Recently released fathers face challenges restarting their lives and re-connecting with their children, family, and community. Fathers who successfully transition upon release and reconnect with their children are more likely to be successful upon release and their children benefit as well. Staff from the Department of Corrections and several recently released dads shared their struggles and successes when reentering society and connecting with their children.
About Our Presentors:
Fathers: Rudy Romo, Jeffrey Hamlet and Ken
Tera McElravy, Corrections Specialist, Strength in Families Program, Reentry Division, WA State Department of Corrections
Tera is a Corrections Specialist for the Strength in Families program within the Washington State Department of Corrections. She provides education and guidance to releasing incarcerated fathers in an effort to enhance a positive and healthy reconnection with their children and families. The majority of her 23 years with the Department has been spent managing and creating enrichment programs for incarcerated individuals and their families. She has observed first hand the support opportunities and unique struggles of the incarcerated when trying to return back home.
Kenny Napier, Corrections Specialist, Strengths in Families Program, WA State Department of Corrections
Kenny Napier is a Corrections Specialist for the Strength in Families (SIF) program within the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC). He manages a specialized caseload of 27 incarcerated fathers. Where he is directly responsible supporting and advocating for the program’s incarcerated parents and their families. Over Kenny’s 15 years with DOC, he has worked in a variety of roles both within the prison system and in community corrections. His last 3 years, He’s worked with Graduated Reentry, Navigator and most recently SIF. Kenny states working with SIF so rewarding because he’s learning how to be a better father with his clients.
Lynn Stuart, Corrections Specialist 4, Parenting Sentencing Alternative, Community Corrections Division, WA State Department of Corrections
Lynn is a Corrections Specialist 4 for the Parenting Sentencing Alternative Unit within the Department of Corrections. With two alternative options, the Community Parenting Alternative and the Family Offender Sentencing Alternative, she is able to help justice involved parents or legal guardians of minor age children to be active and present, providing supportive resources such as parenting classes and family counseling. With 15 years of experience with the Department of Corrections, she has had the opportunity to work alongside a diverse population, encouraging positive growth and reunification for happy and healthy families across Washington State.
Loretta Adams, Corrections Specialist, Strength in Families Program, Reentry Division, WA State Department of Corrections 
Loretta serves as a member of the Strength in Families (SIF) program within the Washington State Department of Corrections. In her 14-years with the department, Loretta has served as a Corrections Officer, Classification Counselor and currently serves as a Corrections Specialist. As a Correction Specialist she provides case management services, advocacy, and support for incarcerated individuals and their families. The program focuses on providing these services during incarceration, transition into the community, and up to 6 months post release. She works with participants to identify their personal and family strengths and challenges as well as provide connections to community resources.
Terren Beeman, MSW, LICSWA, SUDP, Parent Navigator, Airway Heights Correctional Center, WA State Department of Corrections
Terren has been working with families involved in the child welfare system since 2014 with the Parents for Parents program as a Parent Ally. He has lived experience as an incarcerated individual and as a Parent in the child welfare system. He has worked in the behavioral health field since 2017 helping individuals with substance use and mental health disorders. He has been with DOC since March 0f 2023 as a Parent Navigator and is currently co-creating the Family Reunification program working with DCYF involved fathers incarcerated at Airway Heights Correctional Center in Spokane, WA.
Strength in Families - WA State Deparement of Corrections