude mind you!) is greatly appreciated. We always have fun, we show the community we care, and we help those less fortunate with a chance to move forward to a better life. We are humbled to be able to participate in this event that moves to the same goals we work towards each and every day of the year!"n

Meckenzie Hayes returned to the Department of Corrections in November 2020 to serve as the Employee Trauma Specialist. Meckenzie was previously a Probation and Parole Officer in Columbia, before transferring to the Governor’s Office to help coordinate the Justice Reinvestment Initiative in July 2019. During her time as an officer, she completed graduate school and obtained her social work licensure.

As the Trauma Specialist, Meckenzie’s role is to guide the department’s efforts to improve its response to staff members who experience (directly or indirectly) stressful workplace events. In addition to facilitating this effort, she can also: process with staff following a serious incident and follow up over a period of time, assist staff in connecting to resources in their community for ongoing care (including those specializing in services to first responders and corrections professionals), assist with the completion and tracking of applications for financial assistance through the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation (CPOF), and help staff navigate the EAP/SELF process. Meckenzie will also coordinate the PACT program for the Department.

Contacting Meckenzie is free, voluntary and confidential. She can be reached at 573-526-3021, or by email at Meckenzie.Hayes@doc.mo.gov. Please refrain from providing sensitive information through email.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact your local 24 hour crisis line. To find the number for your area, visit: https://dmh.mo.gov/mental-illness/program-services/behavioral-health-crisis-hotline or contact one of the following 24/7 resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

Veteran’s Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255 PRESS 1 or TEXT 838255. Chat online at: www.veteranscrisisline.net/

Missouri Crisis Text Line: Text MOSAFE to 741741- or BADGE to 741741 for first responders.

Safe Call Now- 24/7 help line staffed by first responders, for first responders. 1-206-459-3020

Kim Fearn, SOSA at District 21, was chosen at the P&P Employee of the 3rd Quarter for 2020. Kim was nominated by DA Laura Fehrenbach. Laura wrote, "Kim Fearn is the Clerical Supervisor for District 21,  the Chair of the Clerical Task Force, and a member of the Manual Work Group and the MOCIS Intake Implementation team. Kimberly consistently goes above and beyond her duties within the office.  

With that being stated, our District office relocated after downsizing our space by over 50 percent. Kim took the lead, coordinating with staff from Central Office in Jefferson City, to surplus ten extra wooden desks, the last minute recycling of a lot of ancient metal desks, outdated full sized copy machines, broken faxes, etc. She delegated one of her clerical staff to purge the supply room and pack everything belonging to the office that we needed to bring along.  She worked beyond core hours, even a weekend, to ensure things were moved or removed by meeting with people who purchased surplus office equipment or were willing to haul things free of charge. During and after the move, she coordinated with ITSD and personally made sure every staff person was connected to the new server, their drives were mapped and printers installed. 

Kim worked out issues with the postal service and ensure our address was changed and that we would actually receive our mail. She completed all the necessary paperwork and record keeping to finish the job. The district relocation would never have been completed with such efficiency if it were not for Kim. Her initiative with this project was outstanding and was a good example of her consistent leadership."

Congratulations Kim!

Caitlin Rudolph joined the Department of Corrections in March of 2020 as Employee Wellness Coordinator. She came to Missouri from Texas and has experience working in an Emergency Room as a Physician Technician and Disability Services as a Program Manager. In both previous positions she helped lead department-wide wellness initiatives. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and an MBA in Healthcare Administration.

The purpose of her position is to identify and bring awareness to existing resources, cultivate new wellness initiatives and collaborate with internal and external partners to provide holistic wellness resources to MoDOC employees.

Any suggestions for wellness are welcome and can be directed to wellness@doc.mo.gov.

My name is Shannon. I am a mother of two wonderful and beautiful kids. My daughter is 20 and my son is six. I have a good job, a nice home, but there is something you don’t see. I’m an addict, more specific a functioning addict. That means I maintain day to day activities like house, work, kids and job and still appear normal to people.

When some people look at me they would say no not her. It’s my dark secret. I have done “METH” for 20 years. Believe me when I say this is not what I wanted out of life. Let me give you some history about myself. The things I’m about to tell you aren’t pretty, but it’s my life.

I grew up in a small town in southern Missouri. My mom and dad divorced when I was nine. I don’t remember a lot but I do remember the abuse between by mom and dad. The beating my mom took, the guns that I stood in front of so he wouldn’t shoot her. After they divorced it was just me, mom and my little brother. Dad stopped coming around and didn’t help mom out at all. Mom worked a lot so it was just me and my brother.

I was 12 when we started staying with a new babysitter. A longtime friend of the family. Her and her husband kept us all the time. We did a lot of things together. Some of the things never should have happened. Her husband sexually abused me for almost two years. I endured this and told no one. Maybe I should have, but I was afraid no one would believe me.

I started acting out fighting more and this is about the time my mom started using drugs. When she would be high there was always people around. When she would start to come down is when I would get slapped in the mouth or whipped for stuff that I didn’t do. My brother was small so I got most of it. After getting the whooping, I would take my anger out on him. I almost killed him twice.

In school I was a straight A student, anything less and I would get in trouble. I played sports and was in every club possible. I wanted to make my parents proud of me and most of all I didn’t want to do drugs like they did. So I studied hard and when I graduated, I joined the Air Force just like my dad. I was an MP. I got cut on a medical discharge and came back to the South. After a year or so I met my daughter’s dad.

I guess drugs was a big thing at that time because everyone was doing them. I still didn’t want to do them. By this time I had finished school again and was an EMT and first responder. I was living back with my mom and two brothers. I started working at a factor and met my daughter’s dad. We moved in together and my mom moved back to the hills. I started seeing signs I knew all too well. He was on drugs. We did okay at first, but I kept seeing different girls come and go all hours of the night and I started to get insecure and we fought a lot. One night I decided to ask him if I could try it too. That one choice put my life in a direction I never wanted to go. I knew that most of my family had some kind of drug problem with alcohol, drugs and gambling and we all had some form of mental health problem.

I realized after that first line, I was doomed. We stayed high almost every day until we found out that I was going to have my daughter. So for the next five years I was sober. During this time I had went back to school and got a degree in Nursing. Our marriage then started falling apart. We separated and there was my first relapse. I stayed high for the next 4 years. In 2011, I got my first Possession charge and lost my daughter to my ex-husband. I did three years, during which I did inpatient and outpatient rehab. I had moved to Poplar Bluff when I got in trouble. I didn’t get to see my daughter for the first year. She was gone. I stayed high until I was put on paper. The second time I got clean I met my son’s dad. I got off papers and was high again. In January 2014, I found out that I was having my son and again I got clean. I had a lot of problems with him and right after I gave birth I flat-lined. They brought me back. You would think that since I was given a second chance I wouldn’t mess up, but I did. His father and I started getting high again and then our problems started getting worse so I left and he went to prison.

I met someone during this this time and we were sober together. Again “METH” came back into my life. Number 3 relapse. He beat me almost to death. I left and a few months later I was back with him. It was off and on for the next couple of years. In 2017, he go in trouble for Possession and I guess he made a deal because three weeks later I caught my second charge. It wasn't until I read my paperwork from Court I knew that he and I were set up.

I lost my son to foster care and I wasn’t going to lose another child. So the 4^th recovery started. I was put on papers again. My sobriety started again. I fought hard to get my son home. This time I had to get a support system. I had one relapse in the beginning when my uncle committed suicide. With the help of my caseworker from DFS, the foster parents, counselors and Probation and Parole Officer, they helped me get through it. I got sober again and my son was home.

In just a few months I will have been clean for three years. I struggle and fight every day not to get high. Some days are harder than others, but when that happens, I focus on things I like to do. I make signs and paint. That always helps. I also have my daughter back in my life now. Starting next year I’m going back to school to get my Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with the emphasis on substance use disorders. In five years, I will be doing a job I’ve always wanted to do, but with personal experience. People are always going to judge with things they don’t understand.

Addiction is not a choice, that first time is the choice. During my recovery I have two sayings I have lived by: Always Be Strong And Believe & Every Saint Has A Past And Every Sinner Has A Future. No one is perfect, we all have our demons. My life has just started, I’ll fight everyday and I’ll help someone else fight if they need it. Just keep your support system close. It does work.

PPO Cliff George, Karen George (DFS Case Worker), Ryan Walker, Bryan and Trina Stratton (SEMO Behavioral Health), Joy and Travis Bryant (foster parents) are always here when I need them and I can’t thank them enough. In a few months I’ll be off probation and I will have done three years. Even though I won’t have to see some of the people mentioned, I know that if I get to a place where I need them they will be there to help me through.

In February 2020, I start another chapter of my life. I’ve finally enrolled back in college. In three years I will have my Bachelors in Psychology with the emphasis on addiction. Something I’ve wanted for a while. As I go forward in my life, I know some will see me as an addict and still won’t achieve anything. To those that know and love me, I’ll be known as an overcomer and a success in life. Finally I am making my children proud of me.

We are so proud of you Shannon! Thank you for sharing your story!

How do we enter an assessment in the Automated System for a Partial SAR?

As the case will remain active to the sending location in OPII, this will not generate a transfer of the case in ORAS Automation.  When completing the SAR for another District, after completion of the interview, then scoring, submit the approved score sheet (found in the K-Drive, CASE MANAGEMENT folder) to the following email address: doc.oras.entry@doc.mo.gov

Make sure to include the information in Notes sections and Overall Impression sections per directions in the ORAS User Manual (also found in the K-Drive CASE MANAGEMENT folder).