“Return to Service” (Guidance and Requirements)

Re-Opening Q&A: COVID-19 Safety Zoom Call

Worship Team Leaders, Chaplains, and Clergy who plan to resume jail ministry during the pandemic are highly encouraged to join us for one of our “Re-Opening Q&A: COVID-19 Safety” Zoom calls. If you happen to miss these two dates, we hope to have at least one of the sessions recorded. Our FAQ section will be updated as questions arise.

Zoom Q&A Events:
Tuesday, July 7 POSTPONED
Saturday, July 11 POSTPONED

The August 2 Worship Team services restart date has been canceled. When we have a date that Worship Team services will resume, we will reschedule the Re-Opening Q&A sessions. Thank you for your support and patience during this difficult time.

When they are rescheduled, the links and call-in numbers for these meetings will be listed on the TJM Calendar.

For additional information, please click the boxes below (coming soon):

Transforming Jail Ministries (TJM) is taking proactive steps to protect all worship teams, chaplains, clergy, inmates and staff in the event of an infectious disease outbreak. It is our goal to operate effectively while ensuring essential services are continuously provided as safely as possible. TJM is committed to adopting best practices to meet this goal.

We will share information from authoritative sources about the nature and spread of infectious diseases, including symptoms and signs to watch for, as well as required steps to be taken in the event of an illness or outbreak. 

While the following guidances, requirements, and recommendations are being put in place to minimize risk and the spread of disease, we cannot guarantee anyone a safe environment. Your decision to enter any corrections or treatment facility should be done with much prayer, caution, and after consulting friends, families, and medical personnel (especially for individuals with elevated risk factors).

If you are uncomfortable with returning to ministry at this time, we want to encourage you to stay home. For the foreseeable future, we will not remove anyone from our approved visitors lists unless your credentials or security clearance expires.


Preventing the Spread of Infection

We ask all to cooperate in taking steps to reduce the transmission of infectious disease in the areas they visit. The best strategy remains the most obvious:

  • frequent hand washing with warm, soapy water;

  • sneezing/coughing into your elbow;

  • discarding used tissues in wastebaskets; and

  • the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (at least 60% alcohol) when hand washing isn’t practicable.


Health and Safety Requirements for serving

All persons entering the facilities we serve must ensure the following actions are taken. It is your responsibility to share this information with your team members and correct any actions that might violate this agreement.

  • A maximum of four people per team may attend per scheduled visit

  • No physical contact with inmates; this includes the following:

    • no handshakes

    • no laying on of hands for prayer, or

    • any other physical contact with inmates (physical contact is always strictly prohibited).

  • All volunteers will have their temperatures taken before entering secured areas of corrections and treatment centers.

  • All volunteers will provide their own face covering (face mask) and must wear them for the entirety of their visit.

  • All volunteers should wash hands thoroughly before and after visiting with inmates (or use hand sanitizer when hand washing is not possible).

    • Hand sanitizer will be available at the Hamilton Co. Justice Center.


recommended actions/precautions

The following actions are recommended for your safety and the safety of those around you. There may be times when these steps are impracticable. We want to strongly encourage you to follow these steps to the extent you are able to do so.

  • Maintain a distance of six feet between you and all other individuals, whether that be fellow team members or inmates.

  • The following individuals have been strongly cautioned by CDC, WHO, and other healthcare professionals to limit their exposure to the general public:

    • People at an elevated risk for severe illness

    • People who are immunocompromised

    • Older adults

    • People with asthma, HIV, and liver disease

    • People with dementia

    • People with disabilities

    • Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding

  • TJM recommends no more than one worship team be transported on an elevator at once; if others are coming off the elevator when it arrives, please allow a safe distance of six feet or more for their exit.


Stay Home When Ill

It is critical that you remain home if you are ill and/or experiencing the following symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people with an infectious illness such as the flu remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees F, or 37.8 degrees C) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. 

Persons may re-enter Hamilton County Facilities after being sick if ALL of the following conditions are met:

  • You have had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use medicine that reduces fevers);

  • Elimination of respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough or shortness of breath); and

  • At least 14 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

In summary, if you aren’t feeling well, believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19, or have reason to believe you currently have COVID-19, you should stay at home.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PPE INFORMATION AND TRAINING

This form MUST be completed by Worship Team Leaders (only) when your team is ready to return to ministry.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions:

Stuart Warren (Director and CEO) — stuart@tjmi.org
Brad Weber (Chaplain and Board Member) — (513) 314-0042