How John Lilley Center's Indigent Program Works: Eligibility and Benefits
If your loved one has little or no money while housed at John Lilley Center, the indigence program may provide limited monthly support. Here's how eligibility works, what qualifies someone for help, and what can cause indigent status to end.
At John Lilley Center, indigence starts with a basic question: does the inmate have an outside source of income available to them? If they do - for example, Social Security or retirement checks - they won’t meet this part of the eligibility standard. The program is meant for people with no available outside income to rely on.
The other key requirement is account balance. To qualify, the inmate's account must stay at $3.00 or less for fifteen (15) consecutive days. "Consecutive" matters - it's not about dipping low occasionally. The balance has to remain at or under $3.00 continuously for the full 15-day stretch.
Monthly Benefits
- ✓ One indigent commissary package from the commissary vendor once per month
- ✓ One haircut per month
Indigent status doesn't stay in place automatically. If the inmate receives funds that push their balance above $3.00, the facility can terminate indigence. This lines up with the same $3.00 threshold used to qualify - once the account exceeds it, the person no longer meets the program standard.
Note: Indigence can also be terminated for abuse of the service - for example, trading provided supplies for snacks.
The handbook covers eligibility rules, monthly benefits, and termination triggers - but not the day-to-day mechanics. Does the inmate have to request indigent status? How long does approval take? How are they notified if status changes? None of that is spelled out. If you're trying to help from the outside, confirm the current process directly with the facility before assuming someone is enrolled or will stay enrolled.
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