CFC Guidelines

Committee Meets:

We are not currently set-up to meet but I would like input from District 3C Corrections Chairpersons from the groups in this District to email me at Correctional@district3c.org with their thoughts on starting a monthly or quarterly meeting to touch base and share information.

Thank you. 

Tess S

Service Opportunities:

There are many different opportunities to carry the AA message. Committee Members may be involved in the following:

Cleared Volunteer: Volunteers that have been certified and/or approved to visit facilities. They carry the message (Step 12) by conducting meetings with inmates at correctional facilities.

Special Volunteer: With the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) volunteers are allowed two visits to carry the message at a facility before or during the application process.

AA Liaison: This Volunteer is the coordinator between the Volunteer and the facility.

Correspondence Volunteer: Write and sponsor an inmate. Must have at least 1yr of sobriety and worked the 12 Steps with a Sponsor.

Prerelease Volunteer: Correspond with an inmate and assist the inmate in the transition from incarceration to AA. Must have at least 1yr of sobriety and worked the 12 Steps with a Sponsor.

Committee Project Volunteer: Participating in Corrections Facilities Committee Projects.

Volunteers Carry the Message to the Following Corrections Facilities

Cleared Volunteers carry the message to the following facilities:

Travis County Corrections Complex (TCCC) – Del Valle:  For details on the Volunteer application process, contact the CFC Chair below.  Volunteers are required to have 3yrs of sobriety. After your application and background have been processed and approved, you will be contacted by email to attend orientation/training with the TCCC Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Coordinator.  The SUD Coordinator will be your direct point of contact. There is no AA Liaison Volunteer.    

Meetings are:

• Tuesdays 

  1. Check-in 6:30pm – 6:45pm

  2. Start Time 7pm

  3. 1 Hour Meetings

Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)(State Facilities):  Although, TDCJ does not have a minimal sobriety duration requirement, the District ask that you have at least one year of sobriety and have worked the 12 steps with a sponsor.  To apply access https://www.tdcj.texas.gov.  In the center of the webpage you will see the Volunteers tab. Read through the webpage. You can apply online and also do your training online. 

There are in-person trainings also linked.  Find a city, date and time that you can attend. At the training/orientation you will complete your application. 

After you have been approved, you should be contacted by email, however most of us find out by clicking the Check your Status link on the website or by calling the Volunteer Services line at 936-437-3026. Once approved, contact the CFC Chair below for information pertaining to the AA Liaison for the following facilities:

Travis State Jail – Austin FM 969

(Note: This info is in the process of being updated)

• Chaplain Winslow, Volunteer Coordinator

• Paul M, AA Liaison

• Meetings (All meetings are 1 ½ hours)

  • Mondays 2:15pm; check-in 1:45pm

  • Mondays (Spanish) 5:30pm; check-in 5pm

  • Tuesdays and Thursdays 6 pm; check-in 5:30pm

Gatesville Facilities:

• Alicia G., AA Liaison (Contact to get on the gate list)

  • Meetings

    • 4th Saturday of the Month

    • Carpool from 617 Clifford meeting at 6am and drive directly (if interested or drive to meet-up)

    • Meet-up at Gatesville for all volunteers before meetings at Stripes convenience store

    • Morning and Afternoon Meetings are held

    • Start times vary

Lockhart Correctional Facility – Coleman Unit:

• Chaplain Teresa Martinez, Volunteer Coordinator

• Anne A., AA Liaison (Contact to get on the gate list)

  • Meetings (1 hour)

  • 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month 8:30 a.m.

  • Check-in by 8:00 a.m. at the front desk with guard

What you are allowed to bring into all facilities:

• Car Keys

• Government ID

• Big Book

Corrections Correspondence

The District does not currently have a Corrections Correspondence Committee. There are opportunities to implement a program for persons in AA to use GSO materials to do outreach and generate interest to get this program going again. The listed items are what GSO can offer to assist in this effort.

• Sponsorship

• Webpage Information

• Corrections Correspondence Workshop Planning

  • Corrections Committee AA Guidelines – Corrections Correspondence Services

  • AA Corrections Correspondence Services

    • Pamphlets

      • F-73 Inside Form

      • F-26 Outside Form

  • AA Videos

    • A New Freedom

    • Carrying the Message Behind These Walls

    • AA in Correctional Facilities

  • Panels

    • Current Correspondence Sponsors

    • Inmates (Sharing From Behind the Walls)

  • Initial Contact Script

  • Announcing the Workshop District Wide

• PO Box/Confidentiality/Anonymity

• Online Scanning and Logistics

• Prerelease Correspondence Program

  • Pamphlets

    • F-162 Outside Form

    • F-163 Inside Form

Corrections Prerelease Program

The District does not currently have a Corrections Prerelease Program.  The Corrections Facilities Committee would like to implement a program if there is sufficient interest. The following can be done to generate interest for potential volunteers:

• Form a Corrections Prerelease Committee

• Conduct a Corrections Prerelease Workshop

• Have a PO Box put in place (or check with GSO to see if that has been done)

• Volunteers are needed.  Please contact the Correctional Chair if interested.