Support Department
Family & Friends Resources
Are you an impacted family member or friend? TPCA is here to help you advocate for your loved one.
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Supporting people navigating the Texas prison system with trusted information, practical resources, and community.
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Navigating the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) system can be confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming. At TPCA, we understand the challenges families and friends face and are committed to helping people navigate the system with greater confidence. We do this through a two-pronged approach: providing practical educational resources that help you understand how the system works, while also equipping you with advocacy tools to help improve conditions for your loved one and others across Texas.
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Whether your loved one has recently entered the TDCJ system or you've been navigating it for years, finding reliable information isn't always easy. TPCA exists to help families feel informed, empowered, and connected.
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Due to resource limitations, we are currently unable to provide one-on-one Family & Friends Mediator services. However, we continue to develop educational resources, training opportunities, and advocacy tools created by and for people directly impacted by incarceration.
Helpful Resources
Official TDCJ Documents
Forms, policies, visitation information, inmate search tools, and official TDCJ resources.​​
Medical Resources
Information about medical care, health concerns, disability accommodations, and advocating for healthcare needs.
Advocacy Organizations
National, state, and local organizations providing legal assistance, policy advocacy, family support, and reentry services.
General Resources
Financial assistance, transportation, legal information, educational materials, and practical guides.​​
Hospitality Houses
Places to stay near correctional facilities when traveling long distances for visitation.
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Extreme Heat Resources
Information about prison heat conditions, heat-related illnesses, cooling towel programs, and advocacy efforts.​​
Community Resource
Created by a TPCA Volunteer
Turning My Past Into Purpose
A reentry resource created from lived experience
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TaDasha Jones is an entrepreneur, graduate student, TPCA volunteer and formerly incarcerated individual who knows firsthand how difficult it can be to rebuild after incarceration.
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After coming home, she faced many of the challenges that make reentry overwhelming: finding employment and housing, securing identification, pursuing education, managing finances and simply knowing where to begin.
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That experience inspired TaDasha to create A New Me, a free digital reentry platform designed to make the path forward a little easier. The resource brings practical tools and guidance together in one place, helping people returning home navigate immediate needs, build stability and plan for their future.
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“I created A New Me because I know what it feels like to come home and not know where to start. I want others to know that they are not alone, and that they can build something different for their future.”
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Your past does not have to determine your future.
Families Are
Powerful Advocates
When someone you love is incarcerated, you quickly find yourself navigating unfamiliar systems, policies, and procedures. You shouldn't have to do it alone.
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TPCA creates practical resources to help families and friends understand the system, advocate effectively, and connect with others working toward safer, more humane Texas prisons.
Turn Concern into Action
call, letter, email, and conversation has the potential to create change. Whether you're advocating for a loved one or standing up for humane prison conditions, our advocacy toolkits provide practical guidance to help you take meaningful action.