6/11/20 UPDATE FROM IDOC DIRECTOR
MSG FROM DIRECTOR - COVID 19 UPDATE
Hi all-
It's been almost 12 weeks since Idaho experienced our first case of COVID-19. Since then, 3,260 people have tested positive and 85 people have died from COVID-19 complications. Our corrections system remains one of only a small handful of state systems without a positive coronavirus case. To date, we've tested 56 people in custody and all 56 tests have returned negative. 10 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Eagle Pass, TX, and all 10 have returned negative as well.
Visiting and Volunteer Services Remain Closed: Governor Little has issued guidance to gradually reopen businesses and return people to work in the state. His "Rebound Idaho" plan specifies that visiting to jails and prisons could potentially be reopened in mid-June as part of Stage 4, but that the decision for jails, prisons, and assisted living centers has to be made based on the safety of the residents. Earlier today, Governor Little announced that Idaho met the criteria to move to Stage 4. . .but barely. At this point, we don't feel we can safely resume visiting and volunteer services.
Right now, community spread of COVID-19 continues in over half the counties in Idaho. We're working with the infectious disease control experts at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to develop some objective criteria to help determine when we can safely resume those activities. In the meantime, a workgroup has been putting together plans for what resuming those activities will look like, and we hope to pilot some of those new procedures with limited visiting at CRCs in the near future.
I hope you know we are working as hard and fast as we can to safely resume visiting. We know it is hard to be separated from your friends and family during incarceration, and harder still to not have access to in-person visits, but the reality of the situation is that people coming into our facilities from the outside continue to pose the greatest risk to all of you.
Communication Options: While visiting and volunteer services remain closed, we are working hard to keep you connected to family and friends. Our partners at CenturyLink will continue to offer 2 free, 15-minute phone calls per week 1 free video visit per month 2 free e-stamps per week price matching WA stamps free return e-stamps on Wednesdays and calls reduced to $0.09/minute through July 23, 2020. We're working to extend those opportunities for a longer period of time.
Medically Vulnerable Populations: We have a number of people who by age or medical conditions have been identified as being more vulnerable to COVID-19 complications and have been moved to special housing. If you're in that group, please know that we're mindful of how hard this has been on you and we're trying to be creative in how we can provide additional opportunities to you. It's tough, but our highest priority is keeping you safe. Prisons division leadership is working with the Wardens to find some solutions.
Hazard Pay: Later today, Chief Page is going to distribute a memo announcing hazard bonuses for incarcerated people working in our facilities. This gesture is in recognition of all of your hard work to help keep COVID-19 out of our system. You all play such a huge role with your efforts. I hope you know how much we appreciate it.
Whats Next: For all of you incarcerated, the risk hasn't changed much since the middle of March. This is still an outside-in threat, and to protect you, we have to keep it out. The obvious solution to put everyone's mind at ease is to have a vaccine or an effective treatment. Since those are likely to be months away, we're looking to testing and how that can change our operations for the better. Soon, we'll be rolling out an ID NOW testing instrument that provides rapid test results. We're also working with the Veterans Administration to make use of some additional testing capacity. We're excited about what these new tools will mean.
I'm certainly happy that we've been able to keep COVID-19 out of our system thanks to so many people working together. I'm also nervous because we're not out of the woods yet. Right now, people are anxious to get back to something that feels like normal. I feel that way too. But that's the risk. I don't want to keep visiting closed, but I also don't think the dynamics in our communities support opening it back up yet. In fact, I think it means we have to be more vigilant than ever as people have more and more contact with others in the community. We WILL find a path forward that allows us to reopen visiting and volunteer services, but we're all going to have to do our part including your friends and family who want to visit. Please continue to practice good sanitation and hygiene practices. Wash your hands regularly, and wear a cloth face covering when you're unable to have physical distance from others. And tell your loved ones to do the same.
Finally, just thank you! None of us have been through an extended public health crisis like this before, and we've genuinely appreciated how all of you have stepped to help and/or been patient. I know it hasn't been easy for you. Please take care of yourself.
Thanks-
Josh
Hi all-
It's been almost 12 weeks since Idaho experienced our first case of COVID-19. Since then, 3,260 people have tested positive and 85 people have died from COVID-19 complications. Our corrections system remains one of only a small handful of state systems without a positive coronavirus case. To date, we've tested 56 people in custody and all 56 tests have returned negative. 10 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Eagle Pass, TX, and all 10 have returned negative as well.
Visiting and Volunteer Services Remain Closed: Governor Little has issued guidance to gradually reopen businesses and return people to work in the state. His "Rebound Idaho" plan specifies that visiting to jails and prisons could potentially be reopened in mid-June as part of Stage 4, but that the decision for jails, prisons, and assisted living centers has to be made based on the safety of the residents. Earlier today, Governor Little announced that Idaho met the criteria to move to Stage 4. . .but barely. At this point, we don't feel we can safely resume visiting and volunteer services.
Right now, community spread of COVID-19 continues in over half the counties in Idaho. We're working with the infectious disease control experts at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to develop some objective criteria to help determine when we can safely resume those activities. In the meantime, a workgroup has been putting together plans for what resuming those activities will look like, and we hope to pilot some of those new procedures with limited visiting at CRCs in the near future.
I hope you know we are working as hard and fast as we can to safely resume visiting. We know it is hard to be separated from your friends and family during incarceration, and harder still to not have access to in-person visits, but the reality of the situation is that people coming into our facilities from the outside continue to pose the greatest risk to all of you.
Communication Options: While visiting and volunteer services remain closed, we are working hard to keep you connected to family and friends. Our partners at CenturyLink will continue to offer 2 free, 15-minute phone calls per week 1 free video visit per month 2 free e-stamps per week price matching WA stamps free return e-stamps on Wednesdays and calls reduced to $0.09/minute through July 23, 2020. We're working to extend those opportunities for a longer period of time.
Medically Vulnerable Populations: We have a number of people who by age or medical conditions have been identified as being more vulnerable to COVID-19 complications and have been moved to special housing. If you're in that group, please know that we're mindful of how hard this has been on you and we're trying to be creative in how we can provide additional opportunities to you. It's tough, but our highest priority is keeping you safe. Prisons division leadership is working with the Wardens to find some solutions.
Hazard Pay: Later today, Chief Page is going to distribute a memo announcing hazard bonuses for incarcerated people working in our facilities. This gesture is in recognition of all of your hard work to help keep COVID-19 out of our system. You all play such a huge role with your efforts. I hope you know how much we appreciate it.
Whats Next: For all of you incarcerated, the risk hasn't changed much since the middle of March. This is still an outside-in threat, and to protect you, we have to keep it out. The obvious solution to put everyone's mind at ease is to have a vaccine or an effective treatment. Since those are likely to be months away, we're looking to testing and how that can change our operations for the better. Soon, we'll be rolling out an ID NOW testing instrument that provides rapid test results. We're also working with the Veterans Administration to make use of some additional testing capacity. We're excited about what these new tools will mean.
I'm certainly happy that we've been able to keep COVID-19 out of our system thanks to so many people working together. I'm also nervous because we're not out of the woods yet. Right now, people are anxious to get back to something that feels like normal. I feel that way too. But that's the risk. I don't want to keep visiting closed, but I also don't think the dynamics in our communities support opening it back up yet. In fact, I think it means we have to be more vigilant than ever as people have more and more contact with others in the community. We WILL find a path forward that allows us to reopen visiting and volunteer services, but we're all going to have to do our part including your friends and family who want to visit. Please continue to practice good sanitation and hygiene practices. Wash your hands regularly, and wear a cloth face covering when you're unable to have physical distance from others. And tell your loved ones to do the same.
Finally, just thank you! None of us have been through an extended public health crisis like this before, and we've genuinely appreciated how all of you have stepped to help and/or been patient. I know it hasn't been easy for you. Please take care of yourself.
Thanks-
Josh