Mendota Mental Health Institute
Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center
BACKGROUND
The Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center (MJTC)
is a secure correctional facility located on the grounds of the Mendota
Mental Health Institute in Madison, Wisconsin. MJTC staff serve the mental
health needs of male adolescents transferred from Division of Juvenile
Corrections institutions. Youth move to and from MJTC based on assessment of
their mental health and security needs. A youth’s motivation for positive
change is also part of that assessment. Parents or guardians receive program
and treatment review reports during a youth’s stay on MJTC.
MJTC is administered by the Department of Health Services (DHS) / Division
of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS). Gregory Van Rybroek,
the Director of Mendota Mental Health Institute, is the Superintendent of
MJTC.
VISITATION
The staff of MJTC welcome approved
visitors. All visitors must conform to MJTC’s visitation rules and display
proper behavior during the visit. Actions by visitors that conflict with
mental health treatment or compromise security will not be tolerated.
VISITING RULES
The following rules apply to all MJTC
visitors.
Approved
Visitors
Anyone visiting residents at MJTC
must be on the approved visitor list. An MJTC social worker must be
contacted ahead of time for visitors to be added to the visitor list. Visits
will not be allowed until the completion of a background check that may take
several days.
Visiting
Hours
Approved visitors must schedule 24 hours before visiting MJTC. This
can be done by calling (608) 301-1215 between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Persons who wish to visit must provide the
following information:
·
The date of the visit
·
The time the visit is to occur
·
The names of persons who will be visiting
Visiting hours are:
Tuesday & Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday, & State Legal Holidays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. &
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Special visits are allowed with prior approval from the treatment team.
Please contact the MJTC social worker for details.
Check In Process
Visitors must check in with the staff on duty no later than 30 minutes after
visiting hours begin. Check in times are:
5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays
12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and
State Legal Holidays.
Visitors arriving after this time will be denied visitation.
Each
visitor must provide identification at the door. Only the following forms of
identification will be accepted:
- A State Driver’s License.
- Military I.D. (if a member of
the military).
- A Department of Transportation
(Motor Vehicle Department) Picture Identification Card.
- County Welfare Department
Picture Identification Card.
-
A
State Picture I.D.
- Current Passport.
Driver’s licenses and picture identification cards will be accepted for
out-of-state visitors.
Staff will check each visitor’s name on the approved visitor list. Visitors
not on the list will be denied visitation. Secure lockers are available to
store purses, keys, etc.. MJTC is not responsible for lost or stolen
articles. It is recommended that personal items be locked in your vehicle.
Metal Detector
All visitors must pass through and clear the metal detector. To expedite the
entrance process, visitors should avoid wearing clothing with metal attached
(i.e., buckles, snaps, metal buttons, etc.). It is also recommended that
visitors refrain from wearing excessive jewelry. The metal detector is also
sensitive to metal contained in undergarments. Visitors with pacemakers or
other medical implants must make their condition known to staff, and carry a
doctor’s note describing the condition. It is the visitor’s responsibility
to clear the metal detector.
Contraband
Visitors who bring in contraband are subject to Wisconsin State Statute
302.095 which “prohibits delivery of any article to an offender of a
State Institution or depositing or concealing an article within the State
Institution or its boundaries or receiving an article to convey out of the
institution that is contrary to the rules and regulations and without the
knowledge or permission of the Director. Any person found in violation of
this law is subject to imprisonment of not more than two years or a fine not
exceeding $500.00”.
Special Accommodations
It is the visitor’s responsibility to
inform MJTC of a disability requiring special accommodations. This includes
accommodation requests necessary to enter the institution and for the
duration of the visit. Individuals should request these accommodations when
scheduling their visit.
MONEY
Residents are not allowed to keep money
on the unit or handle money during a visit. Staff will accept checks
or money orders for residents and provide a written receipt. The Mendota
Business Office maintains individual accounts for all residents.
PROPERTY
Personal
property of residents, including clothing and toiletries, are issued by the
facility or may be purchased by residents through the canteen system.
Personal property provided by family is limited to letters, family pictures
and a religious book such as a Bible or Koran. Immediately before release
from MJTC, family members may provide clothing for the resident to wear upon
placement in the community.
MAIL
Correspondence with residents is encouraged by those on an approved
correspondence list. Close family members wanting to be on the list may
contact the resident’s social worker and request to be added. This process
is similar to additions made to the visitors list. Mail sent to residents is
limited to letters and family pictures. Any correspondence containing
inappropriate content will be returned to the sender. Only magazines that
are on the approved publications list and sent directly from the publisher
will be accepted and delivered to residents.
MJTC VISITING GUIDELINES
The following
guidelines have been established by the MJTC staff. Any non-compliance with
these guidelines could result in termination of the visit and may sanction
visiting approval in the future.
- Anyone
manifesting evidence of having consumed alcohol or illegal drugs will be
denied entrance.
- Contact between visitors and
residents will be allowed at the beginning and the end of the visit.
Example; a hug or handshake.
- Youth must sit in an assigned
seat and remain there until the visit is over.
- If youth must return to the unit
for any reason, (i.e., to use the bathroom) the visit will be terminated.
- Youth may not take property to
the visiting room or return from the visiting room with property without
the supervisor’s approval.
- Visitors must maintain
appropriate behavior at all times while visiting MJTC.
- Physical discipline of family
members is unacceptable during visits.
- All games, trash, etc., must be
picked up and placed in the appropriate areas when the visit is ended.
- No food or beverages may be
brought into MJTC during visits.
Visitors may purchase beverages or food items from vending machines in the
visiting room.
- Staff maintain the right to
terminate a visit.
VISITORS’ DRESS CODE
A
visitors’ dress code has been developed to ensure a safe and secure visiting
area that is appropriate, tasteful, and conducive to a wholesome family
atmosphere. The following apparel is considered inappropriate and will
result in the denial of entry into MJTC:
- Transparent clothing.
- Shorts that are shorter than
finger tip length (i.e., standing naturally with arms straight down the
side of the body and fingers extended).
- Skirts or dresses shorter than
finger tip length plus three inches.
- Strapless, tube, or halter tops.
-
Tops that expose the midriff.
- Underwear worn on the outside of
clothing.
- Clothing with revealing holes or
tears above finger tip level.
- Clothing or accessories with
obscene or profane writing, images or pictures.
-
Individuals wearing gang related clothing or insignia may be denied
entrance into the institution.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS
Questions and comments regarding MJTC should be directed to:
UNIT MANAGER/MJTC
301 Troy Drive
Madison, WI 53704
or call (608) 301-1193
Directions to Mendota and MJTC
Mendota Mental Health Institute
301 Troy Drive, Madison, WI 53704
Phone: (608) 301-1000 Fax: (608) 301-1358
TTY/TDD:(888) 241-9442
Last Revised:
July 12, 2010 |
