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Contact Youth

​We want to support family members and loved ones connecting with youth in our care. Bear in mind, however, that youth may call only people who are approved by the treatment team. 

Youth are not allowed to receive phone calls. If you want to pass on important information to your child, or get updates on how they are doing, you may call their case coordinator or living unit manager.

​Youth may send letters, and they may receive letters, money, or stamps through the mail. 

Youth must buy stamps using money in their trust account. If they do not have enough money in their account to buy stamps, we will provide them with three stamps per week.

Staff open and inspect all mail to make sure that it is appropriate and to look for items that are not allowed. This is to keep all youth and staff safe. 

To help us make sure mail gets to your child, please put their full legal name on the envelope.

What's Not Allowed

The following types of mail are not allowed, and may be rejected:

  • Mail that does not have a sending or return address.
  • Mail with escape plans or plans to commit a crime or violate facility rules.
  • Sexually explicit material.
  • Gang-related materials.  
  • Contraband items, including but not limited to weapons, explosives, medications, electronic items, or photos with chemical substances on the back.
  • Mail from other incarcerated people, including other youth at OYA facilities, unless the facility superintendent approves in advance.
  • Mail to or from the youth’s victims, including through third parties, unless the facility superintendent approves in advance.
  • Publications that are contraband or harmful to a youth’s ​reformation.
  • Mail with attachments or enclosures that are glued, taped, or otherwise affixed to the envelope or its contents, such as stickers.
​If your mail is rejected, we will notify you and your youth within five business days of when we reject it. The notification will include information about how to appeal. Read more about OYA's mail policy​.


Packages​

Before sending a package to a youth, contact their living unit manager with a list of items you wish to send. They can let you know what's allowed. Learn more on Eastern's Youth Property and Packages page​​.

​Find information on the Eastern Visiting Information Page​.

​If you live far away and cannot come to the facility for visits, you can sign up for a video visit. We use Microsoft Teams for video visits. 


Video visits, like in-person visits, must be approved by the youth’s treatment team.

Once you are approved to do video visits, they will need to be scheduled in advance through your youth’s living unit manager or case coordinator.