Programs at Chippewa: Education, Vocational Work, and the Leader Dog Partnership
Chippewa Correctional Facility offers academic instruction alongside job assignments, treatment programs, and enrichment options. These can help someone build skills and create structure while they're inside.
Education at Chippewa ranges from basic skill-building to college-level coursework. The facility partners with Lake Superior State University (LSSU) to offer degree opportunities - including an associate option and a bachelor's focused on business and entrepreneurship.
Vocational instruction focuses on hands-on learning. Beyond classes, work assignments are part of programming too. Your loved one may balance a job alongside school or groups, depending on what they're approved for.
For recovery and behavior change, Chippewa offers group counseling and substance abuse treatment, including a Substance Abuse (Phase II) program and AA/NA self-help groups. Cognitive restructuring options like Thinking for a Change and Violence Prevention address decision-making and anger management. Michigan Domestic Violence Programming (MiDVP) is available too. These programs can encourage accountability and steady progress - especially when someone wants to come home with better tools than they had going in.
- ✓ General and law library services
- ✓ Horticulture programming
- ✓ Recreational programs
- ✓ Religious programs
Chippewa's partnership with Lake Superior State University (LSSU) offers two degree paths. The first is an Associate of Arts in Small Business Administration. The second is a Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship - focused on business planning and practical skills for life after release.
Note: LSSU options at Chippewa include the Associate of Arts in Small Business Administration and the Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship. Check directly with the facility for eligibility, enrollment steps, and timing.
Chippewa partners with Michigan Leader Dogs for the Blind through a puppy-raising program. Incarcerated participants raise and train puppies inside the facility. The dogs later return to the Leader Dog campus for formal training before continuing in the guide-dog process.
What you might notice: If your loved one is selected for Leader Dog, their schedule changes. Puppy care and training get layered on top of other work assignments and programming.
- Ask what they’re aiming for - Academic instruction, vocational instruction, work assignments, and counseling all pull time in different ways, so it helps to know what goal matters most right now.
- Encourage a solid “core plan” - If substance use or violence/anger issues are part of the story, point them toward the options Chippewa offers: substance abuse treatment (including Substance Abuse Phase II), AA/NA, Thinking for a Change, Violence Prevention, and MiDVP.
- Support follow-through - Consistent attendance matters in group counseling, cognitive restructuring programs, and education/vocational tracks. Your steady encouragement can help them stick with it when motivation drops.
- Make room for schedule changes - Program participation can shift around work assignments, and special opportunities like the Leader Dog partnership may add responsibilities to the week.
- Remind them of the “extras” that build stability - Library services, horticulture, recreational options, and religious programming can add structure and positive routines alongside school or treatment.
Contact for program questions: Email mdoc-chippewa-public@michigan.gov or call 906-495-2275 for general questions and visiting applications.
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