CDCR Is Switching to Securus: What Families Need to Know Now

Securus is now handling communications for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). This means a system-wide change in how families connect with someone housed at a CDCR facility. New communication options (or newly managed ones) will be coming online through Securus.

Starting in September, CDCR will implement three types of communication services through Securus: telephone calls, video calls, and electronic messaging. If you have been waiting for a clear timeline, this is it. The rollout begins in September and covers all three ways to stay in touch.

• ✓ Telephone calls: coming starting in September through Securus
• ✓ Video calls: coming starting in September through Securus
• ✓ Electronic messaging: coming starting in September through Securus

Securus's guidance to families is simple: open a Securus account now, either on the Securus website or in the Securus mobile app. That way you are ready when these services launch. If you wait until video calls or electronic messaging go live, you may end up scrambling to register alongside a lot of other families.

Here is a practical difference that trips people up. You will not need an online account to receive free telephone calls, but you will need a Securus account once video calls and electronic messaging are available. So even if phone calls are your main connection right now, creating the account ahead of time can prevent delays when the other services turn on.

• ✓ Free telephone calls: no online Securus account required
• ✓ Video calls and electronic messaging: online Securus account required when available

1. Create your Securus account - Use the Securus website or the Securus mobile app so you are set up before September services begin.
2. Confirm you can access the account - Make sure you can log in successfully, so you are not troubleshooting later when video and messaging open up.
3. Watch for rollout updates as September approaches - Securus says implementation begins in September for phone, video, and electronic messaging, so keep an eye out for any launch notices tied to your loved one’s facility.

A few things are still not spelled out in available sources: fee schedules (if any) for specific services, exact launch dates by facility, and what payment methods will be accepted. For those details, check directly with Securus and with the CDCR facility where your loved one is housed.