CRANSTON, R.I. – December 17, 2007 – The Rhode Island Department of Corrections is pleased to announce that an additional five employees have met eligibility requirements and passed a national exam to earn professional certification in the field of correctional health care. Effective October 1, 2007, the following individuals joined those who had already earned this national certification: Marylyn Hale, R.N., who works in the High Security Center and has been with the RIDOC since 1992; William Densmore, R.N., who works in the Women’s facilities and has been with the RIDOC since 2006; Jennifer Mageau, R.N., who also works in the Women’s facilities and has been with the RIDOC since April of this year; Valerie McLaughlin, Clinical Social Worker at Minimum Security, who has been with the RIDOC since July of 2005; and Scott Tirocchi, Clinical Social Worker at the High Security Center, who has been with the RIDOC since July of 2000. To become a Certified Correctional Health Professional (CCHP), these individuals had to demonstrate mastery of national standards and the knowledge expected of leaders working in the field. There are nearly 2,000 certified correctional healthcare managers worldwide, eleven of whom are now employed in the Health Care Services Unit of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.
CCHP is regarded as a symbol of accomplishment and self improvement and provides many benefits. It promotes correctional health care professionals’ knowledge, understanding, and application of standards and guidelines essential to the delivery of appropriate health care in the correctional environment; their role in delivering that care; the basic legal principles underlying their practice; and their ethical obligations. The CCHP certification program was established in 1989 by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and is the first program to recognize professionalism and excellence among individuals employed in correctional health care.