GIB LEWIS CHAPLAINCY
DEPARTMENT
CHAPLAINCY SECRETARY
General Statement
of Purpose
The
chaplaincy department's secretary plays a vital role on the ministry team as a
key person in the communication process between the chaplain, the inmates, the
team, and the unit administration and staff.
The secretary's general mission is to help the chaplains in the
administration of direct delivery of pastoral care and to help the chaplains in
the guidance of the ministry team in the delivery to inmates and staff. Often times the secretary will participate
in direct delivery herself.
Said in
another way, the secretary works with the chaplains in forwarding a pastoral
agenda. A pastoral agenda is following
and aiding the needs of persons in healthy communication and within the context
of a vital religion. This is
essentially contained in the "Correctional Chaplaincy Mission."
This delivery
and the secretary's administration that aids the delivery include both the
general tasking elements in office management and the higher functions of the
office in communication and communication coordination. Said in another way, the chaplaincy
secretary is both an office manager and a communicator.
Of first
importance is a positive and open representation of the chaplaincy department. Being positive means being careful to be
fair to all faiths. Avoiding language
offensive to any faith (with inmates and staff). Being mindful that the chaplaincy office in
general is the advocate of every religion on the unit. Being careful of how the chaplains are
represented. Maintaining
confidences. Avoiding open criticism of
the department or any other department.
Essentially following the employee general rules of conduct.
Giving an
open representation means helping the chaplain and the ministry team
communicate its fairness, its openness to healthy criticism, and its
willingness to be available. In areas
of confusion, it means referring to the chaplains and communicating the
chaplains' willingness to hear out any concern.
The secretary
will help the chaplains and the ministry team in the smooth delivery of quality
pastoral care to the inmates and staff.
The greatest single asset to the highest level of delivery will be the
concerted effort in developing and maintaining good communication and positive
people skills throughout the unit.
Outline of
GENERAL TASKING
The secretary
should quickly become familiar with TDCJ-ID employee rules, find time to read
the Secretary's Handbook, and read the handbooks contained in this manual pertaining
to volunteers. This will insure
success.
Read the
Correctional Chaplaincy Mission statement every now and then.
The next
section in this Handbook is the Operating File System that is in the
secretary's desk. The Resource File
System is in the filing cabinets in the inner office. Every now and then, thumb through the contents of this file
system until there settles in a level of comfort.
Form City
Departmental contains the primary forms used in the administration of
department affairs. Form City Volunteers
contains the primary forms used in the management of volunteers. Form City Examples contains some examples of
some significant forms and letters.
PHONE--COMMUNICATIONS
Answering
the phone and office communication. There is a
notepad to record the date, time, party calling, reason for call, and
expectations of the party calling. It
is best that phone coverage be maintained, even in the staggering of lunch so
that someone can be available. The
secretary will develop a competency about general rules and department
priorities.
Emergency
calls
will be handled with the discretion expected as if in one's own family. Using the Death or Illness Worksheet (form
I-241: see Form City Departmental),
fill out the appropriate information:
your name, date, time; the
caller's name, return number, relation;
inmate's name and TDCJ number;
ill/deceased party's name and relation;
hospital/funeral home and number if possible. When it is possible, call the hospital/funeral home to verify
information; note the time and date of
the verification on the Worksheet.
Write the inmate's house designation next to his TDCJ number.
In time and
with the variety of calls, one will gain a basic understanding of crisis calls
and how the chaplain handles them.
Sensing the tenseness of the family, learning the nature of the critical
illness, finding out when the best time to have the inmate return call,
relating to the calling party a positive level of assurance, and communicating
the chaplain's intention to handle such with discretion and promptness--all
these are skills that will come with experience. Use the section on the Worksheet titled, "ADDITIONAL
NOTES," to make comments pertinent to the situation, but try to leave room
for the chaplain to write notes too.
With all messages,
but especially with emergency messages be sure that the appropriate
chaplain is appraised of the situation.
Even with reminders, the importance of helping maintain positive
communication is central to the role of the secretary--indeed, central to the
pastoral agenda and the department in all of its interactions.
Occasionally,
the chaplain will ask for information or a follow-up on an inmate. Any call made with reference to an inmate
that is not a part of an active Death and Illness Worksheet needs to be
recorded in the green log book provided for that purpose. Note the format: date, time, inmate name, inmate TDCJ number, calling number, with
calling party's name above number, relation (using code), very brief
reason. These calls might range from
checking on an ill family member where no emergency call was allowed the
inmate, following up on a marriage seminar application, returning a family
member's call, etc.
Note that
sometimes the chaplain will retain this sheet for several days until the crisis
call has been properly made. Then the
chaplain will highlight the number that was called by the inmate and place the
form in the secretary's box. The
secretary will copy this form then take this form to records at the end of the
day or place in the records mail box up front.
The copy of the worksheet is placed in the notebook provided on the
secretary's desk. This notebook is for
the year, and copies are placed in it with the most recent one on top. This facilitates follow-up.
MAIL
Check the mail
room for chaplaincy department mail each morning--which is usually posted after
9:00 a.m. Open general mail and place
in the appropriate chaplain's box.
Handle the mail that can be handled.
Use discretion, and avoid opening personal letters.
GREETING CARDS
From inmate
mail requests on I-60's attempt to distribute the appropriate greeting cards
from the available stock at least every few days, but preferably at each day's
end if time allows. Currently, two
cards a month will be available. Note
the inmate's name, TDCJ-ID number, and the number of cards given on the
appropriate monthly distribution list:
see Form City Departmental for an example.
It will be
the secretary's responsibility to keep the chaplain posted about the available
stock of cards and to keep the stock of cards in some semblance of order. These are purchased mostly with church
donations. Keep an accurate record of
all monies received and where it was spent.
Most cards are purchased through Chaplain Ray in Dallas.
CLEARANCES
Each Monday, check clearances for the
week to make sure they are up-to-date:
see Form City Examples, Etc. for examples of clearances and
distribution. Note the clearances for
the Gib Lewis Mentor Program, Muslim lay-ins, weekly visitors. Sometimes a Department of Motor Vehicle
(DMV) check may need to be done, which can be handled through the Major's
office. It is helpful if the clearances
are placed one day in advance. For when
such is placed too far ahead of the date, there is a greater chance these might
get lost prior to the visit.
GRIEF MANAGEMENT
On death
notifications, we will send a condolence card to each during three (3)
intervals following the death of a loved one:
1 month, 5 months, and 1 year.
These time
frames do not need to be exact. A card
will be typed according to the following example, inserting the proper
information at the underlined spaces:
(Over a month/over five
months/etc.) have passed since the loss of your ________________. I wanted to drop you a line and let you
know I was thinking about you and your family.
You take
care. Let me know how you are doing.
Chaplain
Maness
On the
Death/Illness Notification Form, in the upper right hand corner, note the date
that each follow-up card was sent. It
will be the secretary's responsibility to keep track of these postings, type
the appropriate cards, and get the chaplain's signature. When typing the cards, especially for those
over six months, it may be necessary to check the Master Assignment Roster to
verify housing assignments and/or to check for presence on the unit. Help remind the chaplain to periodically
review the Notices and the tracking of grief management.
LAY-INS
These need to
be written on the forms provided: see
Form City Departmental. When you
receive an I-60 requesting a visit with our contract chaplain, set an
appropriate time, write a lay-in for the inmate, write the appointment on the
calendar for the contract chaplain, and leave a note in the contract chaplain's
box. If the lay-in is for the
following day, call the countroom to make the lay-in, then fill out the form
and place in the mailroom that evening.
Muslim Juma Services Lay-ins
Each
Monday,
prepare the lay-in list for the Muslim Juma services on Fridays. Distribute lists appropriately. When an inmate requests to be added to the
Juma lay-in list, first check (or have records check) his travel card to verify
that it lists this particular inmate as a Muslim. If verified, then add his name to the list on the nearest Monday
following the request. If he requests
Juma but is not a Muslim, instruct him to see the chaplain in person and bring
a change of faith request on an I-60 with him.
In preparing
the lay-in list for the Muslim Juma service, check the previous Friday's
attendance. Those Muslims who miss
without an appropriate or verifiable reason will be withdrawn from the list for
at least two weeks, after which they will need to submit another I-60 request
to be re-added to list. (Note: if you know this inmate to have a travel
card listing him as Muslim, you do not need to check records.)
As with all
faith change requests, each inmate needs a personal interview with the
chaplain.
Employee Time Report
By each
Wednesday,
prepare the employee time report. Each
employee fills out their time. This
needs to be in the personnel office before noon on Thursday of each week. Keep a copy in the operating file. Keep back dated copies for a few months,
after which they can be shredded.
Sunday Bulletin
Usually there
is a Sunday bulletin that will need to be typed. Blank inserts are in the operating file. Usually, a designated inmate deacon will
have filled out an Sunday Program Outline from which to type the bulletin. If the chaplain has not selected a cover,
find an appropriate one in the chaplain's desk file drawer. Ask the chaplain about the number of copies
needed. Keep one complete bulletin for
each week for the previous six months, after which let the chaplain review them
before they are discarded.
Supplies
Each week
check the supplies: (1) from unit
supply--such as pencils, stick'em pads, letterhead, envelops, blank 1/5 cut
files, boxes of Kleenex, copier paper, etc.;
(2) from Huntsville supply--such as copier toner, toner return buckets,
communion supplies, baptismal records, guitar strings, typewriter ribbons,
etc. Become familiar with where we get
these supplies.
1. Ordering on the unit level, you need
to use the Requisitions supplied: see
Form City Departmental for an example.
Note that our ordering unit is 40, department is 064, division is 07,
and the location code is CC. Use the
supply list provided to fill in appropriate blanks. When you send it, keep the yellow copy and send the original. Give them a call if you want something
specific.
2. Ordering from Huntsville, you will need
to write an IOC: see Form City
Departmental for an example.
Keep the
yellow Requisition copy or the IOC copy you have sent in the Operating File
System till it filled.
Work Orders
Work orders
are handled in a similar fashion. Call
maintenance and make a request for anything that needs to be repaired. If equipment like the copier needs repair or
the piano needs tuned, call Huntsville and see if they will authorize a
contractor to meet the need. Note the
date, time, and person contacted on any authorization. When a Huntsville approved contractor
completes the work, copy and file the copy of the invoice and send the original
invoice to Huntsville.
In contacting
the contractor, work with the Warden's secretary and the control pickets to get
an escort. Generally there is no need
to write a clearance, as the contractors rarely have a very predictable
schedule and will need to be escorted on and off the unit when they arrive.
TRAVEL
When the
chaplain travels anywhere and uses his own vehicle (not a company vehicle),
like to the quarterly regional chaplain's meetings, note that a vehicle request
needs to have been made prior to the trip. After the trip, note that there is a designated mileage chart
from which to gather mileage from unit to unit. Use the copy of the previously paid travel voucher as a
guide: see Form City Departmental for
an example. Once it is filled out, send
it to the warden for signing, copy it, then send to Huntsville; file the copies of the voucher and vehicle
request; when it returns with the stamp
marked paid, staple it to the copies and place in the appropriate person's box.
LEAVE/COMP TIME
This is
filled out after the time is earned or taken:
see Form City Departmental for
an example. Section I is for time
earned when working on a day normally taken off.
Only rarely
will you use Section II which is for taking special time off with pay. This will primarily be used by the chaplain
in denominational leave time. Note the
copy that has typed in "DENOMINATIONAL LEAVE TIME"; this is the example to follow. This has to be sent to the warden, back to
us, copied, then sent to Huntsville.
ATTENDANCE ROSTERS
The secretary
will process the Inmate Attendance Rosters to their proper place according to
religion in anticipation of the Bi-Monthly Report. There is an appropriate section in the Operating File
System. After the Bi-Monthly Report is
complete, these are moved to the Resource File System and filed accordingly. At the year's end, according to religion
only those collections for the months of January and July will be stored: see in this handbook the Operating File
System for the first step, the Resource File System for the long term location,
and the section in Form City Departmental for an example.
BAPTISMS
Baptisms are
usually performed each month. Keep a
supply of blank certificates. When
preparing to send out notices on baptism, make two identical lists of those
being baptized on 3" by 5" cards.
When baptisms are complete, you will use the chaplain's cards from which
to make out the certificates (some do not come): see Form City Examples for an example of how to type a proper
Baptismal Certificate.
APPLICATION
PACKETS -- PROCESS
Special
Volunteers. Each special volunteer
receives a Volunteer Services Letter of Orientation and usually a Unit
Volunteer Application. When a
volunteer begins the process to become an TDCJ-ID Approved Volunteer, they will
need to receive the appropriate packet.
Mentor
Prospects. The application packets consist of a
Acknowledgement of Training/Orientation;
Volunteer Services Application Form;
a Unit Volunteer Application form;
a Religious Volunteers: A Few
Helpful Hints booklet; Outline of
Mentor Certification; a Visitation
Record Book; and list of TDCJ
Disciplinary Rules; a Mentor Resources
List and page of Order Forms. These are
in Form City volunteers.
Hospitality
Volunteers. The application packets consist of a
Acknowledgement of Training/Orientation;
Volunteer Services Application Form;
a Unit Volunteer Application form;
a Religious Volunteers: A Few
Helpful Hints booklet; and a
Hospitality Program Guidelines. These
are in Form City volunteers.
The
Approved Volunteer Process. Once the applications have
been turned in, they Volunteer Services Application Form is sent to our
Department Volunteer Coordinator which is a Regional Chaplain. They will notify the volunteer of training
the volunteer will have to take. When
we receive verification of Approved Status, we will then only need to note that
status on our clearances.
VOLUNTEERS
Note the
Operating File System section marked, "Approved Processing." Note the categories of processing. When a volunteer fills out an application,
the secretary will keep copies of that which is sent to Huntsville and file in
the Operating File System the copies.
When we hear back from Huntsville on the status of a volunteer, which is
usually an approval, that approval is stapled to the copies. After approval, applications are placed in
the Resource File System.
After a few
visits of the Approved Volunteer, as a volunteer participates, their name,
address, and phone numbers are placed on a current list of Approved Volunteers
according to the nature of volunteer work:
Mentor, Hospitality, All Others.
The current lists by address/phone is placed in the Operating File
System under the appropriate program.
MENTOR PROGRAM
We generally
write clearances for the Mentor Program for two months, but we frequently
upgrade when we add a new mentor.
However, these need reworked each time we add a new mentor. The new mentor has to have completed at
least a Unit Volunteer Application with a pastoral endorsement. Then on the new IOC clearance, the Building
Major has to run a DMV (Department of Motor Vehicle) driver's license check and
sign off; then the warden has to sign
off; then we distribute them--hopefully
the day before the next mentor meeting.
Generally, a
new mentor should give two weeks notice before coming. Work with the Community Mentor Program
Coordinator.
Keep an
up-to-date list of addresses and phone numbers and a sentence of biographical
information on each mentor. This
information is on the Unit Volunteer Application with the pastoral endorsement.
Keep the
mentor/match rosters up-to-date. These
are in the Mentor Program Notebook on the Chaplain's desk: see a copy in Form City Volunteers. These will be used in compiling the
Bi-Monthly Report.
MENTOR RESOURCES
Note the
section in the Resource File System marked, "Mentor Resources." The file system for this collection of
resources is especially related to the Mentor Program. A volunteer is given a list of Mentor
Resources (see Form City Volunteers) that is filed in the Resource File
System. Blanks of this list and Order
Forms are also in the Resource File System.
When relating to the inmate with whom the mentor is matched, the
mentor may request a copy of one of these resources by designating the code and
topic. For instance, the mentor may
request the article on "truth," and write the request to the
chaplain noting that he would like "F3." The secretary would withdraw this from the file and give it
to the chaplain for that mentor on the next mentor evening.
The secretary
is responsible to see that multiple copies are kept in each location in the
Mentor Resources section of the Resource File System. A master copy of the Mentor Resources is in a Mentor Resources
Notebook kept for that purpose.
HOSPITALITY PROGRAM
We have a
on-going list of approved women in the program. This list needs to be re-approved each time additions are
made: see Form City Examples, Etc. Work with our current Community Hospitality
Program Coordinator, and she will give you a list of persons and a schedule for
each weekend and/or month. There is an
approved list of Program Volunteers that needs up-dating with each new
addition. Then we send the schedule on
an IOC to the Warden and distributed accordingly as all of these women have
already been approved for the program.
Note how the others have been done.
Keep an
up-to-date list of addresses and phone numbers and a sentence of biographical
information on each Hospitality Volunteer.
This information is on the Unit Volunteer Application with the pastoral
endorsement.
Keep the
Hospitality schedules for 2 months, for they will be used in compiling the
Bi-Monthly Report.
LIBRARY
We have
several small libraries. The chapel
library is located in the chapel and contains a wide selection of books. The general Reference, the Jehovah's
Witness, and the Muslim libraries are in the chaplain's office. A man may check out a book for two or three
weeks (no need to be very exact on a date).
Have each man each time show you his TDCJ Identification card.; write the first initial, last name, and
TDCJ # on the card; write the date due
on the book and on the card; and file
the card.
Keep the card
file up to date. Notice that the
Reference and Chapel libraries' cards will go into the same section according
to month of "Due Date"; this
should facilitate the late notice process.
Send out late
notices when appropriate. No need to keep
copies.
FAITH CHANGES
An inmate
needs to bring an I60 stating his desire to change religions and have a
personal interview with the chaplain.
After interviewing with the chaplain and the change is affirmed, you
will need to go to records and check the travel card of the inmate and note the
change on the travel card; date and
initial change on the travel card. Then
you will need to also note the time, date, and change made on the inmate's I60
request; copy the I60; file the copy and send the original to the
Chaplaincy Administrator's office in Huntsville. When appropriate, note the section on Muslim Juma Service lay-ins
above.
Be aware that
an inmate can only change his faith once a year. If you are processing a request and run into this, notify the
appropriate chaplain.
MONTHLY SPECIAL VOLUNTEER
REPORTS
It will be
the secretary's responsibility to keep up with this report: see the example in Form City
Volunteers. A helpful hint might be to
up date the report weekly in pencil/pen, then type the report at the end of the
month. This report goes through the
Unit Volunteer Authority (UVA:
Assistant Warden) to the Chaplaincy Department Volunteer Coordinator
which is also our regional chaplain's office in Huntsville. Be sure and copy this before it is sent.
These are
collected in the Operating File System for two months, then used in recording
the Monthly Reports, then stored in the Resource File System. See Form City Volunteers for an example.
MONTHLY REPORTS
Look at the
previous Monthly Reports: see Form City
Departmental for an example. Compile
the data and type the reports. Note the
different places from which you will need to gather data. Chaplain's individual and lockup counseling
is noted on the large monthly calendars on the chaplain's desk. The mentor volunteers and match attendance
is in the Mentor Notebook. The
hospitality volunteers are on the schedules.
You have been filing rosters on attendance for two months, and some of
those have the names of volunteers on them.
The Monthly Special Volunteer Reports and the Volunteer Assignment
Description Forms will help in accurate collection of volunteer activity.
In
compilation, note if we have had any special events like marriage seminars,
Prison Fellowship seminars, and other special studies that might impact the
inmate attendance and volunteer activity data on the bi-monthly report.
DISTRIBUTION LISTS
Note the
section in the Operating File System for Distribution Lists. You will want to keep records of the number
of cards dispersed. At the year's end,
note the total number of cards dispersed for that year on the roster
provided. This is for our office's use
in statistics and future ordering. See
Form City Departmental for an example.
CORRESPONDENCE
& LETTER LOG
There will be
letters to write: see Form City
Examples for two types of letters. Note
the two types of letterhead and the two forms of styling the return address on
each one, and be aware that our address and phone number needs to be on all
correspondence. Note the difference
between a hyphen and a dash: a dash is
two hyphens without a space and denotes a break/emphasis in dialogue.
When the
chaplain writes a letter, there will be a signal as to which letters will be
copied for the warden, inmates, whoever;
if there is no signal, regardless, at least one copy is always kept for
filing. When the secretary has typed a
letter, it is placed in the chaplain's box for signature. After signing, the chaplain will place it in
the secretary's box for copying and mailing.
After copying and mailing, place the file copy back into the chaplain's
mail box so that knowledge of the mailing will be complete.
A
"Letter Log" tracks the letters written and is kept in a notebook on
the secretary's desk. At the year's
end, the logs are filed in the Resource File System by year. Logs are kept for ten years. The section marked, "Organization or
Purpose," will generally track organizations or individuals. When a letter is sent to an individual, note
the purpose of the letter as with the following (appreciations in
parentheses): personal/professional
(Per/Prof), death consolation (death), marriage seminar (Marr. Sem.), other
crisis (crisis), Christmas (X-Mas), Mentor Program (Mentor), Hospitality
Program (Hos.), or other such appreciation,
Generally,
the chaplain will place the file copy in the box marked, "Filing,"
for it to be filed. But occasionally,
there will be a need to monitor a response.
In this case the copy is placed in the box marked,
"Reviewing."
In time,
there will come a competence in handling letter construction with minimal
information from the chaplain as we work with so many groups. Do note the Style Manual in this Handbook,
and do use the dictionary for questionable words or constructions. Or ask the chaplain.
FILING
See the
Resource File System. Every other week
or so (or once a month), the secretary will file the material placed in the box
marked, "Filing." The
secretary should become familiar with the Resource File System. This is the permanent and semi-permanent
record of the activity of the chaplain, the volunteers, and the department as a
whole. Note the major sections and the
sub-sections. The filing of the letters
will probably be the most difficult at first.
Ask the chaplain if there are any questions. Unattainable information is useless.
Of particular
importance are the Monthly Reports, the Clearances, the Letters, the Assets,
and the Volunteer Applications. The
Bi-Monthly Reports are described above.
The
Clearances that the secretary has had the wardens sign and has distributed are
placed in the box on the chaplain's desk marked, "Clearances." We need ready access to these until they
expire and/or the visitors have come.
After they expire, they are placed in the box for filing and are filed
according to their nature. Note the
various places these go. Only
the special clearances of one time visitors will be discarded after two years.
Note how the
letters are filed. Most significantly
note that letters on behalf of inmates to their families are filed in the
special notebook (by year) provided for that purpose. Again, note that the letters to inmates' families are placed in
the notebook. All others have a place
in the Resource File System. Thumb
through these. An unusual file will be
"Organizations -- Professional Interests," which is the catch-all for
most letters to organizations.
But do note
that "letters" are not IOC's.
And do note that letters pertaining to the Muslim activity or
solicitations will go into the Muslim Programming section of the Resource File
System. Note that letters to specific
organizations having to do with the professional credentialing of the chaplains
should placed in that specific file in the section marked, "Chaplaincy--Professional." These are also infrequent.
The secretary
will handle all assets and file the forms accordingly. We occasionally solicit for money to buy
cards. The hospitality women will ask
some merchant for hospitality supplies.
We need to keep a record of the money received and how we have spent
it. For instance, the date and amount
received for some cards. This will be
kept in the Operating File System in the file marked, "Monies
Recieved/Dispursed."
Generally,
information is useless if one cannot find it.
And as is often said, "if it is not written, it did not take
place." It is a primary
responsibility of our department to keep accurate records. And the initiative of the secretary is so
greatly appreciated. This system can be
up dated and refined. In consultation
with the chaplain, files may be added and subtracted. The goal is to find the easiest and most effective way to manage
the records without undue waste of time and space. There is a helpful article, "Filing: More than Hide-and-Seek," by Jeri
Rogers following the section on the Operating File System.
Also note
that there is a Chaplaincy Handbook on the chaplain's desk. This needs to be kept up to date. Actually, there are two copies: the chaplain's own copy and the office
copy. Both of these should be
identical. See the chaplain if
necessary.
VIDEO AUTHORIZATIONS
When
processing a release of copyright for videos (or anything else), make two
copies of the release. The original
will go into the section on Department Programming into the file marked
"Video Authorization." The
copy will go into a file in the Network Ministries section in a file marked by
the name of the ministry from which authorization was obtained. The third copy will go the chaplain or
volunteer for whom we sought authorization.
ACCOUNTING
As we collect
the money (like for cards), when we make an order, a notation needs to be made
on where we sent the money and when:
see Form City Departmental for an example. In the Operating File System, this accounting is kept in the
section marked, "Supplies," in the file marked, "Monies
Recieved/Dispursed." When we have
finished a particular solicitation and have spent the monies on orders, we file
this sheet in the Resource File System in the section under Assets in the file
also marked, "Monies Recieved/Dispursed." Remember to always keep some blanks available for recording.
Also note the
form for "Value/Estimated Value of Donated Supplies." Mostly for the Hospitality Program, this
will be kept and up dated as one is in contact or receives a form from the
Community Program Coordinator. These
should be kept on file for around six months, then transferred to the Resource
File System for permanent storage.
SHREDDING
As we process
old records, we need to shred anything of a personal nature, anything with an
inmate's number on it, and anything having a volunteer's home address/phone on
it--essentially anything that would allow an inmate any personal knowledge of
another inmate or of an employee or of a free-world person or of unit
activities of which they do not need access.
HIGHER FUNCTIONS
of Secretary's OFFICE
THE
COMMUNICATION LINK &
PASTORAL CARE
Good
communication will increase the mobility of the chaplain and enhance the
maintenance of professional rapport.
One goal is to increase in the availability of the chaplain to everyone
and make a more rich and fruitful presentation of our office in every place
with which we have contact.
Though the
tasking elements are very significant, they are not necessarily or always the
most important. Necessary to the
ongoing and progressive development of the office are skills in the maintenance
of communication.
As one grows
into the office, one should come to see the impact of a sustained communication
system that will often result in a sense of provincialism--that is, the
secretary will come "own" a part of the office structure and the
communication process. As growth in the
tasking elements and the higher functions increase, as abilities increase in
forwarding the pastoral agenda described in the "Correctional Chaplaincy
Mission," so will the secretary's confidence and understanding grow in
just how pivotal the position is in quality pastoral care.
Said in
another way, the office manager's value and contribution to a high level of
pastoral care increases in proportion to how well acclimated the manager
is with the chaplains' schedule, the department's activities and
priorities: especially with regards to
volunteers; especially when the
chaplain is away, or working nights, or in town, or even on the unit somewhere. And how much greater the level of care is
lifted in an individual session when someone else is there to deflect
diversions in an informed fashion.
Or know when an interruption is appropriate.
Essentially,
through the tasking elements and the higher functions of the chaplaincy
office, the secretary will come to understand the care process and how the
different styles of chaplains handle the process. And with the understanding will come a growing ability to contribute
to that process by facilitating the paperwork trail in the tasking elements and
by growth in use of the higher functions of communication management.
As the
chaplains deal with emergency messages, networking with ministries,
orchestrating volunteers, knowing personalities of families and staff--with all
of these and more, the pastoral agenda is to be sensitive to the faith of each
person, to help make a pastoral connection, and to help the client move up to a
higher level of living within their chosen faith.
THE SECRETARY &
PASTORAL CARE
Our
department is dedicated to helping individuals grow toward a higher level of
living. With such a pastoral agenda,
there is always room in our department to improve the level of care
available. Since no secretary
will ever be forced to grow or pushed beyond their ability in the position,
there is an expectation of the secretary to keep the chaplain informed as to
their own stress level and competencies in the department's general tasking and
in the higher functions. We must work
together. Though there might be a high
expectation, there are no crude taskmasters in the delivery of quality pastoral
care.
Most of the
clerical help in the other departments have a focus that is almost solely on
the tasking element. Because of
the higher functions of this position, the limits of contribution by this
position do not have any bounds whatsoever.
The position
is open ended in development. Because
we have the potential to touch every single person on the unit and a good
number off the unit, there is a degree of unlimited contribution in this
position. Our office is under continual
development and in a constant state of flux.
We attempt to be as ready as possible to respond to the spontaneity of
human need. In one sense we are weak,
for the needs are too many and the numbers are too great. We will do the best we are can with what we
have. So to repeat in similar
words--within both the tasking elements and the higher functions
of the office, the secretary has the opportunity to contribute through her
unique abilities and initiative in a fashion second to few others in the
clerical field.
Quality
pastoral care has a focus too broad to measure. No person is outside the pastoral agenda. The only limits to quality pastoral care are
the team itself, and this includes the innumerable limits of the
chaplains. Remember, pastoral care is
"the struggle of one soul with another soul toward a higher level
of living."
Are these
high-minded words measured? A woman
calls to inform of the death of her husband, the inmate's father--are you in a
hurry to get to lunch or off the phone to make copies or type a letter? Or can you listen and relate within the
pastoral agenda? Somebody is angry at
the chaplain or a volunteer or another staff member--do you tell them to mind
their own business? Or can you hear
them out, possibly help them resolve it, or get them in touch with the
chaplain? You find that one person is
particularly difficult to work with and you are not sure why--do you put them
off or ignore them or play a delicate game of avoidance? Or can you bring that issue to the chaplain
in order to seek a resolution?
How important
is the secretary to the team? Only the
secretary herself can measure that.
Because quality pastoral care is an individually and delicately tailored
PROCESS, each and every contribution by the secretary--and the depth of
that contribution--plays a significant and often times crucial role in the
helping process.
OVERALL
PROGRAMMING & PASTORAL CARE
Because of
doing the lion's share of the tasking, the secretary has the opportunity to participate
in the development of the office and thereby help increase the overall
efficiency of the office paper shuffle two-step. Travel between Form Cities can be difficult, and the chaplains in
their own distractions may miss the chance to see a smoother way of
operating. Help them see through the
darkness.
SPONTANEITY OF HUMAN
NEED & PASTORAL
CARE
Second to no
other secretary on the unit is the opportunity to development of positive
personal relationships. Being kind and
patient on the phone is not a skill, that is just social grace. Being sensitive to feelings, deference,
attention, reflection, confrontation, negotiation--these are skills. Vastly unlike any other department, we have
as our mission a proactive readiness and attention to the spontaneity of
human need.
Human need is
our job, our mission, whether that be with the inmates, the inmates'
families, the staff, or the community of volunteers. The numbers are huge. The
needs are blatant. The weaknesses of
our department and team are many. We
struggle with what we have. Within the
struggle, the chaplaincy department including ours is constantly looking
at ways to improve our serve, constantly looking at new methods to meet
a greater number of needs, and constantly trying to find avenues to grow
in efficiency and quality.
Death and
crises are no respecters of persons.
The chaplains and the ministry team live with issues of heart and
soul. From crisis to crisis we
trudge. Often times we are the boat
men/women over the river Styx. No other
department has as its agenda to follow the course of human need. Said in another way, every other department
can and has put an inmate or subordinate staff member aside or put them off
indefinitely, while our very task if well done is to meet the person
where they are as quickly as possible and with as much of a healthy presence as
we are capable.
As such, the
role played by the secretary in the support of the spontaneous readiness of the
unit chaplaincy programming is intertwined with the level of care given. Readiness and versatility will often
determine the level care we can deliver in any given event.
CLOSING REMARKS
Read over the
table of contents and thumb through this Handbook.
As a
practical suggestion, as one grows into the position, pencil in notations in
the Secretary's Handbook that need editing or improving, when new files are
added, when a structure needs re-working, when the Operating File System or the
Resource File System needs up dating.
Note the
other sections in the Handbook. These
are as essential as the rest. The Style
Manuel will be helpful as the secretary composes letters and other documents. The section on Survival Techniques has
several articles to increase the efficiency of work and most of all to develop
the personal/people skills so crucial to a great secretary's professional
development.
The section
on departmental structure needs reading so as to understand our place in the
huge system that is TDCJ-ID. Right
along with this are the two handbooks for volunteers. These need to be read and re-read. Never forget that this is a prison. Danger is present. The best preventive against harm is knowing the rules and wisdom
that have been developed over decades of experience.
And with
regard to the credentialing of the secretary's position and further
professional develop of the skills involved in quality secretarial
effectiveness, see the section marked, "Professional Development,"
for some resource on the profession of the secretary.
Remember, the
value of your position is second to none.
As you will quickly come to see in forwarding the pastoral agenda,
because of your contribution people will be aided into a higher level of
living.