- Local Contractors Directory
- Submit an Event
- Submit Your Legal Notice
File a Fictitious Business Name
- Publish an Obituary
- How to Get Press
- Submit Feedback
- Email the Editor
- Login/Register for Full Site Access
Select Page
CDCR to Offer User-friendly Scheduling App for Video Visits
Posted by Atascadero News | Jan 23, 2021
Starting with four institutions this month, friends and family can begin self-scheduling video visits and receive instant confirmation
Video visitation will allow families to connect virtually in real-time during the pandemic.
SACRAMENTO – As part of its continued effort to improve the video visiting experience, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced today it will provide a user-friendly tool to help friends and family schedule visits with incarcerated people.
The Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA) can be accessed on smartphones, tablets and computers, and will allow approved visitors to easily schedule their own video visits and receive instant confirmation.
CDCR will begin making the VSA application available to approved visitors at the following four institutions:
- San Quentin State Prison
- California Institution for Men
- Valley State Prison
- Central California Women’s Facility
Starting on Monday, Jan. 18 through Friday, Jan. 22, prospective visitors with loved ones at those facilities must create an account on the VSA system. A step-by-step guide and video are available on CDCR’s website.
From Saturday, Jan. 23 at 12 a.m. through Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 12 a.m., approved visitors at the initial four institutions will be able to start using the app to schedule visits for the weekend of Jan. 30 and Jan. 31.
Users of the scheduling application will choose from day and time options, and they will know immediately if they were successful in securing a visiting time. Visits will continue to be held on weekends and holidays. Most facilities will schedule their visits between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., but hours may vary. Each eligible person will be allowed a free 30-minute video visit every 30 days.
Dates on the availability of the scheduling application for additional prisons will be posted on CDCR’s Visiting Information page and will be phased in all institutions in the coming weeks.
CDCR has implemented video visiting in all 35 prisons, as in-person visiting continues to be suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Laptop and desktop computers are set up in designated visiting areas in the prisons for the incarcerated population to access. Institutions are following all safety guidelines, including physical distancing and sanitation of each station following a visit. All video visits are secure. The communication is encrypted, and CDCR processes ensure that approved visitors are validated, and only those approved visitors may join the visit.
Visitors must follow normal visitation rules and have the necessary equipment and internet access to conduct the video visit. For more information on the video visitation technology, see our guide here .
As with all visitation at our institutions, visiting may be canceled at any time for numerous public or institution health and safety reasons. Daily updates on each prison’s
visiting status can be found on our website. All visitors should check the VPASS Facility Status webpage before any scheduled visit to ensure the institution is still open for visiting.
Communication via phone, including two free phone calls per month, as well as mail and electronic mail at some institutions, has remained available.
For additional information on CDCR’s COVID-19 response, additional updates and information can be found here .
Share this:
About The Author
Atascadero News
Articles published by The Atascadero News may be publicly submitted press releases, contributed articles, staff reports, or other forms of media not specifically authored by a member of our News Staff.
Related Posts
North County Weekly Sports Update
April 28, 2021
Inspired Home & Health Expo Returns!
August 11, 2021
Cunningham Issues Statement on CDPH’s Reversal on Youth Sports Spectators
April 8, 2021
Governor Newsom Commemorates 20th Anniversary of 9/11
September 15, 2021
Search Atascadero News
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Atascadero News Magazine
- CDCR Facebook (opens new window)
- CDCR Twitter (opens new window)
- YouTube (opens new window)
- Instagram (opens new window)
Frequently Asked Questions
Before contacting us for support please review our frequently asked questions:
- In‑Person Visiting Frequently Asked Questions
- Video Visiting Frequently Asked Questions (Fire camps only)
Correctional officers who work in visiting provide scheduling assistance, take your comments and help resolve issues. Visiting Sergeants and Lieutenants can also help. If your complaint is about a Correctional Officer who works in visiting, make your complaint to the Sergeant or Lieutenant. They also support the Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA).
Visitors may write to the Warden about any issue. Often the Warden’s Office will forward the letter to some prison staff the Warden feels is best able to address the concerns raised.
Director of the Division of Adult Institutions
All prisons are overseen by the Director of the Division of Adult Institutions, whose office is located in Sacramento. Anyone with a concern that cannot be resolved through local staff, the local IFC, the Warden, or the Ombudsman can contact the Director by mail at: P. O. Box 942883, Room 351-N, Sacramento, California, 94283-0001 and seek assistance.
Visitor Centers
Each institution has a Visitor Center, usually on prison grounds, to assist visitors with matters such as clothing, babysitting, and transportation. Staff at the Visitor Centers are familiar with visiting rules and procedures and can be a good source of information for family and friends. Some Visitor Centers provide informational training on issues including medical (e.g., HIV, STDs, and AIDS), children (e.g., how to help a child whose parent has gone to prison), or other concerns.
Funding for Visitor Centers is not always secure and their services may be intermittently interrupted. Nevertheless, you may find it helpful to visit the Center at the prison where you visit and check into its services.
The Inmate Family Council
Most prisons have an Inmate Family Council (IFC), a group of visitors who meet regularly with prison administration to try to resolve issues that come up relative to family and friends staying connected to prisoners. There will be a bulletin board at the prison that provides the names of those on the IFC and there will be a suggestion box at the prison for comments for the IFC.
- Inmate Family Council (IFC)
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
VSA allows Friends and Family to schedule visits from a variety of web enabled devices including computer, smartphone and tablet. Get familiar with our visiting guidelines and make sure you are approved to visit before using VSA. If it's your first time using VSA, you'll need to claim your account before you can schedule a visit.
ViaPath Visitor Web 8.0. Schedule Visits. Sign in to schedule and manage upcoming visits with your inmate. Inmate visitation scheduling allows you to skip the long lines by reserving your visitation time. You can select the date, time and location that is most convenient for you.
Sign in to schedule and manage upcoming visits with your inmate. Inmate visitation scheduling allows you to skip the long lines by reserving your visitation time. You can select the date, time and location that is most convenient for you. Best of all, visits are confirmed instantly! Post Id: 326. California Residents Only: Under CCPA you have ...
The CDCR said most facilities will schedule their visits between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., but hours may vary. Each eligible person will be allowed a free 30-minute video visit every 30 days. Dates on the availability of the scheduling application for additional prisons will be posted on the CDCR's Visiting Information page.
There's a new way to video visit online that requires a new desktop application. ... Inmate visitation scheduling allows you to skip the long lines by reserving your visitation time. You can select the date, time and location that is most convenient for you. Best of all, visits are confirmed instantly! ...
From any page, hover your mouse cursor over the My Account tab, click on the Manage Visitors option. On the Manage Visitors page, under Add to My Visitors or Minor Visitors, click the link to create/register a new adult visitor. Enter and/or edit the information. Click the "Add" or "Add Minor" button.
The CDCR said most facilities will schedule their visits between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., but hours may vary. Each eligible person will be allowed a free 30-minute video visit every 30 days. Dates ...
On Nov. 24, an update went out to these browsers that may be causing issues with your microphone during a video visit. If you are experiencing microphone issues with your video visit, your current browser will no longer work for video visits. Please stop using Chrome/Edge/Internet Explorer and follow the instructions below:
The Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA) can be accessed on smartphones, tablets and computers, and will allow approved visitors to easily schedule their own video visits and receive instant confirmation. CDCR will begin making the VSA application available to approved visitors at the following four institutions: Starting on Monday, Jan. 18 ...
The method to schedule a visit is not the same for all locations. In most cases, you must use the Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA) to schedule in-person and video visits. There may be times when you might need to schedule via email. Check Facility Visiting Status Updates to view the current scheduling method.
The request period begins eight days prior to the visitation day and closes five days prior to the visitation day. Visiting Hours are as follows: In-Person: Friday 11:30a.m. to 6:00 p. m., Saturday, and Designated Holiday's 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Video Visits: Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Walk-Ins are accepted for In-Person Visits.
Please fill in the following fields. Items marked with * are required to be filled in.
The temporary access to professional video visitation is in no way intended to replace in-person visitation between attorney and client. Please be aware that housing units 1, 2,8, 9, and 24 have visiting kiosks located in areas outside of inmate living areas where there may be reduced foot traffic, professional staff, and deputies.
If you need assistance accessing or viewing any material on the VPASS website, please contact CDCR's Female Offender Program at 916-555-5555, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), between the hours of 8am-5pm PST so we may assist you. Thank you, CDCR Web Team. CloseCDCR Accessibility.
Your use of video visitation, and acceptance of the rules, is both consent to the audio/video recording as well as agreement to the visitation rules. - Any addition of visitors utilizing any technology aside from the GTL visitor web application. Violation of the rules will include, at minimum, a 12 month ban from all video visitation privileges.
Beginning on June 22, 2022, the length of visits will change from 1 hour to 2 hours in the Visitation Scheduler and visitors will be able to schedule 2-hour visits for the weekend of July 2, July 3 or July 4, 2022. The new visitation blocks are as follows: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Sign in to schedule and manage upcoming visits with your inmate. Inmate visitation scheduling allows you to skip the long lines by reserving your visitation time. You can select the date, time and location that is most convenient for you. Best of all, visits are confirmed instantly! Post Id: 366. California Residents Only: Under CCPA you have ...
Sign in to schedule and manage upcoming visits with your inmate. Inmate visitation scheduling allows you to skip the long lines by reserving your visitation time. You can select the date, time and location that is most convenient for you. Best of all, visits are confirmed instantly! Post Id: 592.
All prisons are overseen by the Director of the Division of Adult Institutions, whose office is located in Sacramento. Anyone with a concern that cannot be resolved through local staff, the local IFC, the Warden, or the Ombudsman can contact the Director by mail at: P. O. Box 942883, Room 351-N, Sacramento, California, 94283-0001 and seek ...