TUMWATER – Due to decreasing case counts of COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Corrections will resume visitation at those prison and work release facilities which are no longer on “facility wide outbreak status.” Prison and work release facilities which remain under a facility wide outbreak status due to the number of active COVID-19 cases will continue a pause on visitation until the number of COVID cases decline. In-person visitation has been paused (pdf) since January 4, 2021, due to a surge in cases from the COVID-19 Omicron variant.
As of Tuesday, February 22, Clallam Bay Corrections Center, Cedar Creek Corrections Center and Olympic Corrections Center will reopen visitation this weekend. In addition, almost all work release facilities can resume visitation as well, except for Brownstone and Progress House.
Extended Family Visits (EFVs) will not resume at this time; that decision will be re-evaluated on March 13, 2022.
“The pandemic has been hard on everyone,” said Secretary Cheryl Strange. “I am very pleased that our numbers are such that that we can begin opening visitation. We all understand how important visitation is and the role it plays in the health and wellbeing of those in our care and custody. The health and safety of our staff, incarcerated individuals and their families continues to be our priority, and with COVID cases declining, I am glad that we are beginning to move forward with those important connections and moments.”
As COVID-19 cases decrease and more facilities resume visitation in the coming weeks, they will communicate locally with their population and visitors.
