What Your Loved One's First Few Days at York CI Look Like: Admission and Orientation Explained

At admission, your loved one is issued basic items right away so they can be housed. That includes a bedroll with sheets and a blanket, along with uniform pants and shirts. If needed, they’ll also be given underwear.

Admission is also when the facility handles initial processing - the paperwork and assessments that set up day-to-day life inside. The exact order and timing can vary, but think of this as the "getting situated" phase before orientation and regular schedules begin.

What Facility Supplies

• ✓ Bedroll (sheets and a blanket)
• ✓ Uniform pants
• ✓ Uniform shirts
• ✓ Underwear (if necessary)

Hygiene works a bit differently than clothing and bedding. Items like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and a toothbrush are purchased through commissary. One exception: if your loved one is indigent - meaning they have less than $5.00 in their account - those hygiene items are provided free.

Orientation happens quickly. At York CI, a Correctional Counselor provides inmate orientation within the first few business days after admission.

1. Meet with the Correctional Counselor - this is part of orientation and is where a lot of the practical setup happens.
2. Build an approved visiting list - your loved one works with the counselor to establish who can be approved for visits.
3. Set up a telephone list - they also work with the counselor to establish the phone list used to communicate with family and friends.

For anything beyond what's issued at admission, commissary is the main option. This is especially true for hygiene items - shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and a toothbrush - which are purchased through commissary unless your loved one has less than $5.00 in their account and qualifies to receive them free.