2016 Oklahoma Annual Book of Reports

2016 Oklahoma Nurses Association
Federal Transfer Center
Community Relations Board of the Federal Transfer Center, Oklahoma City, Report
The Federal Transfer Center (FTC) is located near the airport in OKC and holds prisoners who are going to
be transferred from local jails to federal prisons. Generally the prisoners spend anywhere from a few hours to
weeks at the transfer center until they are moved on. They move approximately 3,000 prisoners through the
center every year. The FTC also maintains a small resident population of prisoners who may be incarcerated
for short periods of time instead of being sent to a large federal prison.
As a federal prison, the FTC must meet multiple regulations and standards for accreditation by several
agencies both local and national. One of the requirements for accreditation is to have and meet with a
varied group of individuals from the public who have an interest in the welfare of the inmates at the facility.
In response to this requirement, the FTC has established the Community Relations Board which has a
number of individuals from health care, including a nurse (me), mental health and a physician. There are also
members from local law enforcement and the FTC. We meet every other month.
The meeting format consists of a presentation by an individual from one of the departments of the prison
followed by a question and answer period from the members of the committee who are attending. The
presentations are always interesting and informative. I particularly enjoyed the presentation from the FTC’s
resident psychiatrist. He explained the issues that made these prisoners at particularly high risk for suicide,
including anxiety about the future, depression and hopelessness. He also described the rather extensive
measures they used in monitoring the prisoners (everyone is checked on at least every 15 minutes around
the clock) and have to attend mandatory counseling sessions. There is also special training for the guards in
relation to the mental health issues of the inmates.
The community members are asked if they have any comments or observations that may improve the care
provided by the staff. They are also asked to present a short report on their activities and if they have any
questions.
Respectfully submitted,
Joseph T. Catalano, PhD, RN
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