SEPTA Correctional Facility

You can support your loved ones at SEPTA on InmateAid, if you have any immediate questions contact the facility directly at 740-753-5000.

The SEPTA Correctional Facility in Nelsonville, OH, focuses on successful offender reintegration into society, crucial for effective crime control. With high recidivism rates, evidence-based practices tailor programs for medium to high-risk individuals, reducing repeat offenses. Reentry and Treatment Centers offer structured environments and various programs aiding rehabilitation and community reconnection efforts. Collaborating with the Athens Sheriff's Department, the Ohio Department of Corrections, and sometimes the US Marshal Service/Federal Bureau of Prisons, comprehensive reentry services prioritize education, substance abuse treatment, and workforce development. Facilities assist officers in monitoring compliance and serve as alternatives to pretrial detention, considering cost-effectiveness and reducing overcrowding. Emphasizing individual needs, family support, and community integration, the center aims for holistic support, empowering successful reintegration.

Cognitive Behavioral Interventions - Chemical Dependency Services - Provides services to all new residents, and individual and group sessions to those assessed as needing and/or requesting services. The goals include facilitating resident recognition of alcohol and other drug problems, their initiation of positive lifestyle changes conducive to long-term abstinence from chemicals, and relapse prevention.

Counseling Services - Counseling is offered to each resident through a primary counselor. In individual and group sessions, the counselor and resident coordinate treatment plans; focus on effective cognitive behavioral skills to improve attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors; and facilitate referrals to community service agencies.

Sex Offender Risk Reduction Services - A weekly group designed to address issues of offense accountability, thinking errors, relapse prevention, negative behavior cycles, and risk reduction strategies.

Thinking for a Change (T4C) - Is an integrated approach to changing offender behavior, developed by Barry Glick, Jack Bush, and Juliana Taymans in cooperation with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) that uses a combination of approaches to increase an offender’s awareness of themselves and others. It integrates cognitive restructuring, social skills, and problem-solving. The program begins by teaching offenders an introspective process for examining their ways of thinking and their feelings, beliefs, and attitudes. The process is reinforced throughout the program. Social-skills training is provided as an alternative to antisocial behaviors. The program culminates by integrating the skills offenders have learned into steps for problem-solving. Problem-solving becomes the central approach offenders learn that enables them to work through difficult situations without engaging in criminal behavior.

Epictetus Self Mastery Program - A cognitive-behavioral group that teaches internal control and filtering of thoughts and emotions; consequences of behaviors for thoughts and emotions with an emphasis on teaching that the only control people have are the choices that they make.

Additional Services

Case Management - Provides residents the opportunity to gain identification and employment documents, deal with connected community agencies and courts, provide internal budgeting of account monies, and facilitate payment of financial obligations to victims and the courts.

Education Program - The Education Program includes instructional services in Adult Basic Education (ABE), Educational Resource Center, GED preparation, basic literacy, community resources, post-secondary education resources, library services, and transition to post-secondary education. Residents, who are high school graduates, have a GED, or college work, are trained as a volunteer peer-tutor or teacher’s aide.

Education Resource Center - A computer-aided instructional lab. Residents who need to obtain their GED are required to complete adult education lessons. Other residents may attend to academic skills, financial literacy skills, and word processing skills. Many residents type phase letters, resumes, and cover letters.

Community Service Program - Residents must complete a minimum of 20 hours of community service. Community service projects serve as structured work and skill-building activities for offenders, which, in turn, benefit state/local government agencies, cities, schools, charitable organizations and non-profit entities.

Work Release Program - The Work Release Program offers residents the opportunity for employment through job readiness, job placement services and works adjustment counseling. Job Readiness covers the preparation of resume and employment applications, identifying skillsets and interviewing techniques. Monies earned or saved are used to pay medical expenses, program fees, restitution, court costs, taxes, child support, or outstanding debts.

Medical Services - Upon intake, residents are given a preliminary health assessment by intake officers. Within the first week of a resident’s arrival, an in-depth medical examination is completed by medical staff. The medical staff shall ensure that all medical needs of residents are met in addition to assisting staff in medically related areas. The medical staff also serves as an integral participant in educating the resident about health-related issues.

Recreation - Residents are encouraged to participate in recreational activities that make pro-social and productive use of their time. Residents are offered a wide range of leisure activities which include, but are not limited to: basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, board games, reading, music, television, and gardening.