[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6287867,"mediaKeyId","2546207-61618ac990543c1067ce7d17b92fabbc","parentId",2546207,"title","DOC highlights reentry programs: college courses, pre‑apprenticeship and vocational training","audioSeconds",572,"startMs",2288225,"endMs",2860760,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2546207-61618ac990543c1067ce7d17b92fabbc&start=2288&end=2860","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2546207-61618ac990543c1067ce7d17b92fabbc/thumbnail_2288225.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6287867/Oregon/DOC-highlights-reentry-programs-college-courses-preapprenticeship-and-vocational-training","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287867-05199808b87f5b2802b0d171e8198598/orig.mp4?Expires=1770497040&Signature=Jur0kVRLZ7cI9zSq-TkS2wXmGgCyQuFcJAKdYsanETYBcNakZxxXdmPRsNgEY5zrf7SOyjIAP1fviLpqHSxmqR1RO2csHQlJmMtqI4~j1dOBf5adImQhMrXMnaRD5kNA8Tk-LGLXV-c7zp3uftO~~MZ5~f9G2jpT3FeqgLfx5m2DhZaU-FSqZnWXoHoqQZ9J4nuKF1-aPik35~W42XFUrL5xLMY2jkt~2sRihsMS8LxTmmGWDqMuSm~nfdqX90xEpQCKMcetsZjvRM~l9-cLRad-sSdaXRST~L813YJ9M8Z0WPXsLbd5rKsVTofuslApjYg7koSbRptRdkq2F1vxYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Department of Corrections officials told the Public Safety Subcommittee on March 11 that education, vocational training and reentry services have expanded in recent years, driven by the reinstatement of federal Pell eligibility and state pilot programs.

Larry Bennett, assistant director of the Correctional Services Division, highlighted a range of programs intended to improve post‑release employment and housing outcomes. He described the U Pack pre‑apprenticeship program at Coffee Creek, funded in part by Portland General Electric and run with local trade unions, and a heavy equipment operator \"Land Lab\" at Warner Creek run with ODOT and Baker Technical Institute.

Bennett said college participation climbed from 98 students in 2022 to more than 800 students after Pell reinstatement and a Senate Bill 1522 pilot that expanded online education at Coffee Creek and Snake River. He described the Corban University bachelor program at OSCI (sponsored by the Paid in Full nonprofit), which recently graduated its first cohort, and a braille transcription program at OSP that is expanding to Coffee Creek.

\"More than 92 percent of our population will eventually release, and the average sentence is between four and five years,\" Bennett told the committee, describing the rationale for investing in education and transition services. He said transition funds assist with IDs, transportation, hygiene items and clothing at release, and that the department partners with OHA and community organizations on post‑release navigation and benefits enrollment.

Bennett described grant‑funded and donor programs — including parenting curricula, PCC clear clinics for record clearing, and reentry benefit coordinators funded through OHA — and said many programs rely on partnerships with nonprofits, state agencies and volunteers. He said the Visiting Services team processes about 1,500 visiting applications per month and noted partnerships with more than 500 faith volunteers statewide.

DOC officials asked the committee to consider two policy option packages: one focused on housing and reentry to secure stable housing prior to release, and another on gender‑responsive and trauma‑informed care for women at Coffee Creek.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee On Ways and Means Subcommittee On Public Safety 03/11/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","DOC officials told the House Public Safety Subcommittee on March 11 that Pell reinstatement and state pilots helped grow participation in college courses from fewer than 100 students in 2022 to more than 800, and outlined apprenticeship, vocational and reentry programs aimed at improving employment and housing after release.","taxTitle","Public Safety, Ways and Means, Joint, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",18852,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6287872,"DOC health services briefing: off‑site care backlog, MOUD redesign and EHR rollout delays",969,1274805,2244109,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2546207-61618ac990543c1067ce7d17b92fabbc&start=1274&end=2244","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2546207-61618ac990543c1067ce7d17b92fabbc/thumbnail_1274805.jpg","/articles/6287872/Oregon/DOC-health-services-briefing-offsite-care-backlog-MOUD-redesign-and-EHR-rollout-delays","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287872-f3001ab745b2db51db0bc148f3fc8386/orig.mp4?Expires=1770497040&Signature=mWOxumCHs0ydxTZxBW~sTl77LIZRggfRib9gK9CE4n8VqLbb69C08lR~ABaa9Y4LDoDj82DH0Hi6DDbzLTfzekSkAZmKDo0Z5BfEMwzf5aXgP79p~aAOsmVg~CmBZ9cZq7WNySdS1EMAiR8nrsTARZNZlZYzzXyg-f~yejeM3rRK6GHThvD69bHsJPhWyPe6CqzWuA7X1PB6C3Ac6z86a5xJ2u37I3u6tp87CWAI9qdsbBrxMniNVsF~CXRzPUHa5fVkdRh4BGrr1SEp9~-a8eBKblvittW0FEdiRkB4NhWxp2I7GtFnNDcEJfumqrtG1JygMTiIjWy7Ct1zGB3Rgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","PORTLAND, Ore. — Heidi Stewart, deputy director of the Oregon Department of Corrections and interim health services assistant director, told the Public Safety Subcommittee on March 11 that health services is under strain from staffing shortages, high pharmaceutical costs and scheduling backlogs for off‑site specialty care, and described planned changes including an EHR rollout and MOUD program redesign.

\"Pharmaceutical costs continue to have a significant impact on expenses,\" Stewart told the committee. She said hepatitis C antivirals, long‑acting injectable antipsychotics, biologics and oncology drugs account for a large share of pharmacy spending and that those medications treat about 7.5% of the adults in custody but represent roughly half the pharmaceutical expense.

Staffing pressures have increased reliance on contracted medical personnel. Stewart said the department spent about $17.4 million on medical contracting services last biennium and projects $33.2 million this biennium — a roughly 52% increase — driven by nurse contracting and the use of additional locum contractors.

Stewart described efforts to reduce off‑site care backlogs: reorganizing scheduling under a single clinical supervisor, adding schedulers and ordering additional wheelchair vans to increase transport capacity. She said January off‑site medical trips were 14% higher than the 2024 average after recent adjustments.

Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) has presented operational challenges after the department moved away from injectables to tablets. Stewart said tablets have lengthened med‑line times and increased diversion. The department is redesigning the MOUD program and \"we're looking at going back to the injectables. Once a month injectable,\" she said.

On electronic health records, Stewart said DOC is near configuration completion for an EHR with a multi‑phase rollout that will pilot at Coffee Creek in August and OSP in September, with remaining institutions to follow in November. She said dental functionality will not be fully available at initial launch and the department is not requesting added funding for the delay.

Stewart also described quality‑improvement work with the contracted Falcon team and plans to expand clinical pharmacist roles to treat hepatitis C and improve outcomes. She said a lack of permanent clinical staff has driven higher contract staffing costs and that increasing pay for permanent nurses could reduce contracting expenditures.

DOC committed to providing additional data requested by committee members, including wastewater testing trends, staff assault and workplace safety data, and details on off‑site scheduling and aging incarcerated populations.","Deputy Director Heidi Stewart told a legislative subcommittee March 11 that Oregon DOC health services faces shortages of permanent clinicians, rising contract nurse costs, bottlenecks in off‑site specialty care, and medication management challenges that are prompting a redesign of the MOUD program and a staged EHR rollout.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6287877,"DOC outlines security upgrades under budget request: body scanners, drone detection, cameras and wastewater pilot",165,778705,944220,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2546207-61618ac990543c1067ce7d17b92fabbc&start=778&end=944","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2546207-61618ac990543c1067ce7d17b92fabbc/thumbnail_778705.jpg","/articles/6287877/Oregon/DOC-outlines-security-upgrades-under-budget-request-body-scanners-drone-detection-cameras-and-wastewater-pilot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287877-32135c79513d9a8cfb587ab9a0bf12bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770497040&Signature=ejrfx7g0TfE8sc5aLPnpDPiY4aLehLVZp40f23U2MJOhY80WpDZnTpfBD~TyCWADnFNQ4IPYfRe3txQfAxdzb-4CBk0W4MVi9NP2f65tn5fwUO6w6qX-ZTIwioBkbPfm8lJFju-pFn563H6d1iEYnFh9ln9aKDnoU4a5NlTfMfWhwZ3IFqslFHa5wv1l92unmuwuQHr9aL6n~YxVaWpxrpkoS1yj5JVbLg-slsSgYMMscnlREl7DQpoArCN7WyffHrNFwW5FvRYuLdwmRH8Y87rDt3Bcw4BHnzoA4c6b4HXuGr0yvzKVdpj9iGINMD00aZ-aNujkQjkjbyKf99~brA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","PORTLAND, Ore. — Department of Corrections officials told the Public Safety Subcommittee on March 11 they are seeking to expand technology and programmatic measures to reduce contraband and increase safety, including body scanners, drone detection systems, body‑worn cameras and a wastewater testing pilot at three institutions.

\"With the supported policy option package 201, we'll be able to install 5 body scanners at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility,\" Josh Heiberger said, describing the department's request to add scanners at intake points to reduce traumatic searches and contraband risk.

DOC officials said body scanners are intended to complement — not replace — canine teams and targeted searches, and noted successes from canine detection. The department also described a pilot program to test wastewater sampling as an intelligence tool to detect drugs in facilities. DOC said wastewater testing is currently piloted at Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP), Oregon State Correctional Institution (OSCI) and Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI).

Legal limits on active counter‑measures were raised in committee. Committee members asked whether DOC could neutralize or intercept drones. The department's response referenced federal jurisdiction: \"it's my understanding that we are prevented from intercepting drones by FCC regulation at this point in time,\" a DOC witness said, adding DOC can detect drone activity but not bring a drone down.

On body‑worn cameras, DOC cited outside jurisdictions' results — including reductions in excessive force complaints and staff assaults in Florida and New York corrections systems — and said cameras can support accountability and reduce litigation costs.

DOC also presented other security technology under consideration, such as drone detection systems that provide real‑time tracking, and an expansion of canine teams. Lawmakers questioned whether to pair technological investments with continued canine capacities; several members argued for a combined approach.

The department said it will continue the wastewater testing pilot and provide data trends to the committee as the pilot matures.","At the March 11 budget hearing on HB 5004, Oregon Department of Corrections officials described existing and proposed security measures — including canine teams, a wastewater testing pilot, body scanners at Coffee Creek, drone detection systems and body‑worn cameras — and discussed legal limits on intercepting drones.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6287882,"Oregon DOC tells budget panel it has 248 security vacancies, pilots new trainee roles",69,127565,196870,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2546207-61618ac990543c1067ce7d17b92fabbc&start=127&end=196","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2546207-61618ac990543c1067ce7d17b92fabbc/thumbnail_127565.jpg","/articles/6287882/Oregon/Oregon-DOC-tells-budget-panel-it-has-248-security-vacancies-pilots-new-trainee-roles","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287882-011773495af58c912882afb3ba6e6d9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770497040&Signature=QPoAogAQUxw0KgrGEpmQVt-kIdosZMZzF~1TwrnMYq9g3-rC3gvf~LCstoh3iSSlVuDmM~PHL0ab7mzjN6eDpyHZtQ3hN9uK2s1EhxoREecrtxK2CZDcAICsMZxDw0du0yVGGuel-gadcyfeOOa1RqoDyBFf2cRatShye4z8PV7w8qaJIpR2duCqubNAtvUIUtwXICxuqXoSNGgoGkNZP9Rp5Kkm2tsOFZuZR~Ny6NEAWT8C4-rcPGpRNin4mE9R414S5uKw2RIsG6tP8wREaIv3-s9s0ETtIQ2hbUTPdQTUArLxFRarz5VWM125cACSCDMpC3Mfiz82ZWuCxRlApQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Corrections told the Public Safety Subcommittee on March 11 that it currently has 248 statewide vacancies in its security series, including about 200 correctional officer positions, and that those shortages are forcing changes to daily operations and increasing overtime.

\"Currently, we have 248 statewide vacancies in the security series with 200 of those being correction officer positions,\" Josh Heiberger, assistant director of operations for the Oregon Department of Corrections, said during the hearing on House Bill 5004, the department's budget bill.

Heiberger and Director Mike Reese said five facilities account for roughly 84% of the department's security vacancies. The short staffing has led institutions to close nonessential posts and reduce recreation and program time for adults in custody, the department said.

Why it matters: staffing gaps in a 24‑hour corrections operation change how facilities run day to day and increase safety risks and overtime costs. Lawmakers pressed DOC staff on recruitment, retention and whether recent efforts are producing measurable improvements.

DOC outlined several near‑term steps the agency has taken: hiring a human resources assistant at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, adding two HR positions to support hiring at the highest‑vacancy institutions, and creating a temporary ‘‘correctional specialist trainee’’ classification launched in December 2024. Heiberger said 22 people had been hired into the trainee classification, with 17 now filling positions or moving toward permanent correctional officer status and four having left the program so far.

\"Although it's still early in the process, we are seeing positive gains,\" Heiberger said when presenting three‑month before/after hiring data comparing September–November to December–February.

Committee members asked whether regional factors — such as housing availability and local labor markets — explain differences in vacancy rates between Eastern Oregon institutions and facilities closer to the Portland metro area. Heiberger cited housing availability, cost of living, and competition from other employers as contributing factors.

The department also said it is adding recruitment capacity and experimenting with training alignment with DPSST so that certifications could be portable between county and state work, a step lawmakers signaled they support.

Department leaders emphasized the human impact of vacancies on staff and adults in custody, and the need for continued investment in recruitment and retention to avoid recurring overtime and service reductions.

Looking ahead: DOC told the committee it will continue to track results from the trainee program and additional HR positions and report back with updated vacancy and hiring metrics.","At a March 11 Public Safety Subcommittee hearing on House Bill 5004, Oregon Department of Corrections officials said 248 statewide security vacancies are straining operations and outlined recruitment steps including correctional specialist trainee positions and added HR staff at high‑vacancy facilities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DOC highlights reentry programs: college courses, pre‑apprenticeship and vocational training

DOC health services briefing: off‑site care backlog, MOUD redesign and EHR rollout delays

DOC outlines security upgrades under budget request: body scanners, drone detection, cameras and wastewater pilot

Oregon DOC tells budget panel it has 248 security vacancies, pilots new trainee roles