Commissioner's Comments - West Virginia Division of Corrections

Summer 2010
Page 8
Robert “Bobby” Updegrave, is a Substance
Abuse Therapist, at Lakin Correctional
Center. Prior to employment with
Lakin Correctional Center in May 2003,
he was employed in the Community Mental
Health field.
Mr. Updegrave was invited to be a guest
speaker at the 2010 International Convention
of Alcoholic Anonymous in San
Antonio, Texas from July 1-4, 2010. This
was the 75th anniversary for AA and
the Convention was titled, “A Vision for
You”. Over 40,000 people attended this
convention in Texas.
During the speech he spoke about his
experience with the people he had met
in AA and the spirituality of their SER-
VICE, more specifically, about alcoholics
helping themselves and their recovery
through helping others. He spoke about
how in recovery the importance of “carry
the message” and “giving back that which
was so freely given” and the importance
that sobriety is given through the act of
service.
Mr. Updegrave spoke about Lakin Correctional
Center and the Cognitive-Behavioral
Programs and Psycho-educational groups
that he facilitates to the female inmates.
He further advised that even though a
Lakin Correctional Center
large percentage of female offenders have
substance abuse and addiction issues, only
a small percentage of these same offenders
have received treatment prior to their
incarceration, including attendance at AA
or NA Meetings. These offenders have a
history of being the victim of childhood
abuse and/or domestic violence, mothers
with several minor children, lacking
education and unemployed or on welfare.
They usually have a minimal family support
system with significant histories of
generational family alcoholism and drug
addiction with behavior involving the
criminal justice system.
He further advised that his most powerful
relationship with AA are his volunteers,
who he calls “my angels with skin on
em”. These volunteers assist in bringing
the meeting to inmates ‘behind the walls’
of the institution. He mentioned in his
speech the connection between the services
of these volunteers, their recovery
and their willingness to make a difference
with inmates. These volunteers, besides
bringing meetings to the institution, also
donate Big Books, Twelve and Twelve’s,
Daily Reflections, audio tapes and cd’s
for the inmates to use in their recovery
process.
We are honored and privileged to have
Mr. Updegrave on our staff at Lakin
Correctional Center and appreciate his
knowledge, diligence and compassion in
dealing with inmates with substance
abuse addictions.
Submitted by:
Lori Nohe, Warden
Lakin Correctional Center
Correctional Institutions
Anthony Correctional Center
Teresa McCourt, Warden
Box N-1 HC-70
White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986
Phone: (304) 536-3911 Fax: (304) 536-3916
Beckley Correctional Center
William Vest, Administrator
111 S. Eisenhower Dr.
Beckley, WV 25801
Phone: (304) 256-6780 Fax: (304) 256-6782
Charleston Work Release Center
Jeff Stinnett, Administrator
607 Brooks Street
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: (304) 558-2763 Fax: (304) 558-1537
Denmar Correctional Center
Mark Williamson, Warden
HC 64 Box 125
Hillsboro, WV 24946
Phone: (304) 653-4201 Fax: (304) 653-4855
Huntington Work Release Center
Renae Stubblefield, Administrator
1236 5th Avenue
Huntington, WV 25701
Phone: (304) 529-6885 Fax: (304) 529-0205
Huttonsville Correctional Center
Adrian Hoke, Warden
PO Box 1
Huttonsville, WV 26273
Phone: (304) 335-2291 Fax: (304) 335-4256
Lakin Correctional Center
Lori Nohe, Warden
11264 Ohio River Road
West Columbia, WV 25287
Phone: (304) 674-2440 Fax: (304) 674-6199
Martinsburg Correctional Center
Scott Paugh, Warden
38 Grapevine Road
Martinsburg, WV 25405
Phone: (304) 267-0156 Fax: (304) 267-0196
McDowell County Correctional Center
George Janice, Warden
50 Court Street
Welch, WV 24801
Mt. Olive Correctional Complex
David Ballard, Warden
#1 Mountainside Way
Mt. Olive, WV 25185
Phone: (304) 442-7213 Fax: (304) 442-7225
Northern Correctional Center
Evelyn Seifert, Warden
Rd 2 Box 1
Moundsville, WV 26041
Phone: (304) 843-4067 Fax: (304) 843-4117
Ohio County Correctional Center
William Yurcina, Administrator
1501 Eoff Street
Wheeling, WV 26003
Phone: (304) 238-1007 Fax: (304) 238-1009
Pruntytown Correctional Center
Jim Ielapi, Warden
PO Box 159
Grafton, WV 26354-0159
Phone: (304) 265-6111 Fax: (304) 265-6120
St. Mary’s Correctional Center
William Fox, Warden
2880 N. Pleasants Highway
St. Mary’s, WV 26170
Phone: (304) 684-5500 Fax: (304) 684-5506