Strengthening partnerships between corrections and treatment professionals
When I joined Project Turnabout three months ago, my first goal was simple: get out into the community and have real conversations with the people we serve alongside. I’ve always believed that to serve others well, we must first understand their needs through honest dialogue. The most welcoming and eager partners in those early conversations were the corrections officers and probation staff I met across our region.
Before stepping into this role, when I pictured a probation officer I pictured a scene straight out of an old movie: a weary man in a cramped office, paperwork piled high, the hum of fluorescent lights filling the silence. Someone worn down by excuses and bureaucracy.
What I found instead couldn’t have been more different.
I met people who were deeply educated, compassionate, and mission-driven. They spend their days helping others take responsibility, rebuild trust, and find a path forward. In Kandiyohi County, I visited bright, comfortable offices where groups meet, counselors listen, and hope begins to grow. These were not the corrections officers I imagined. They were changemakers and experts in their field.
At Project Turnabout, that same mission drives us. Every month, we welcome dozens of individuals determined to turn their lives around. Both our counselors and our partners in corrections share a common goal: to help people find recovery, stability, and a renewed sense of purpose.
So how can we make that partnership even stronger? By improving communication at the point where our two systems meet. When we better understand each other’s challenges, processes, and goals, everyone benefits, especially the individuals we serve. That’s where the idea for the Corrections Connections Luncheon began.
The name might sound catchy because it rhymes and uses alliteration, but the purpose runs deeper.
This event creates space to learn from one another, share experiences, and identify practical ways to strengthen collaboration between corrections and treatment professionals.
I know there are too many luncheons, too many meetings, and never enough time. But I hope you’ll make time for this one because I believe it will be a meaningful and productive conversation.
Every conversation we have brings us one step closer to a stronger, more connected system of care. One that truly turns lives around.
