By James Kissinger, M.A. LLP
“Crisis doesn’t change people; it reveals them.” – Eric Walters
On March 10th Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency in response to Michigan’s first two confirmed cases of COVID-19. By March 13th, schools across Michigan were ordered closed, large gatherings of people were banned and prison visits were restricted.
Michigan Department of Corrections Sexual Offender Services (SOS) administrative staff wrestled with how to manage the impending crisis within our prison facilities as well as within our communities. Hopes the virus would not spread and that operations could continue as normal within our communities were quickly squashed with the ever-increasing number of positive cases identified and with Governor Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order given on March 23rd.
Within our prisons, corrections staff felt the pressure of walking into work every day – in what amounts to working inside a petri dish for the coronavirus. After several cases were identified within our facilities, one corrections health professional wrote me, saying, “James, I get the feeling that people are not aware of what it feels like to be scared on a constant basis of being exposed and knowing, if our family gets sick, it’s because we are the ones responsible, they [our families] are not leaving home.” This is an insidious, evil virus. People are, as they should be – scared.
Within our communities, treatment providers banded together to figure out solutions. A conference call with vendors took place on March 20th to discuss options for continued assessment and treatment. Providers listened to each other and offered solutions. MDOC’s program manager for community-based treatment listened to the feedback and implemented changes. On March 25th, Dr. Toni Crocilla, a provider with experience providing telemedicine, provided a free webinar training with all state of Michigan vendors.
On March 27th, webinar trainings were provided to field operations administration, managerial and supervisory staff across the state of Michigan via three different webinar sessions. Implementation of statewide assessment and treatment for sexual offender services via -telehealth began within a week of discussion.
SOS Vendors, MDOC staff, and parole and probation agents demonstrated courage and understanding of the importance of the work being done. Staff within our correctional facilities and every single vendor providing sex offender programming for the state of Michigan jumped feet first into this crisis with solutions to problems.
Give of your time. Your wealth. Your thoughts. Your prayers. Those who are facing this insidiously evil virus at eye level and not blinking – they are heroes. They show up at our hospitals, our police stations and our correctional facilities to ensure that many of us can sit at home and work. Sit at home and complain on social media about being bored. Complain about having watched all the available Netflix or Amazon series. Express dismay at the dreary weather. Remember the mother, father, brother, sister, friend who puts themselves in harm’s way so that we can be safe – at home. From the bottom of my heart – thank you Michigan Department of Corrections staff. Thank you to the treatment providers and parole and probation agents who work with offenders within our communities and within our institutions. Thank you for treating people – like people. For ensuring the safety of others at risk to your own. Thank you.
“People working together can overcome many obstacles, often within themselves, and by doing so can make the world a better place.” – Mo Mowlam