The training was held at the multi-purpose center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and was conducted by psychologist Dr. George Kallingal of Guam.
Kallingal, a long time and current adjunct professor at the University of Guam, has been a resident of Guam for the past 34 years, and operates a private clinic and serves as advisor to Guam’s Department of Corrections.
The training, “Coping with Emotional Tensions and Helping Inmates/Detainees Achieve Their Rehabilitative Goals,” was a result of the collaborative efforts between the local Department of Corrections, DYS, which is under the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, and the Juvenile Delinquency Prosecutor’s Office of the Attorney General’s Office.
The eight-hour training was two-tiered: the morning session addressed the needs of correctional employees, while the afternoon session was focused on skills to assist inmates/detainees reached their rehabilitative goals.
Some of the topics that highlighted the training include: (i) Coping with Traumatic Experience and Stress Management; (ii) Etiology of Criminality; Basic Assessment and Rehabilitation Programs; (iii) Suicide Prevention; Assessment and Interventions; (iv) Mental Disorders and Treatment; and (V) Personality Disorders and Treatment.
The participants found the training very helpful and relevant to their jobs and issues they are encountering, as a big portion of the morning session was designed as a training/counseling combination.
Both Corrections and DYS-JDU staff reported satisfaction from the training, as they found new skills to balance the demands of work and home. The afternoon session thought the participants skills to assess and treat the clients that come through their facility.
Each participant received a “certificate of participation” for completing the training.
Commerce and DCCA-DYS administrators showed strong support for their staff, dedicating staff members to put the training together and make it available to their employees.
Corrections Commissioner Dolores Aldan delivered the opening remarks at the start of the training, while Michael Evangelista, assistant attorney general, made the closing remarks.
The training concluded with a presentation of certificates, along with Kallingal, Jaclyn T. Mendiola of DYS and Corrections Capt. Georgia Cabrera, the acting JDU administrator, handed out certificates to the participants.
