Mandi's Civil Commitment Blog - Part 5

DEPRESSION. As a person who has long suffered from and had to learn to deal with a diagnosis of depression, I can pretty much spot another person living in a depressive state of mind. The men I worked with at TCCC (Texas Civil Commitment Center) in Littlefield, Texas were absolutely depressed. And honestly, I really couldn’t blame them. The morale was low, and there didn’t seem to be much to be hopeful about. Any free time was spent sleeping or watching TV.

My nights working were getting easier as time went on and I continued to learn and feel more comfortable. The residents that I looked after seemed as if they were feeling more comfortable with me too. I was greeted with smiles or waves when I walked on the dorms, and some would start conversations with me. I enjoyed my job and there were a few co-workers that were fun to work with. I was running the dorms alone now and in a routine of how I did things.

A few months into 2019, we were told that the current contract with Correct Care was ending and that other companies were going to be putting in bids. This sparked gossip among the residents and the employees. This was the first time I would see how fast rumors spread at that place. Several residents would say things like I needed to find a new job because the facility was going to close or that another company was going to come in and overhaul everything. We were told that we would have to reapply to the new company and that the positions would be different. All I could think of was that I finally had a decent job with decent pay and I might be losing it. What if the company didn’t hire me on? It seemed that everyone was weighing their options. The administration told us that a new company could possibly mean more money for us.

With talks of a new company taking over came a sort of new excitement in the residents. Some of them thought a new company would bring changes for the better for them. A few men said that there would be more activities and classes, while others said there would be perks like refrigerators on the dorms. There was talk that a different company would be less restrictive and allow more movement. Many men just wanted a better menu with more options.

For a couple of months, everyone at the facility, residents and employees, were just kinda in limbo stuck wondering what was going to happen. Finally, it was announced that there had been a decision, and a new company had made a bid. Management and Training Corporation (MTC) was going to be the new vendor providing the security at the facility. They were known for running many private prisons across the country and having a worldwide reputation. All the workers were running around applying for different positions and waiting to see who got what job. It was a little cutthroat and very competitive.

May 2019, MTC, signed the contract and took over. I then became a security officer and embarked on a whole new journey at the Texas Civil Commitment Center that would change my life FOREVER.