If Your Loved One Can’t Reach You: Troubleshooting PIN and Call-List Problems at Fluvanna

At Fluvanna, inmates can only call numbers on their approved call list. Both landlines and cell phones work - but if your number isn't on the list (or isn't active yet), the call won't connect. When calls suddenly stop, assume it's a call-list issue until you've ruled that out.

One common snag: the call list only holds 15 phone numbers. Your loved one manages this list themselves. If it's already full, they'll need to remove a number before adding yours. So even if you've given them the right phone number, there may not be room for it yet.

Consent is another big reason calls don't go through. Your number won't become active until you complete the automated consent process - and that can take several days. You can also refuse collect or debit calls. If you declined a call or skipped the consent prompts, the system may treat your number as unapproved.

1. Use the contract vendor hotline - From the facility phones, the inmate can report PIN-number problems to the contract vendor by dialing #21.
2. Explain what’s happening - Have them describe what they’re seeing (for example, whether the PIN won’t work at all or calls fail after dialing), so the vendor can troubleshoot the right issue.

If dialing #21 doesn't fix things, your loved one should follow whatever reporting process is available inside - the steps from orientation or posted in their housing area. The key point: PIN problems have to be reported from inside. Families can't fix a PIN issue from the outside.

Family Verifications

• ✓ If you received automated consent prompts for inmate calls, make sure you completed them for the exact number your loved one is trying to call.
• ✓ If you refused a collect or debit call, remember you can deny those calls - but that refusal can also be the reason calls aren’t connecting now.
• ✓ If your number is newly added, give the automated consent process time; a number won’t go active until consent is granted, and activation can take several days.

• ✓ Confirm the inmate has the right phone number saved on their approved call list (the exact landline or cell number you want them to use).
• ✓ Make sure the telephone subscriber who granted consent is tied to the same number being called (consent has to match the subscriber/number on file).
• ✓ If you recently changed numbers, double-check they aren’t still trying an old number that’s on the list instead of the new one.

If your loved one uses a PIN Debit Account for calls, funding could be the issue. You can add money through ConnectNetwork - select "VA," then "Department of Corrections." You'll need their 7-digit state ID number to complete the setup and deposit.

If you've completed consent and your number still isn't working, ask your loved one to double-check their call list. They control it, and it maxes out at 15 numbers. Sometimes the fix is simple: remove an old number that's no longer used, then add your current one.

Call-list changes happen through the inmate's enrollment process inside the facility. That means your loved one makes the change - not you. The most helpful thing you can do is give them the exact number to add and let them know you're ready to complete the consent prompts when they come through.

If the number is on the list, consent is done, and your loved one has already reported a PIN problem through #21, it's time to ask staff for help through normal channels. Also worth noting: telephone service hours vary by facility security level. Check orientation materials or posted schedules - sometimes a "missed call" is just a timing issue, not a blocked number.