New Castle, DE – The Delaware Department of Correction announced today that Kimberly Hughey, Deputy Warden of Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution (BWCI), has been promoted to BWCI Warden effective December 18.  Hughey steps up to fill the vacancy created when BWCI Warden Brian Emig was recently promoted to Warden of Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.

“Warden Hughey is a highly trained and accomplished leader with a proven track record of managing complex security operations, being attentive to the needs of her staff, and embracing innovative practices and programs to meet the treatment, education and rehabilitation needs of the women in our custody,” said Bureau Chief of Prisons Shane Troxler.

Deputy Bureau Chief of Prisons Kolawole Akinbayo said, ”Warden Hughey has earned the respect of her staff and the individuals under our supervision and has demonstrated the ability to navigate the unique needs and challenges of administering a women’s prison facility.  As Warden she will continue to employ a firm but fair approach to moving BWCI forward.”

Warden Hughey completed her Correctional Officer academy training in 2006 and was assigned to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center.  After serving from 2007 to 2009 at Sussex Correctional Institution she returned to JTVCC where she earned promotions to Corporal and Sergeant.  In 2015, she was promoted to Lieutenant at BWCI where she served as a Disciplinary Hearing Officer and assisted with Offender Classification.  In 2017, she was promoted to Staff Lieutenant and a Shift Commander at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution and in 2018 she served as the Staff Lieutenant at New Castle County Community Corrections where she served as Scheduling Officer, Training Administrator, and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. In 2019, she was promoted to Major and Security Superintendent at BWCI with the lead responsibility to plan and direct the security, control and safety programs of the facility.  In March 2021 she was promoted to BWCI Deputy Warden where she has directed day-to-day facility operations including overall management and administration of staff, offenders, and equipment.  Warden Hughey has employed her knowledge and experience as a specialized trainer and mentor for several years, beginning with the JTVCC “LEAD Program”, which provides training for newly-hired staff and recently-promoted Corporals and Sergeants.  She has served as a co-instructor with the Delaware Office of Management and Budget on Coaching and Counseling and Moving Into Supervision and she teaches Criminal Justice courses at Delaware Tech as an Adjunct Instructor.  She has completed the Warden’s Peer and Gender Responsiveness in Women’s Correctional Facilities program and has served as a facilitator for American Correctional Association (ACA) workshops.  She has earned multiple higher education degrees, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, a Master’s Degree in Administration of Justice, and a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership, Learning & Innovation all from Wilmington University.  Warden Hughey is an active member in the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., and the National Honor Society of Criminal Justice (Alpha Phi Sigma).

The Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution, the only women’s prison in Delaware, opened in December 1991. The facility houses both pre-trial and sentenced adult females at minimum, medium, and maximum security levels. BWCI provides programming at all security levels. Programming provides offenders with opportunities to gain knowledge, acquire skills and learn an alternative life-style. BWCI provides treatment services, religious services, drug therapy, educational/vocational programs, counseling, and recreation.

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Jason Miller
Chief of Communications and Community Relations
Delaware Department of Correction | Commissioner Monroe B. Hudson Jr.
302-857-5232 (office) | 302-379-4048 (cell)

Georgetown, DE – This past week the Delaware Department of Correction (DOC) recognized Correctional Officers and medical professionals for saving the life of a Sussex Correctional Institution (SCI) inmate who experienced a sudden life-threatening cardiac arrest earlier this year.

On August 14, 2022 a 62 year-old inmate was working in the SCI kitchen when he exhibited signs of medical distress.  Correctional Sergeant Markie Lewis was assigned to the kitchen area and activated a medical alert.  Lieutenant Greg Callaway, Lieutenant Rae Morgan and Sergeant Joe Mears immediately responded to the alert and together the Officers attended to the inmate who was struggling to breathe.  Registered Nurse Kathy Moore from the SCI medical team quickly joined the response and initiated CPR.  Additional Officers and facility medical staff arrived and performed CPR in rotating shifts until Georgetown EMS Emergency Medical Technicians Michael Petusky and Michael Moore arrived and continued lifesaving measures.  A pulse was restored and the inmate was able to breathe on his own as he was transported from the prison to an area hospital.  The inmate received specialized in-patient medical care and fully recovered.  At the time of the cardiac arrest the inmate had served 40 years in prison.  He has since completed his prison sentence and has been transferred to a DOC community corrections facility where he is receiving reentry services as he prepares to return to the community.

During a November 30 commendation ceremony at Sussex Correctional Institution Department of Correction leaders and Georgetown Emergency Medical Services staff recognized the Correctional Officers and medical professional for their joint efforts that saved the life of the SCI inmate.  See attached group photograph.

“When their training and skills were needed in a life-threatening emergency situation Correctional Officers, correctional medical staff, and community emergency medical first responders jumped into action and worked together to give an incarcerated person a second chance at life.  Not only did he survive and recover, but he has now been released and has a new opportunity to live a productive life.  That success is a credit to our dedicated team and it reflects our commitment to excellence,” said Department of Correction Commissioner Monroe B. Hudson Jr.

DOC Bureau of Prisons Chief Shane Troxler said, “I am extremely proud of our Officers and staff for not only being heroes and saving someone’s life that day but also for putting themselves in a position to provide that level of service every day.  I know how hard it can be to keep that edge in a correctional environment that is built around predictability and routine and I find it encouraging and uplifting that you have continued to do your job and perform your duties at the highest level day in and day out.”

Pictured in the attached photo:

Back row: DOC Bureau Chief of Prisons Shane Troxler, SCI Warden Scott Ceresini, LPN Carrie Wilson, EMT Michael Petusky, Lt. Rae Morgan, Lt. Greg Calloway, Sgt. Joe Mears, Sgt. Kevin Dunn, Sgt. Mark Keefer, DOC Commissioner Monroe B. Hudson Jr., DOC Deputy Commissioner Terra Taylor
Front Row: Senior Georgetown EMS Administrator Lisa Fensick, SCI Security Superintendent Major Marvella Wise, Lt. Sharon Mears, RN Kathy Moore, LPN Amanda Moss, Dr. Sheri McAfee-Garner
Not pictured but received recognition from DOC leadership: Sgt. Markie Lewis, Correctional Officer Travis Neeley, Sgt. Brandon Wilkins, Correctional Officer Blake Warnick, Sgt. Scott Smoot, RN Brittany Nunes, LPN Carrie Wilson, EMT Michael Moore

All Correctional Officers receive CPR training as part of their initial academy training and receive refresher training through the DOC Training Academy.  All Delaware prison facilities are staffed 24 hours a day by contracted medical staff who provide a wide range of medical services to the incarcerated population and operate prison infirmaries.

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Jason Miller
Chief of Communications and Community Relations
Delaware Department of Correction | Commissioner Monroe B. Hudson Jr.
302-857-5232 (office) | 302-379-4048 (cell)

Register online at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5tCSTHX4QLmo1JoCQ3rozA

Dover, DE – On Tuesday, April 26 at 1:00 p.m. the Delaware Department of Correction invites you to join its next “DOC Insider Series” webinar with a focus on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.  The DOC Insider Series provides members of the public with an inside the walls look at Delaware’s correctional programs, practices, and policies.  Each 90-minute webinar includes a live informational presentation by DOC staff and partner organizations followed by an interactive question and answer session with attendees.

The April 26 Insider Series webinar focuses on what Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is, how it works, and a review of the types of CBT programming that are offered to incarcerated persons.  The DOC Insider Series Webinar: “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy” is facilitated by the Department of Correction Office of Planning, Research and Reentry and is presented by Michael Records, Bureau Chief of DOC’s Bureau of Healthcare, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health (BHSAMH), Vanessa Bennifield, BHSAMH Behavioral Health Treatment Services Director, and Bradley Owens, JD, Senior Consultant.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is employed by the Delaware DOC in its prison facilities and community corrections centers and by Probation and Parole and has been shown across the country to reduce recidivism in both juveniles and adults.  In practice CBT helps participants become conscious of their own thoughts and behaviors and then make positive changes to impact their decision-making.  CBT programs address a variety of problems associated with criminal behavior and works to help participants develop and improve critical reasoning, problem solving, moral reasoning, social skills, self-control, and impulse management.

“The Delaware Department of Correction is committed to engaging with the community about how our correctional system operates and provides treatment, programming and training to meet our dual mission of public safety and offender rehabilitation,” Department of Correction Commissioner Monroe B. Hudson Jr. said.  “Please join us and get an insider’s perspective on how DOC’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy programs support reentry by addressing some of the root causes of criminal behavior.”

DOC Insider Series Webinar: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Register in advance at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5tCSTHX4QLmo1JoCQ3rozA
Webinar Presenters:
Michael Records, Bureau Chief of the Bureau of Healthcare, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health
Vanessa Bennifield, Behavioral Health Treatment Services Director, Bureau of Healthcare, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Bradley Owens, JD, Senior Consultant

Previous Insider Series webinars have focused on prison education, Substance Use Disorder treatment, reentry, sentence calculation and release dates, Probation and Parole, and inmate intake and classification.  All Insider Series webinars are posted on the DOC’s YouTube channel for viewing anytime:

• Prison Education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4EoiuBZyw0
• Sentence Calculation and Release Dates: https://youtu.be/_mHS_pRIZlk.
• Intake to Classification: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LM9PMlsi50
• Probation and Parole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmFNAfj0UI4
• Substance Use Disorder Treatment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PugdaTfYKNE
• Reentry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhrACbEoLDk

Additional Insider Series webinars are planned for 2022. Follow DOC’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn social media channels for upcoming dates and registration details.

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Funded by Barclays US Consumer Bank, program will leverage free training initiative to develop customer experience talent in Delaware

Wilmington, DE – Tech Impact, the Delaware Department of Correction and the Delaware Department of Education announced today the launch of a pilot cohort of the Tech Impact customer experience training program, CXWorks, at Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution (BWCI). The program, already popular in Las Vegas, is funded by a grant from Barclays in an effort to connect women, who are returning citizens, with local support and community resources that will help them obtain employment.

“We are excited to pilot CXWorks in Delaware alongside our partners Barclays and Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution. This program will train and employ women in the high demand sector of customer service,” said Patrick Callihan, Chief Executive Officer of Tech Impact. “Barclays has supported the program since its inception in Nevada in 2016, and we’re hoping to replicate the success that market has experienced, having graduated 160 people with over 80% job placement rate.”

Tech Impact’s CXWorks is a free, eight-week workforce development program that offers career training and certification to individuals who are ready to master the customer experience. Students immerse themselves in the skills and knowledge required for call and “contact” center positions, helping companies take care of customer service needs over the phone, instant messaging, and other forms of communication.

“The CXWorks training program aligns perfectly with our mission to successfully prepare women to re-enter our community,” said Dr. Dwight BoNey, Teacher Supervisor at Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution. “We work hard to instill professionalism, work ethic and soft skills into every student in our program. CXWorks complements our program, giving the ladies at BWCI the opportunity for career training in customer service and creating opportunities for employment upon release in an industry that is in high demand.”

Six BWCI residents are participating in Tech Impact’s first CXWorks training class.  All participants have already earned a GED or are currently working to earn a GED and were selected, in part, because they are approaching their release from incarceration later this year.  Upon the successful completion of CXWorks, BWCI’s graduates will earn an industry recognized customer service certification.  Following their release from incarceration Tech Impact staff will follow up to help them secure job placement in the community.

“The Delaware Department of Correction is pleased to be the first correctional system in the country to bring the CXWorks employment training program into a prison facility,” said Delaware Department of Correction Commissioner Monroe B. Hudson Jr. “We value the partnership that is providing this new pathway to help incarcerated people learn practical skills they can use to obtain employment and drive their reentry success.”

“Barclays is committed to partnering with organizations that are focused on creating opportunities and removing the barriers to success for those who are looking for work,” said Jenn Cho, Head of Citizenship for Barclays US Consumer Bank. “The CXWorks training program offers valuable tools to help these women build a better future and to develop the skills and confidence necessary for work.”

Employers interested in becoming a hiring partner can learn more by registering here.  This is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

About Tech Impact

Tech Impact is a nonprofit that leverages technology to advance social impact. Our proven workforce training programs and intermediary services prepare our graduates to launch or advance their careers in technology. We strengthen nonprofits through a full spectrum of technological support, giving them the education and services they need to deliver greater impact and help their communities thrive. Learn more at techimpact.org.

About Barclays US Consumer Bank

Barclays US Consumer Bank is a leading co-branded credit card issuer and financial services partner in the United States that creates highly customized programs to drive customer loyalty and engagement for some of the country’s most successful travel, entertainment, retail and affinity institutions. The bank offers co-branded credit cards, small business credit cards, installment loans, POS Finance, online savings accounts, and CDs. For more information, please visit www.BarclaysUS.com.

Barclays is a British universal bank. We are diversified by business, by different types of customer and client, and geography. Our businesses include consumer banking and payments operations around the world, as well as a top-tier, full service, global corporate and investment bank, all of which are supported by our service company which provides technology, operations and functional services across the Group. For further information about Barclays, please visit www.barclays.com.

NEW CASTLE (Jan. 4, 2022) – The Department of Health and Social Services’ (DHSS) Division of Substance Use and Mental Health (DSAMH) has surpassed a milestone of 100,000 referrals through its Delaware Treatment and Referral Network (DTRN), a system for Delawareans seeking substance use and mental health services.

Delaware is the first state to make more than 100,000 referrals using this system, built on the OpenBeds® platform, a bed registry platform owned by Bamboo Health (formerly Appriss Health + PatientPing). The DTRN system identifies and tracks behavioral health and social determinants of health resources throughout the state, giving providers immediate visibility into resource availability across a shared network. This makes it easier to get people the help they need when they need it.

“One death from an opioid overdose or from a mental health crisis is one too many,” said Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, Ph.D., RN. “For families coping with a loved one, who suffers from substance use disorder or mental illness, finding help is an immediate need that must be met. The 100,000 referrals through DTRN demonstrates that we are mending the fractured behavioral health system in Delaware, so people can get access to treatment and on the path to recovery. As Chair of Delaware’s Behavioral Health Consortium, we remain committed to saving lives through platforms like DTRN and the network of behavioral health providers. Newsweek recently recognized Delaware in November 2021 as one of only four states that the CDC reported as having a decrease in the annual percentage rate of opioid deaths. DTRN was a significant tool contributing to this reduction.”

“This milestone represents a systematic improvement in identifying and treating individuals with substance use disorders,” said Joanna Champney, Director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. “That is 100,000 times where a pathway to treatment was made available for someone so they didn’t have to end up in the emergency room or worse.”

The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health launched DTRN in October 2018 as a way to improve outcomes for Delawareans suffering from a substance use disorder, while coordinating support for accompanying needs for housing, employment, education and other wraparound services. A recent white paper summarizing first-year results showed that the cloud-based network for expedited client referrals to inpatient and residential behavioral health programs generated a 45% increase in treatment referral requests in its first year, while improving rapid acknowledgment of referrals by 25%.

“Open Beds has been a fantastic platform that has provided transparency like never before,” said Steve Beltran, MSN, an RN Nurse Manager for ChristianaCare. “It has allowed us to place our patients in the right level of care faster. And has proven to be an effective method to communicate with care providers and agencies across the state.”

Overdose deaths continue to rise in Delaware, reaching 447 in 2020 (up from 431 in 2019 and 401 in 2018). Of those 447 deaths, 372 (83%) involved the use of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times more potent than morphine.

The state’s opioid prescribing rate in 2020 of 45.2 per 100 people is higher than the U.S. average of 43.3, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Lack of visibility for providers in determining current inpatient and residential treatment center capacity can make it challenging to connect clients with appropriate substance use and behavioral health services in a timely manner. Referring physicians and treatment providers often struggle to share client data, admission criteria, and availability. For clients in need, these delays can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

By assisting providers with the onboarding process to encourage adoption of the Delaware Treatment and Referral Network, Delaware expanded the number of active users on its network by 264% in its first year. The referral platform also improved response rates to referral requests, with 65% of receiving organizations acknowledging a client referral within 30 minutes, an increase of 25% since the program’s inception a year prior.

“DTRN has been pivotal in connecting individuals with behavioral health and substance use issues with appropriate providers in an efficient and collaborative manner,” said John McKenna, CEO of Rockford Center. “This technology has substantially improved not only access to treatment for individuals and families, but also has facilitated an enhanced level of communication between the referring agency and our Assessment Center. Whether it’s accepting individual referrals at our front door, or helping our discharging patients get connected to community services prior to leaving our facility, DTRN has assisted in removing barriers and promoted access to a wider range of resources in our state. The system also provides us with critical data that allows us to better understand patient and family needs, engagement in treatment, and potential service gaps.”

“The Delaware Treatment and Referral Network has allowed the Department of Correction to connect individuals in our custody to vital health care services upon their release to the community,” said Department of Correction Commissioner Monroe B. Hudson Jr. “DTRN makes possible a seamless transition to resources like Medication-Assisted Treatment for offenders who struggle with addiction. Simply put, keeping these behavioral and medical health care services in place without interruption saves lives and is helping the DOC and our partners improve reentry outcomes across Delaware.”

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction in Delaware, call DHSS’ 24/7 Crisis Hotline to be connected to treatment and recovery options at 1-833-9-HOPEDE or visit www.HelpIsHereDE.com or treatmentconnection.com.