Field Days

Join Chris Gautz and Greg Straub for the last Field Days episode of 2019. It was a year of big changes, exciting events, and continued commitment to employee wellness and offender success. A huge thank you and Happy New Year to our 2019 listeners and guests! Miss Michigan USA Photo Credit: Edwin Shaw Photography

The third and final episode of our holiday wellness series is all about appreciation and acceptance. Wellness Unit manager Lynn Gorski and chaplain coordinator Lloyd Scharer return to Field Days to discuss the art of appreciation and, as the new year quickly approaches, how to look back on your 2019 goals and achievements with acceptance and a positive perspective.The MDOC Wellness Unit page: https://www.michigan.gov/corrections/0,4551,7-119-96900---,00.htmlPlease know that you are not alone. Help does exist and is available to you at any time. You can also call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or Safe Call Now at 206-459-3020.

The Field Days Holiday Wellness podcast series continues with a look at the many different ways family, friends, and faith can impact our lives this time of year. On today's episode, Chris and Greg are joined by wellness coordinator Sandi Powell and chaplain coordinator Lloyd Scharer who offer listeners insights on helpful ways to support yourself, your family, and your co-workers during the busy holiday season.The MDOC Wellness page: https://www.michigan.gov/corrections/0,4551,7-119-96900---,00.html

This week, to help celebrate the season, Field Days is kicking off the podcast series Presents, Presence, and Patience during the Holidays - Strategies for Managing Wellness & Self-Care.On today's episode, Chris and Greg sit down with Wellness Unit manager Lynn Gorski and wellness coordinator Lennie Alcorn for an update on the roll-out of the Wellness Unit and to discuss healthy ways of coping with the stress that even the happiest of holiday seasons can bring.

In mid-November, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and members of the Michigan Opioids Task Force announced Michigan's strategy to combat the opioid crisis. More than 20 percent of incarcerated individuals in Michigan have been identified as having an opioid-use disorder and studies show that those released from incarceration are at a higher risk of overdose and death from opioids when they return home.On this episode of Field Days, Bureau of Health Care Services acting administrator Marti Kay Sherry and Substance Abuse Services manager Beth Boyd share details on the department's Medication-Assisted Treatment Program and how it supports offender recovery, reduces overdose and death, and reduces recidivism.

The latest episode of Field Days is the 4th installment in a series tracking the roll out of the new Corrections Offender Management System (COMS). Chris and Greg sit down with Acting Health Care Administrator Marti Kay Sherry and Health Informatics Manager Liz Solomon to discuss the COMS Health Care module and the benefits it will bring to managing prisoner health care needs in Michigan.

On the latest episode of Field Days, Chris and Greg head back to school to learn about the education program at Thumb Correctional and how it's preparing prisoners for success. School principal Jim Gornick and teacher Debbie Laidler share the details of their unique approach to education in prison and how it benefits staff and students alike.Michigan Radio's Stateside program recently spent a day behind the gates with prisoners and staff at Lakeland Correctional. Learn more about their experience with Life on the Inside: https://lakeland.michiganradio.org/

On the latest episode of Field Days, we celebrate Veterans Day with an episode about Blue Star Service Dogs and their training program at Thumb Correctional. Blue Star rescues shelter dogs, trains them through their prison programs, and pairs them with veterans with post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury. Listen now to find out how prisoners and staff alike are helping to serve veterans with invisible wounds.For more on Blue Star Service Dogs visit:https://www.bluestarservicedogs.org/Meet Alan and Boss: https://www.macombdaily.com/lifestyles/service-circuit-veteran-partnered-with-service-dog-thanks-to-blue/article_a182f16a-98e2-11e9-a33d-0fdb5564ce2a.html

Late last week, Field Days hosts Chris Gautz and Greg Straub had the honor of sitting down with Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist. The Lt. Governor shared details on his work to reform Michigan's criminal justice system, his thoughts on the MDOC Vocational Village programs, and how much he appreciates the hard work and dedication of all state employees. Listen now!

On the latest episode of Field Days, Chris and Greg speak with Warden Noah Nagy and Gregg Bourdo, Project Manager for the Organizational Change Management team on the COMS project. Noah and Gregg share an update on the ongoing COMS roll out and details on the COMS Change Network, an established group of MDOC staff tasked with helping get the entire department ready for COMS.

On the latest episode of Field Days, MDOC Probation Agent and recently crowned Miss Michigan USA, Chanel Johnson chats with Chris and Greg about her pageant win and her plans for the upcoming Miss USA competition in 2020. Make sure to stay tuned after the interview for a shout out to Chanel from a very special guest. Listen now!Photo Credit: Chanel Johnson via Twitter @MissMIUSA

On the latest episode of Field Days, Greg is celebrating World Sight Day with producer Joelle Craddy and some very special guests. Melissa Spooner is the coordinator of Prison Puppies, a training initiative of Leader Dogs for the Blind that pairs prisoners with puppies for twelve months of intensive training toward the pup's future career as a leader dog. Prison Puppies is currently operating in ten prisons throughout Michigan and Dianna LaFraugh, an MDOC Reentry Coordinator, serves as the Corrections Liaison. Golden retriever Gordon Ramsey joins the group as the Leader Dogs for the Blind ambassador.

On the latest episode of Field Days, Chris is joined by producer Joelle Craddy for a tour of the Women's Huron Valley Horticulture Program and the Green Valley Farmers Market. The first of its kind in Michigan, Green Valley is a farmers market held behind the prison gate, with produce grown and sold by prisoners and purchased by MDOC employees. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel even had the chance to stop by recently! Listen now to find out how the first year went for this unique and innovative program.Check out our Flickr Album of photos from the Valley Farms Market at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/142788094@N03/albums/72157711251165946

On the latest episode of Field Days, Chris and Greg celebrate #InternationalPodcastDay with a return to one of our most popular episodes - the unveiling of the MDOC's new Strategic Plan with Director Heidi Washington. Listen now!

On the latest episode of Field Days, Chris and Greg once again hand the mics over to a few of their hardworking MDOC co-workers. This time around it's some of the amazing CFA administrative assistants we have working at facilities throughout Michigan. Chris had a chance to catch up with them at the recent CFA Administrative Assistants Conference in Mount Pleasant. Listen now!Music from filmmusic.io"Wholesome" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)License: CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

On the latest episode of Field Days, Chris and Greg share the mics with Kevin Weissenborn and Greg Torrey for a COMS update all about MDOC Food Service.

Tune in to this week's abbreviated episode of the Field Days Podcast where hosts Chris and Greg share all the events happening this week - from Thursday's MSP Pistol Shoot to Saturday's ChadTough5k.

Communications Representative Holly Kramer and Physical Plant Administrator Ed Vallad join Chris for an episode of Field Days all about planning Michigan's first green prison. Ed shares details on the future solar array at St. Louis Correctional, what cost and energy saving measures are currently underway across the MDOC, and a few of the other projects on his greening wish list. Along the way you'll hear from special guests, with surprise shout outs you don't want to miss. Wondering where Greg was this week? Have a listen!

On the latest episode of Field Days, Chris and Greg sit down for a chat with Bridget Mary McCormack, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.Field Days was honored to meet with Chief Justice McCormack in her chambers at the Michigan Hall of Justice to discuss the Criminal Justice Commission, her plans to sit in on circuit and district court cases and so much more. Tune in now to hear Chief Justice McCormack's plan to head to prison in September for the ChadTough5k.

On the latest episode of Field Days, Chris and Greg sit down with Community Coordinator Angie Sprank and Grand Rapids Police Officer Dan Myers to discuss CLEAR - Coalition, Leadership, Education, Advice, Rehabilitation. Formed a decade ago, the CLEAR West Michigan group exists to provide guidance and mentoring to returning citizens, while forging a positive relationship with law enforcement. And it's not alone; several CLEAR groups, including a West Michigan group specifically for women returning to the community, have followed. Listen now!Calling all MDOC employees and retirees! Learn more about the upcoming Employee Recreation Day in the U.P. with a previous episode of Field Days: https://soundcloud.com/field-days/up-engagement-event-dayA CLEAR way forward - MDOC Medium Blog: https://medium.com/@MichiganDOC/a-clear-way-forward-c418f6c7a453