How to Visit Facility
Professional video visits at SCI Mahoney start with a phone call to the institution. Once you know who to contact and what details to have ready, scheduling and joining your visit is pretty simple.
To schedule a professional video visit, call the SCI where the inmate is housed and ask for the Superintendent's Assistant. This is the person who coordinates scheduling and, if it's your first professional video visit, also adds you to the inmate visitation system. So that first call covers both setup and scheduling in one step.
- ✓ Name
- ✓ Agency
- ✓ Category
- ✓ Email address
- ✓ Agency address
- ✓ Phone number
Once the Superintendent's Assistant confirms a time and date, you'll get an automated confirmation email at the address you provided. That email includes a connection guide and the link to join your visit. If you use the inmate visitation system (IVS), you actually have two ways to find your visit link: the confirmation email, or your IVS account under upcoming visits.
Timing rule: You can join a video visit up to 5 minutes before the scheduled start time. Try to connect earlier than that and you won't be let in.
- Call the SCI and ask for the Superintendent’s Assistant. This is the contact point for scheduling a professional video visit.
- Schedule the time and date. The Superintendent’s Assistant coordinates the appointment and you will receive an automated email confirmation with the connection link and a connection guide.
- Leave a message if they are unavailable. If the Superintendent’s Assistant cannot take your call, leave a message.
- Wait for the return call. The Superintendent’s Assistant will return your call.
- Tell them it is your first professional video visit. The Superintendent’s Assistant will add you to the inmate visitation system.
- Provide the required details. Be ready with your name, agency, category, email address, agency address, and phone number.
- Check your automated confirmation email. It should include the visit link and a connection guide.
- Look in your IVS account if needed. The video visit URL can also appear under upcoming visits.
Join window: Don't click in too early. You can join up to 5 minutes before the scheduled start time. Anything earlier will be blocked.
What to Verify
- ✓ You are calling the correct SCI for where the inmate is located
- ✓ The Superintendent’s Assistant is the right contact for professional video visits
- ✓ What to expect if you have to leave a message (and when calls are typically returned)
- ✓ The exact information they want from you for scheduling and first-time setup
- ✓ That the Superintendent’s Assistant will add you to the inmate visitation system if it is your first professional video visit
- ✓ The email address you gave is correct and monitored (this is where the automated confirmation goes)
- ✓ Where to find the visit URL, in the confirmation email and in your IVS account under upcoming visits
Confirm the timing: The rule is that you can join up to 5 minutes early, and earlier attempts won't go through. If you run into trouble connecting, verify the join window directly with the facility.
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