Press Release  DOC TO RESUME IN-PERSON VISITS NEXT WEEK WITH CONTINUED HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS

MILFORD — Three weeks after personal visitation resumed at four minimum-security and pre-release facilities, the Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) today announced that personal visitation will resume at all remaining facilities on June 1, 2021, supporting the benefits of seeing family and friends while maintaining vigilance against COVID-19.

As the Commonwealth moves to lift remaining COVID-19 restrictions for the general public on May 29, DOC facilities and certain other congregate settings will still require face coverings and other health and safety precautions. The DOC will continue to follow public health guidelines for correctional settings and remains focused on its responsibility to those living and working in its facilities. Visitors should contact their loved ones’ respective facilities by phone in advance to obtain additional information about health and safety protocols that remain in place.

DOC remains committed to using public health guidance and data, including positive test rates within DOC facilities and in the broader community, to protect inmates, staff, visitors, and the public. Governor Baker placed inmates and correctional staff among the first priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination and the DOC has administered over 15,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to inmates and staff. The Department’s testing, screening, and quarantine initiatives continue to safeguard the health of about 6,300 inmates, as well as DOC staff and vendors.

The DOC will not require that visitors be vaccinated, but visitors will be asked upon arrival to complete an entrance form identifying potential COVID exposure factors and have their temperatures taken prior to entering the facility. Visitors will be required to use hand sanitizer before the visiting period and face coverings will be worn at all times, both by visitors and inmates. No physical contact will be allowed during the visit and they will take place in designated areas with social distancing dividers between the visitor and inmate. At the conclusion of the visit, all visitors will again use hand sanitizer before exiting the facility. In addition to the alcohol-based hand sanitizer, restrooms with soap and running water are fully accessible. All high-touch areas are sanitized between visits and at the end of the visiting period.

Personal visits are limited during this phase to one visit per inmate per week, with up to two visitors at a time, and must be scheduled 24 hours in advance. Attorney visits remain ongoing and unaffected by this change. 

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