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WRC: Unit Information

Wisconsin Resource Center

Male residents are assigned to 20-34 bed units based on common needs or characteristics.

Unit Supervisor: Matthew Hanson

Mission
The mission of this unit is to provide a safe, non-violent, secure treatment environment to address the individual referrals of inmates to the Wisconsin Resource Center and enhance skills needed to successfully function upon return to the Department of Corrections.

Unit Description
An individualized and multidisciplinary approach is utilized to tailor programming and treatment that best fits the needs of each patient. Staff provide effective methods to help patients cope with and adapt more adequately in life and upon return to their assigned DOC institution.

Goals

  • Address individual treatment needs identified by DOC.
  • Provide clinical monitoring through groups and on-unit individual contacts.
  • Strengthen independent living skills and pro-social life skills with appropriate feedback and interventions.
  • Reinforce essential treatment programming.
  • Increase skills to negotiate a traditional facility.

Nursing Supervisor: Jenny Wollert

Mission
This unit evaluates, stabilizes, and promotes optimal functioning of patients with persistent disabling mental illness.

Unit Description
This is a 25-bed nurse managed unit with an emphasis on the evaluation and stabilization of patients with DSM V major mental illness. The primary focus is on the promotion of optimal cognitive and physical functioning for patients with persistent disabling mental illness in an environment which is nonthreatening to patients suffering from paranoid, depressive, and other disorders in attempt to stabilize their psychiatric disorders and help them cope with their illnesses in the correctional setting. Both on- and off unit programs are used to provide a spectrum of services that allow the inmate to assume a level of personal responsibility consistent with his ability. The unit is supervised by a nursing supervisor and a psychiatric care supervisor.

Unit Supervisor: Stacey Thomson

Program Statement
This unit is an 18 bed single cell structured community. The unit is designed to provide care and release planning for those residents who have a history of chronic mental health issues or correctional institutionalization. The unit treatment team focuses on developing individualized release plans that are focused on independent living skills while providing relapse prevention or wellness plans. Through the collaborative development of individualized treatment plans, stressors related to release planning and community reintegration will be reduced.

The unit operates under a multi-disciplinary treatment model and is structured to provide rapid feedback through constructive consequences/rewards to modify behaviors. The treatment team consists of an institution unit supervisor, psychiatric care supervisor, psychiatrist, psychological services associate, social worker, psychiatric care technicians, an education representative, and a recreation therapist. The unit program receives additional support from staff involved in other departments within WRC. Many residents on the unit are participants in the dual diagnosis treatment program that is offered on the unit.

The unit coordinates with community-based services to assist with transitioning to the community. This may include DOC agents, case managers, Social Security, family supports, and community mental health providers.

The objective of this unit is to provide the skills necessary for successful re-entry of individuals being released to the community. Inmates are provided with treatment interventions and coaching to allow them opportunities to expand and apply their skills to manage independently in the community.

Unit Supervisor: Kim Ames

Objective
This unit provides a secure environment with options for the highest level of control and management interventions to address inmate behaviors that present a significant danger to self or others or which present a severe disruptive potential to the operation of the institution. After the presenting behavior has been stabilized, the unit treatment team initiate programming to minimize relapse of the immediate behavior and attempt to return the inmate/patient to the home unit in a timely manner. This unit implements restrictive dispositions pursuant to Wis. Admin. Code § DOC 303, as adapted at WRC to enforce inmate discipline.

Unit Program Summary
This unit provides a secure environment for the institution and inmate. An inmate placed onto this unit has previously exhibited a significant threat to the safety and security of the individual or the facility. After the immediate presenting behavior has diminished the inmate is reviewed for placement to a lower management unit.

Unit Supervisor and Alternative to Revocation Coordinator (ATR) Coordinator: Theresa Barwell

Guiding Principle
The WRC Dual Diagnosis and Pre-release Service Area provides a safe and healthy environment for inmates and Alternative to Revocation (ATR) offenders, while promoting personal rehabilitation through a variety of individualized treatment programming that includes re-entry planning, medication management, independent living skills, job skills, personal responsibility and accountability to prepare participants for a successful, long-term, healthy transition to the community. The staff incorporate elements of person centered planning, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, integrated treatment, dual diagnosis (SUD/Co-occurring disorder) treatment, multi-disciplinary and strength based approaches, and a variety of incentives to serve as rewards for positive choices and accomplishments. The service area treatment team members provide coaching and encouragement to program participants while role-modeling positive behavior and healthy choices. The SUD/Re-Entry unit is designed to provide an environment that promotes rehabilitation by linking release planning, medication management, independent living skills, job skills, personal responsibility and self-control as means of integrating the resident back to the community.

Program Statement

B5, dual diagnosis/pre-release unit, is a 28 bed structured community. It is designed to provide care and release planning for those residents who have a history of chronic mental health issues or correctional institutionalization. The dual diagnosis/re-entry unit treatment team focuses on developing individualized release plans that are focused on independent living skills while providing relapse prevention or wellness plans. Through the collaborative development of individualized treatment plans, stressors related to release planning and community reintegration will be reduced. The unit operates under a multi-disciplinary treatment model and is structured to provide rapid feedback through constructive consequences/rewards to modify behaviors. The treatment team consists of an Institution Unit Supervisor, Psychiatric Care Supervisor, Psychiatrist, Psychological Services Associate, Social Worker, Psychiatric Care Technicians, Nurse Clinician, Education Representative, Recreation Therapist, and often times, Treatment Specialists. The unit program receives additional support from staff involved in other departments within WRC. Many residents on the unit are participants in the Dual Diagnosis treatment program that is offered on-unit.

The unit coordinates with community-based services to assist with transitioning to the community. This may include DCC agents, Case Managers, Social Security, family supports, and community mental health providers. The team also coordinates efforts with the Opening Avenues to Reentry Success (OARS) program.

The objective of Unit 5 is to provide the skills necessary for successful re-entry to individuals being released to the community. Offenders will be provided with treatment interventions and coaching to allow them opportunities to expand and apply their skills to manage independently in the community.

Unit Supervisor: Bob Kriz

Guiding Principle
The WRC Dual Diagnosis and Pre-release Service Area provides a safe and healthy environment for inmates and Alternative to Revocation (ATR) offenders, while promoting personal rehabilitation through a variety of individualized treatment programming that includes re-entry planning, medication management, independent living skills, job skills, personal responsibility and accountability to prepare participants for a successful, long-term, healthy transition to the community. We incorporate elements of person centered planning, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, integrated treatment, dual diagnosis (SUD/co-occurring disorder) treatment, multi-disciplinary and strength based approaches, and a variety of incentives to serve as rewards for positive choices and accomplishments. The service area treatment team members provide coaching and encouragement to program participants while role-modeling positive behavior and healthy choices. This unit is designed to provide an environment that promotes rehabilitation by linking release planning, medication management, independent living skills, job skills, personal responsibility, and self-control as means of integrating the resident back to the community.

Program Statement
This unit is a 30-bed structured community. The unit is designed to provide care and release planning for those residents who have a history of chronic mental health issues or correctional institutionalization. The unit treatment team focuses on developing individualized release plans that are focused on independent living skills while providing relapse prevention or wellness plans. Through the collaborative development of individualized treatment plans, stressors related to release planning and community reintegration will be reduced.

The unit operates under a multi-disciplinary treatment model and is structured to provide rapid feedback through constructive consequences/rewards to modify behaviors. The treatment team consists of an institution unit supervisor, psychiatric care supervisor, psychiatrist, psychological services associate, social worker, psychiatric care technicians, an education representative, and a recreation therapist. The unit program receives additional support from staff involved in other departments within WRC. Many residents on the unit are participants in the dual diagnosis treatment program that is offered on the unit.

The unit coordinates with community-based services to assist with transitioning to the community. This may include DOC agents, case managers, Social Security, family supports, and community mental health providers. The team also coordinates efforts with the Opening Avenues to Reentry Success (OARS) Program.

The objective of this unit is to provide the skills necessary for successful re-entry to individuals being released to the community. Patients are provided with treatment interventions and coaching to allow them opportunities to expand and apply their skills to manage independently in the community.

Unit Supervisor: Rick Bubolz

Mission
This unit provides a safe, non-violent, secure, and structured treatment environment to address symptom management and the individual referral reasons of inmates to the Wisconsin Resource Center, as well as to enhance skills needed for a successful and non-problematic assimilation upon return to the DOC.

The program focuses on achieving self-governed compliance with rules and policies, commitment to a productive schedule, appropriate socialization, adequate coping skills and overall independent living skills. It encourages patients to take responsibility for self growth and reinforces this through a collaborative effort to address areas that present as problematic and interfere in functioning. Development and application of these skills will increase the ability to negotiate a traditional institutional living environment and/or the community. The treatment team promotes and encourages programming, therapy, medication compliance, and healthy lifestyle choices while concurrently preparing for transfer to the medium custody DOC institutions.

Goals

  • Address individual treatment needs identified by DOC.
  • Provide clinical monitoring through groups and on-unit individual contacts.
  • Strengthen independent living skills and pro-social life skills with appropriate feedback and interventions.
  • Reinforce essential treatment programming.
  • Increase skills to negotiate a traditional institution living environment.

Unit Supervisor: Jeff Urban

Guiding Principle
The WRC Dual Diagnosis and Pre Release Service Area provides a safe and healthy environment for inmates and Alternative to Revocation (ATR) offenders, while promoting personal rehabilitation through a variety of individualized treatment programming that includes re-entry planning, medication management, independent living skills, job skills, personal responsibility and accountability to prepare participants for a successful, long-term, healthy transition to the community. We incorporate elements of person centered planning, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, integrated treatment, dual diagnosis (SUD/co-occurring disorder) treatment, multi-disciplinary and strength based approaches, and a variety of incentives to serve as rewards for positive choices and accomplishments. The service area treatment team members provide coaching and encouragement to program participants while role-modeling positive behavior and healthy choices. This unit is designed to provide an environment that promotes rehabilitation by linking release planning, medication management, independent living skills, job skills, personal responsibility, and self-control as means of integrating the resident back to the community.

Program Statement
This unit is a 29-bed structured community. The unit is designed to provide care and release planning for those residents who have a history of chronic mental health issues or correctional institutionalization. The unit treatment team focuses on developing individualized release plans that are focused on independent living skills while providing relapse prevention or wellness plans. Through the collaborative development of individualized treatment plans, stressors related to release planning and community reintegration will be reduced.

The unit operates under a multi-disciplinary treatment model and is structured to provide rapid feedback through constructive consequences/rewards to modify behaviors. The treatment team consists of an institution unit supervisor, psychiatric care supervisor, psychiatrist, nurse, psychological services associate, social worker, psychiatric care technicians, an education representative, and a recreation therapist. The unit program receives additional support from staff involved in other departments within WRC. Many residents on the unit are participants in the dual diagnosis treatment program that is offered.

The unit coordinates with community-based services to assist with transitioning to the community. This may include DOC agents, case managers, Social Security, family supports, and community mental health providers. The team also coordinates efforts with the Opening Avenues to Reentry Success (OARS) Program and the Disabled Offender Economic Security (DOES) project.

The objective of this unit is to provide the skills necessary for successful re-entry to individuals being released to the community. Patients are provided with treatment interventions and coaching to allow them opportunities to expand and apply their skills to manage independently in the community.

Unit Supervisor: Thomas Molitor

Mission Statement
The mission of Unit 9 is to support WRC’s multidisciplinary team approach of providing collaborative care and accountability within a safe and secure environment for the adult population. A primary focus will be to provide Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment utilizing researched-informed, Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Substance Abuse (CBISA) curriculum and evidence-based Thinking for a Change (T4C) curriculum. There will also be ancillary programming based on skills in: mindfulness, emotion regulation, and healthy parenting to enhance reentry success and recovery.

Unit Program Goals

  • Provide group and individual treatment from a multi-disciplinary team.
  • Strengthen independent living skills and pro-social life skills with appropriate feedback and interventions.
  • Reinforce essential treatment programming.
  • Increase skills to assist in successful transition to minimum security and/or eventual reintegration into the community.

Overview
Unit 9 staff are committed to providing a safe, secure, and structured environment to address SUDs. An individualized and multidisciplinary approach will be utilized to deliver programming and treatment that best fits the needs of each inmate in our custody. Our hope is to provide effective methods to help inmates cope and adapt successfully to sober living in the community.

Unit Supervisor: Thomas Molitor

Mission Statement
The mission of Unit 10 is to support WRC’s multidisciplinary team approach of providing collaborative care and accountability within a safe and secure environment for the adult population. A primary focus will be to provide Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment utilizing researched-informed, Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Substance Abuse (CBISA) curriculum and evidence-based Thinking for a Change (T4C) curriculum. There will also be ancillary programming based on skills in: mindfulness, emotion regulation, and healthy parenting to enhance reentry success and recovery.

Unit Program Goals

  • Provide group and individual treatment from a multi-disciplinary team.
  • Strengthen independent living skills and pro-social life skills with appropriate feedback and interventions.
  • Reinforce essential treatment programming.
  • Increase skills to assist in successful transition to minimum security and/or eventual reintegration into the community.

Overview
Unit 10 staff are committed to providing a safe, secure, and structured environment to address SUDs. An individualized and multidisciplinary approach will be utilized to deliver programming and treatment that best fits the needs of each inmate in our custody. Our hope is to provide effective methods to help inmates cope and adapt successfully to sober living in the community.

Unit Supervisor: Kim Ames

Objective
This unit provides a behavioral controlled environment for the dual purpose of continuing the assessment of the patient's behavior with the initiation of programs which will measure an patient's responsiveness to unit programming. Staff provide a supplemental environment to the High Management Security Unit in an effort to facilitate transition to a more open environment.

Unit Program Summary
This unit provides an integral part of the interdisciplinary treatment modality at WRC. It provides to the treatment teams a behavioral management response to immediate presenting behavior that insures a safe and secure environment. This enables an individualized approach to meet the individual treatment needs as defined in the originating unit developed care plans.

Unit Supervisor: David White

Objective

Provide for the needs of the individuals in the psychiatric service area through group and individual programming.

Daily Incentive (DI) Program helps a patient develop the capacity to self-regulate emotions and engage in pro-social behaviors in order to maintain placement within a less restrictive setting.

Vision
Patients participating in the DI Program will develop and maintain an increased sense of self-regulation and adaptive behaviors so that they are able to transition to a less restrictive environment.

Unit Program Summary
The DI Program is designed or suited primarily for patients who present problematic behaviors and have difficulty maintaining pro-social behaviors in a less structured environment. The DI Program integrates the "recovery" and "decompression" models of treatment in providing behavioral feedback. The unit program is designed to foster awareness and adaptation of self-control as well as enhancing appropriate social interactions with peers and institution staff. The unit operates as an interdisciplinary management program, structured to provide rapid feedback about their behaviors. The interdisciplinary treatment team reviews inmate progress daily and identifies individual treatment needs.

In addition to the DI Program, this unit provides services for chronically ill and/or poorly adjusted patients who do not need an incentive program. This unit houses some long-term men who will remain at WRC for the time they are incarcerated.

Unit Supervisor: Brett Vandewalle

Objective
This unit facilitates the admission for all inmates received into the psychiatric service area at WRC.

Unit Program Summary
This unit provides management and treatment of the most acute mentally ill patients admitted and housed at the WRC. These include inmates needing commitment or re-commitment under Wis. Stat. ch. 51, patients who have been directed by the courts to be treated to competency, and other mentally ill patients who can benefit from psychiatric treatment.

The treat to competency program requires this unit to work in unison with many partners to help in treating those individuals that the court has ordered for this service.

The unit coordinates services for those individuals who are pending revocation or are currently incarcerated with pending criminal charges.

The unit's environment, program, and structure is set to meet the clinical and social needs of the patient while maintaining a balance of treatment, security, and safety for the staff and patients.

Unit Supervisor: Jeramie DeSantos

Mission Statement
The mission of Unit 16 is to support WRC's multidisciplinary team approach of providing collaborative care and accountability within a safe and secure environment. An individualized and multidisciplinary approach is utilized to deliver programming and treatment that best fits the needs of each person in our custody.

Unit Program
Men referred from maximum security institutions have the opportunity to address their individual treatment needs through on-unit and off-unit programming. In addition, Unit 16 offers the Challenge Program. The Challenge Program is an 8-week program designed to assist with enhancing pro-social skills to improve adjustment in a correctional setting.

Unit Supervisor: Andrew Witt

Unit Description
H17 provides custody and security to men referred from maximum security institutions to address concerns related to mental health, institutional adjustment, social interaction and quality-of-life-interfering behaviors. Men placed on H17 are responsible for their participation in programming, along with creating an individual care plan that enhances their ability to successfully return to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) or reintegrate into society. Once returned to a DOC facility the team provides the men with three months of follow up contacts through the Outreach program.

With the assistance of the treatment team, men on H17 develop an understanding of their personal history and work both in group settings and individual therapy sessions towards their identified treatment goals. This is often accomplished by utilizing the men’s strengths to assist in bringing about change Some common treatment goals include positive self-image, self-awareness, problem solving and healthy social interactions.

Additionally, H17 assists WRC with the medication recommitment process for men committed under Chapter 51.20. Men committed under Chapter 51.20 suffer from acute mental illness, but often stabilize and return to General Population and eventually to DOC.
 

Unit Supervisor: Rob Kostopolus

Unit Description
H18 provides custody and security to men referred from maximum security institutions to address concerns related to mental health, institutional adjustment, social interaction and quality-of-life-interfering behaviors. Men placed on H18 are responsible for their participation in programming, along with creating an individual care plan that enhances their ability to successfully return to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) or reintegrate into society. Once returned to a DOC facility the team provides the men with three months of follow up contacts through the Outreach program.

With the assistance of the treatment team, men on H18 develop an understanding of their personal history and work both in group settings and individual therapy sessions towards their identified treatment goals. This is often accomplished by utilizing the men’s strengths to assist in bringing about change Some common treatment goals include positive self-image, self-awareness, problem solving and healthy social interactions.

Additionally, H18 assists WRC with the medication recommitment process for men committed under Chapter 51.20. Men committed under Chapter 51.20 suffer from acute mental illness, but often stabilize and return to General Population and eventually to DOC.

Units 13 and 14 are vacant.

Wisconsin Women's Resource Center

Female residents are assigned to one of three units.

Unit Supervisor: Britany Schroeder-Hill

Mission
The Moderate Acuity Unit’s mission is to provide a wide variety of interdisciplinary treatment to women with psychiatric symptoms and maladaptive personality features in order to decrease their difficulties and improve their overall functioning.

Unit Description
The unit houses a maximum 23 residents. It consists of women in general population and disciplinary separation who transferred from the High Acuity Unit after exhibiting reduced risk for self-harm and harm to others, as well as women who transfer directly from Taycheedah Correctional Institution. The Moderate Acuity Team also develops individualized treatment plans with women referred for Alternative to Revocation (ATR) programming from the Division of Community Corrections (DCC) and with women referred for Treatment to Competency/Competency Restoration from the court system. Residents of this unit participate in on and off unit programming.

All cells are single-occupancy and have sinks and toilets.

Clinical Coordinator: Jenny Kettenhoven

Mission
The Specialized Treatment Unit (STU) utilizes various treatment modalities as a part of an intensive program to address a range of trauma symptoms, restructure thinking patterns related to emotional and social difficulties, and increase social skills to enhance the resident's functioning at Taycheedah Correctional Institution (TCI), Robert E. Ellsworth Correctional Center (REECC), and in the community.

Unit Description
The unit has two tracks of treatment programming, the Trauma program and Group Program. The Trauma Program is comprised of a modified therapeutic community lasting 25 weeks with each cohort of participants beginning and completing the program together. Group Program participants develop individualized treatment plans that focus on preparation for the trauma Program and/or treatment related to traumatic experiences and mental health needs. Within the Group Program track the STU team develops individualized treatment plans with women referred for Alternative to Revocation (ATR) program from the Division of Community Corrections (DCC) and with women referred for Treatment to Competency/Competency Restoration from the court system.

The STU Program’s philosophy is based on trauma-informed care, gender-responsive programs, and an environment that promotes self-management and shared responsibilities. The core STU programs have been peer-reviewed, evaluated, and identified as evidence-based programs. The programs are appropriate and designed for women involved with the criminal justice system.

Staff from several areas (psychology, social services, therapeutic services, education, nursing, and chaplain services) facilitate and lead groups and activities. The multi-disciplinary treatment team first assesses the resident's strengths and needs and then collaborates with them to identify relevant interventions. Participants complete a battery of measures assessing trauma-specific and general psychological difficulties prior to enrolling in programming, as well as at the conclusion to assess treatment gains. Staff and program participants emphasize core values of safety, choice, collaboration, and empowerment in the unit structure, programming, and their interactions.

All cells are single-occupancy and have sinks and toilets.

WWRC perceives STU participants as role models for others at WWRC. Consequently, participants are responsible and expected to model consistent attendance and active participation in groups, activities and individual sessions as part of their treatment experience at WWRC.

Nursing Supervisor: Matthew Butkiewicz

Mission
The High Acuity Unit’s mission is to reduce symptoms of serious mental illness or severe behavioral instability, which threatens the safety of the offender or others, via focused therapeutic interventions, stabilization of psychotropic medication, and behavior management.

Unit Description
The unit houses a working population of 10 residents. It consists of women in general population and disciplinary separation statuses. Some residents remain for short-term stabilization and return to Taycheedah Correctional Institution, while others progress to the Moderate Acuity Unit for more in-depth programming after exhibiting improved behavioral and/or psychiatric stability and reduced risk for self-harm and harm to others. The High Acuity Treatment Team also develops individualized treatment plans with women referred for Alternative to Revocation (ATR) programming from the Division of Community Corrections (DCC) and with women referred for Treatment to Competency/Competency Restoration from the court system.

All cells are single-occupancy cells and have sinks and toilets.

Last revised July 14, 2023