Many residents have multiple addictions to alcohol and/or other drugs, weak problem-solving and self-management skills, poor parenting skills, and low self-esteem. Residents have also typically established poor priorities in life and are involved in dysfunctional relationships. Faith communities can play a significant role in the lives of residents by providing hope, compassion, and helping them to understand and internalize ultimate issues. The SLC provides opportunities for residents from diverse faiths to develop and restore relationships with God, their families, communities and crime victims.

Why a Spiritual Life Center is needed and the benefits it offers:
ECF has constructed a freestanding Spiritual Life Center (SLC) with approximately 9,167 square feet of floor space. The design incorporates six classrooms, an audio/video/book library, two chaplain offices and a sanctuary that accommodates up to 300 people. The project was accomplished through the efforts of volunteers and facility staff using resident labor. Funding has come exclusively from donations received from individuals, corporations and grants from private foundations. Other funding has come through the residents who have sold craft items, made Jaycee's donations and made tithes.

Current and Planned Religious Programming
Chaplaincy Services are designed to assist inmates affiliated with all recognized faith groups/denominations to achieve individual spiritual growth. Inmates are afforded opportunities to participate in their primary worship service and any special services/activities open to the general population. Various counseling services are also available including individual, marriage, parenting, crisis, grieving and spiritual counseling.

The SLC also provides space to expand support group activities such as Jaycees, Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous, Master Life, Experiencing God and Making Peace With Your Past. 

Utilization of Donations & Volunteer Services

• Classroom Curriculum & Books: Funding and volunteers are needed for classes with subjects on: spiritual growth, parenting, marriage, life skills,  self-help, grief and addiction recovery.
• Building & Equipment Updates: Funding continues to be needed to update the building, furniture and electronic equipment used to provide classes and programming.
• Library Updates: Monetary and material donations help keep the library inventory current with newly released books, videos and audio tapes.   
• Transportation Costs: Funding is needed for costs associated with transporting minimum-custody residents for drama, music and testimony presentations in churches, schools and other community venues. For more information or to schedule a presentation, please contact the chaplaincy department at the phone number below.
• Concerts & Seminars:  Funding and volunteers are needed to enlist quality outside groups to minister inside the prison.
• Craft/Gift Shop Materials:  Donations of cloth, wood, limestone rock and tools are needed for the residents to manufacture crafts for Tender Thoughts Gift Shop.
 

If you would like to make a monetary donation, please send to:

ECF Spiritual Life Center Fund
c/o Chaplaincy
P.O. Box 107
Ellsworth, KS  67439

All donations are tax deductible per Internal Revenue Service Code, Section 170.

VOLUNTEER SERVICE APPLICATION
Return completed Service Application form to Chaplains Dale Bailey or Dan Vallier.

 

   ___________________________________________________

   Name

 

   ___________________________________________________

   Address

 

   ___________________________________________________

   City, State, Zip

 

   ____________________________________________________

   Home Phone                                                              Work Phone

For more information, contact:
Dale Bailey & Dan Vallier, Chaplains
Ellsworth Correctional Facility
PO Box 107
1607 State Street
Ellsworth, KS  67439

Telephone:  (785) 472-5501

x46214 (Dale Bailey, Chaplain)
E-mail: Dale Bailey 

X46213 (Dan Vallier, Chaplain)
E-mail: Dan Vallier

Overview | Visitor Information | Programs | History | Warden

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Inmates deposit 10 percent of their incoming money less any outstanding obligations into a forced savings account. Use of saved funds is restricted to payment of garnishment, identifications (birth certificate, driver's license, and social security card), civil filing fees, transcript fees, subpoena fees or other Warden-approved uses that facilitate an inmate’s re-entry back in to the community.

All forced savings account funds, plus interest, are returned to the inmate upon release.

For information about sending funds to an inmate, please visit the inmate banking section.

Can I find out how much money an inmate has in his/her account?
No. The KDOC does not share any information (e.g. account balance or how the inmate spent the funds) on an inmate’s trust account. To confirm whether an inmate has received money, you may contact Centralized Inmate Banking at 785-746-7630. You will be asked to supply the date the funds were sent, the method used to send the funds, the amount of funds sent and the sender’s name. 

What happens if an inmate has no money or very little in his account?
Indigent status is defined as an inmate whose inmate bank account, during the previous month, has a cumulative spendable amount of less than $12. Inmates who are indigent will be supplied with essential items including writing supplies, postage and personal hygiene items such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, disposable razor (general population inmates only), comb or pick and soap. 

What can inmates do with their money?
Each facility has a canteen, a store through which inmates purchase allowable items. Inmates can purchase postage, snacks, personal products, radios, TVs, other electronic equipment, handicraft materials, shoes and other approved items depending upon an inmate’s incentive level. Inmates also may request disbursements for expenses such as medical co-pays, copies, magazine/newspaper subscriptions and legal fees. Court-ordered or statutorily mandated disbursements such as restitution, child support and room/board costs also can be collected. 

May family or friends provide glasses, shoes or other items?
No. The KDOC’s medical contractor will provide for items that are deemed necessary, such as glasses. 

Can inmates work?
Inmates must work unless they have a medical condition or other approved reason that will not allow for work assignments.

Examples of facility work assignment areas are food service, laundry and custodial work. Other employment possibilities include work release programs, traditional correctional industries, which are operated directly by KDOC staff, and private correctional industries programs where the KDOC enters into agreements with private firms.

Inmates in traditional industries receive incentive pay ranging from $0.25-$0.60 per hour. This compares to a maximum of $1.05 per day that inmates may receive for facility work assignments. Through KDOC partnerships with private industries, inmates earn at least federal minimum wage. Traditional/private industries program inmates pay 25 percent of their gross wages in partial reimbursement for room and board.

In addition to other KDOC administrative fees, inmates pay court-ordered restitution, child support and federal and state taxes. More employment information is available in the FAQ's employment section.

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2021 Presentation by KDOC Secretary Jeff Zmuda: Second Chance Hiring

Jeff Zmuda, Kansas Secretary of Corrections, shares his thoughts on the wide-ranging benefits of "second chance hiring." KDOC residents in our correctional facilities provide a skilled, dependable workforce to solve labor shortages, gaining essential skills they need to be successful post-release.

Second Change Hiring, 2021, presentation by Secretary of Corrections Jeff Zmuda

January 2021 KDOC Program Evaluation Results

In January 2021 an evaluation of the Kansas Correctional Industries (KCI) and KDOC's Private Industry Program was completed by Eric J. Lichtenberger, Ph.D. The study explored the impact on post-release employment and recidivism.

An Evaluation of Kansas Correctional Industries/Private Industries (KCI/PI) Programs, January 2021

Additional Research and Reports

Findings in a 2008 research conducted by the Urban Institute Justice Policy Center found:

• Eight months after release, only 45 percent of former incarcerated persons were currently employed
• Most relied upon family and friends for income after release
• Those who held jobs while in prison and participated in job training programs while incarcerated had better employment outcomes after release

Citation: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/32106/411778-Employment-after-Prison-A-Longitudinal-Study-of-Releasees-in-Three-States.PDF

Prison Policy Initiative examined rates of unemployment among formerly incarcerated people finding they are almost five times more likely than the general public to be unemployed, and many who are employed remain relegated to the most insecure jobs. 
Citation: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/outofwork.html

Rand Corporation had conducted research on educational needs recognizing that individuals who leave federal and state prisons return to communities where they have to compete with others for jobs. 

“As already noted, according to RAND’s research, inmates who participate in correctional education programs have a 13-percentage-point reduction in their risk of returning to prison; this indicates that every $1 invested in education can reduce future incarceration costs in the near term. More concretely, we estimated that every dollar invested in prison education programs saves taxpayers, on average, between $4 and $5 in three-year reincarceration costs.”
Citation: https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE342.html

Learn more about Correctional Facility Work Programs

The Second Chance Business Coalition promotes the benefits of second change employment and provides employers with resources to hire and provide career advancement to people with criminal records.

• https://secondchancebusinesscoalition.org/
• https://secondchancebusinesscoalition.org/get-started
• https://www.gettingtalentbacktowork.org/

The Prison Post #30 Jeff Korzenik, Author of Untapped Talent https://t.co/KttpH3l0Ne?amp=1

Untapped Talent, Jeff Korzenik https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOm5WTn246GMBIBG1JeJb9w

Second Chance Project — Dave's Killer Bread https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1R2v6Us7MEEWn91Pnd8u9w

Google Small Business Stories: Nehemiah Manufacturing Company https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-0yWGWcupg

Nehemiah Company Culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxraJmzPlZg  

Koch Industries Editorial  Take a chance on second-chance hiring | Washington Examiner