About us
The 4-H Living Interactive Family Education (LIFE) program is a 4-H and family-strengthening program for children of offenders and their families.

Program components
The goal of the 4-H LIFE program is to provide a strong, healthy and nurturing family environment while helping the incarcerated parent become a positive role model. 

The target audience for the program is incarcerated parents and their children, grandchildren, and other family members.  The program consists of three components:

• Parenting skills class - Incarcerated parents who participate in the 4-H LIFE program attend regularly scheduled parenting skills classes to develop and improve the skills needed to interact in a positive, age-appropriate way with their children.
   

• Planning meeting - At the monthly planning meeting, the incarcerated parents work with MU Extension faculty and Department of Corrections staff to help design and plan the 4-H youth and family activities for the upcoming 4-H family/club meeting.  The original 4-H LIFE group at Potosi also uses this time to plan fundraisers for the 4-H Club youth members.
   

• 4-H LIFE family club meeting - The 4-H LIFE family club meeting takes place monthly during visitation at the correctional center.  Children, their incarcerated parents, and caregivers work together on traditional 4-H activities such as arts and crafts, demonstrations and other curricula-based activities focused on topics such as communication, decision making, and problem solving.  Working together as a family on 4-H activities gives children an opportunity to show their parents their ability and intellect. It also gives the parents an opportunity to show their children that they can provide capable and caring parental guidance.

Program locations
The MU Extension 4-H LIFE program currently operates in three correctional centers and is expanding to several other locations with support from volunteers, the Missouri Children's Trust Fund and the Missouri Department of Correction's Canteen Fund.

• Chillicothe Correctional Center, Chillicothe, Missouri
  Livingston County level 1-2 min.-max. security correctional center for women

The Chillicothe 4-H LIFE program began in August 2009 with funding from the National Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Sustainable Communities Project.  The project is directed by a regional youth development specialist and implemented by a 4-H youth program associate who works with the correctional center staff to plan, implement and evaluate the program with eligible offenders who have a current relationship with younger, approved family members. The 4-H LIFE family/club meeting meeting occurs on the third Saturday of each month from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

For more information about the Chillicothe project, contact Richard Smith at smithrichar@missouri.edu. 

• Jefferson City Correctional Center, Jefferson City, Missouri

The Jefferson City 4-H LIFE program began in November 2010. The project is directed by a regional youth development specialist who works with the correctional center staff to plan, implement and evaluate the program with eligible offenders who have a current relationship with younger, approved family members. The 4-H LIFE family/club meeting occurs on the third Saturday of every other month from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

 

For more information about the Jefferson City project, contact Jenny Flatt at flattj@missouri.edu.

 

• Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP)

The U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP) in Springfield, Missouri, is an administrative facility that provides medical, mental health, and dental services to male offenders. MCFP Springfield is located at the corner of Sunshine Street and Kansas Expressway in Springfield

 

4-H LIFE was started at MCFP in 2011 with assistance from the staff at correctional institution. In 2012, MCFP was selected at a 4-H LIFE replication site as part of the 4-H National Mentoring Project. This project administrated by National 4-H Council provides funds from Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to replicate one of three national programs. Currently, the MCFP is the only 4-H LIFE program in the Bureau of Prisons system. The family club meetings take place in the visiting room at MCFP on a quarterly basis.

 

For more information about the MCFP 4-H LIFE program, contact Robert Wilkerson at wilkersonrc@missouri.edu.

• Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC), Pacific, Missouri
  Level 3 medium security correctional center for men

4-H LIFE was started at MECC in 2011 as a project funded by the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund and with volunteers from the Shalom City of Peace Prison Ministry and 4-H LIFE program staff. The 4-H LIFE family/club meeting takes place on the fourth Saturday of each month from 1 to 3 p.m. in the visiting room at MECC. The leadership and parenting meeting takes place on the second Thursday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m.

 

For more information about the MECC 4-H LIFE program, contact Robert Wilkerson at wilkersonrc@missouri.edu   

• Potosi Correctional Center (PCC), Mineral Point, Missouri
  Washington County level 5 maximum security correctional center for men

4-H LIFE was developed at the Potosi Correctional Center in 2000 as a pilot project funded by the National Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) New Communities Project.  The CYFAR grant funding for this program ended in 2005; however, the program continues through the ongoing efforts of local MU Extension faculty and corrections staff.  4-H LIFE continues to advocate and raise funds for children and youth who participate in the Potosi 4-H LIFE project.

At the Potosi project, 4-H LIFE is considered an official offender organization by the correctional center.  The 4-H LIFE family/club meeting takes place on the fourth Saturday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

For more information about the Potosi 4-H LIFE program, contact Lynna Lawson at lawsonl@missouri.edu

• Women's Eastern Reception, Diagnostic & Corrections Center (WERDCC) Vandalia, Missouri
  Audrain County level 1 (minimum) to level 5 (maximum) security facility for women and reception/diagnostic center

The Women's Eastern Correctional Center 4-H LIFE program began in January 2007 with funding from the National Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Sustainable Communities Project. The project is directed by a 4-H youth development specialist and implemented by a 4-H youth program associate who work with the correctional center staff to plan, implement and evaluate parenting and planning meetings with eligible offenders who have a current relationship with younger, approved family members.

The 4-H LIFE family/club meeting occurs on the fourth Saturday of each month from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.

For more information about the Women's Eastern Correctional Center 4-H LIFE program, contact Cindy Fry at frycy@missouri.edu.