On Monday, May 15, we conducted a webinar for the Prison Service staff. It was attended by representatives of the Prison Service from all prisons involved in this project. In the first part of the webinar, we presented the content and schedule of the entire project, which seeks to pilot the implementation of case management in working with people with addiction in prison. We also introduced the participants to the progress and results of the project so far.

In the next segment, Jiří Mertl presented the analytical and research part of the project and the main topics covered during the evaluation interviews with case managers and prison staff. He also presented specific proposals for some changes that could contribute to a more effective continuation of the project (e.g. the possibility of granting long-term cooperating social workers the status of an instructed person with limited movement around the prison in several places, which would facilitate and administratively simplify their repeated visits and work in prisons).

This segment was followed by a presentation of the project’s promotional activities and the planned information campaign. The final contribution of this part was the presentation of a specific case study of work with a client, which was presented by case manager Aleš Vaněk from the Laxus Association.

In the second part of the webinar, there was a discussion with representatives of the Prison Service from individual prisons about the cooperation so far and its further continuation. Most of them expressed their satisfaction with the progress of the project so far, and it was also repeatedly said that the prisoners themselves are satisfied with the project. The representatives also expressed that they appreciate the personal interviews with people from non-profit organizations they trust. “Thank you for making this meeting happen and for the work that you’re doing. The need for a similar project came from us at the Prison Service, so that we could better work with the most difficult clients who have little background and move between regions, where it is necessary to work with them further. Now we have mapped the situation and needs, and in the future, we can also focus in more detail on proposals for specific legislative and more systemic changes,” concluded Tomáš Koňák from the General Directorate of the Prison Service, who is the main contact person for the Prison Service in the project.