Facilities Celebrate The CCA Way in their Own Ways
Commemorating the Moment, Keeping the Momentum
Just like the 24 crayons in a box, each CCA facility is different from the next, with its own style, personality and preferences. When asked how they plan to celebrate the birth month of The CCA Way, it was no surprise that the commemorations were as different as blue and green.
Spreading the Word
Facilities continue to use their own marketing tools to drive home the importance of the five-year-old company statement.
“Our facility featured an article in our newsletter Leavenworth TRAILS, celebrating the ‘birth month’ of The CCA Way, and included the commitment card,” says Robert Mundt, Assistant Warden at Leavenworth Detention Center. “It is our goal to publish again in the near future to keep the enthusiasm alive.”
“We continue to promote The CCA Way through signs, articles in our facility newsletter and other forms of marketing,” says Todd Thomas, Warden at Saguaro Correctional Facility.
Making Our Mark
Employee signatures decorate the walls of multiple facilities as a reminder of individual and collective pledges.
“Metro has designed a CCA Way signature wall for all employees who are committed to The CCA Way to sign,” says Tracie Mathews, Quality Assurance Manager at Metro-Davidson County Detention Facility. “We have approximately 100 plus staff members who have signed the wall and returned their commitment cards.”
“Crowley Green voted down the use of commitment cards in order to save trees. Rather than handing out the cards, we modified the poster the FSC provided and made a place for all staff to sign, signifying their commitment to The CCA Way,” says Sharon Griffing, Administration Supervisor and Warden's Secretary at Crowley County Correctional Facility.
Getting with the Program
Targeted employee programs solidify the merit of The CCA Way.
“We recently started to tie the CCA Way guiding principles to Problem Solving Notices (PSNs), to include how the offending behavior relates to a violation of those principles,” Griffing says.
Likewise, The CCA Way is a critical component of Leavenworth’s “100% Club.” “The 100% Club is a program that recognizes employees who do not call in sick and were here 100% of the time except for vacation," Mundt says. “That is living The CCA Way.”
Meeting Our Expectations
Facilities incorporate CCA Way standards into culture by working to ensure that employees understand The CCA Way's value from day one.
“The warden makes a presentation of The CCA Way to all new staff and then asks for a commitment,” explains Orlando Perez, Warden at Willacy County State Jail. "We currently have 191 commitments and we are planning a hot dog and root beer float day where all who have signed commitment cards will be presented with a pin and those who have not will get an opportunity to sign up.”
Staff meetings and recalls provide valuable opportunities to recognize and reward employees who exemplify The CCA Way in their daily conduct.
“We begin our weekly Warden’s Department Head meetings by acknowledging staff members who have demonstrated The CCA Way in carrying out their job duties and responsibilities without being directed to do so,” Mathews says. “Each recognized employee receives a letter and a reward in front of his or her peers during quarterly re-call meetings.”
Purposeful Progress, One Commitment at a Time
As The CCA Way comes alive to employees, a domino effect will occur. Mundt explains, “I think living The CCA Way is contagious and will catch on with other staff members as we keep selling the commitment of a great initiative.”
“We have noticed some changes in staff members and the desire to recognize their peers for demonstrating The CCA Way,” Mathews says.
“Everything we do is targeted at The CCA Way,” Thomas says. “I think it has given us a medium to promote what our best practices are as an organization, and also a benchmark for what is required in our facilities.”
Is your facility celebrating The CCA Way fifth anniversary? Tell us how by sounding out.
By DeAndra Mack