Alumni

Amy Boyer

Amy Boyer
Location: Woodland, California Cohort Start Year: 2016 Project Topic: Behavioral and Mental Health Population Served: Incarcerated or Formerly Incarcerated Populations
Program Manager
Insight Garden Program
GARDENING FOR HEALTH IN PRISONS
FOCUS
Prisons are places of disconnect. Insight Garden Program connects prisoners in California to themselves, nature and community through an innovative curriculum that is rooted in the gardens our participants grow. By growing themselves and plants, our participants change prison culture and successfully re-integrate into their communities.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE: Trauma-informed Gardening in Prisons
A collaboration between Insight Garden Program (IGP) and California Medical Facility (CMF), the Trauma-informed Gardening in Prisons initiative brings gardening to people in prison with mental illness to provide a safe space to begin healing from trauma. IGP reconnects people to themselves, their community, and the natural world via a year-long curriculum and hands-on gardening. CMF is a prison for people with physical and/or mental illness who need intensive treatment. The area of focus is the intersection between mental health and mass incarceration. IGP will work with recreational therapists and social workers at CMF to bring IGP to two intensive mental health treatment programs: the Enhanced Outpatient Program (EOP) and Prison Inpatient Program (PIP).

MORE ABOUT AMY
I combine caring for nature and for people’s spirits as program manager in our three Central Valley prisons, including California’s two medical prisons.

Click here to watch Amy’s Legacy Project video.