Form 0920 Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey o

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Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey
of correctional workers

                                                                                                                                                              Form Approved
                                                                                                                                      OMB Control No.: XXXX-XXXX
                                                                                                                                        Expiration date: XX/XX/XXXX

Intended respondents: correctional employees currently working in jails and prisons regardless of job title or duties.
Timeline: Survey will remain open until ____________
Purpose: The purpose of this survey is to collect information on correctional worker opinions and practices related to
food safety in correctional settings.
Instructions: This survey collects data for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve food
safety education in correctional settings. The survey takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The survey does not
ask for names, employer, or contact information so the answers cannot be tied back to you or your facility. You can
skip any questions, but your responses will greatly improve how we develop and distribute training tools for
correctional workers. We ask that you only take the survey one time. Results will be summarized for correctional and
public health partners. 
Definitions:
-Food safety: the handling, preparing, distribution, and storage of food to protect quality and prevent food poisoning
(foodborne illness and injury).
-Correctional workers: refers to staff of jails or prisons regardless of their job title or if they are fulltime, part-time, or
a contractor.
-People who are incarcerated: individuals that are held in a jail or prison, excluding people under community
supervision.
-Incarcerated food workers: individuals that are in the custody of a correctional facility that support the correctional
facility's food production or food service as part of their assigned duties.
-Foodborne outbreak: when 2 or more people get sick (for example with diarrhea or vomiting) from eating the same
food, even if the cause was not confirmed.
To access definitions at any time during the survey, select the PDF "Definitions" at the top of each page.
Thank you!

Do you agree to participate?
(By selecting yes you agree to the terms listed in the instructions. )
Yes
No

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including
the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. Send
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions
for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia
30333; ATTN: PRA XXXX-XX. 

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Facility demographics
Definitions.pdf
What type of facility do you work in?
Federal prison
State prison
Juvenile detention facility
City, county, parish, or district jail
Tribal jail
Other
Other facility

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In what state or territory is your facility located?
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
American Samoa
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
District of Columbia

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What was the Average Daily Population (ADP) for your facility in 2022 (January 1, 2022-December 31, 2022)?
([Note: to calculate ADP add the number of incarcerated individuals each day from January 1, 2022-December 31,
2022, and divide by 365. If ADP cannot be calculated, estimate the typical number of persons held in your facility, for
example using occupied bed count] )
Fewer than 50
50-99
100-499
500-999
1000-2499
2500 or more
Don't know
Is your facility accredited? (check all that apply)
Yes, by the American Correctional Association (ACA)
Yes, by the National Institute for Jail Operations
Yes, by another organization
No
Don't know
Other organization

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Practices
Definitions.pdf
Which of the following best describes food preparation at your facility?
All meals are delivered to the facility ready-to-eat
Meals are fully prepared offsite but require portioning or reheating on site
Meals are partially prepared on site
Meals are fully prepared on site
Don't know
Do incarcerated food workers prepare, cook, or reheat food at your facility as part of the official food service?
Yes
No
Don't know
Do incarcerated food workers serve food to correctional staff or incarcerated persons at your facility as part of the
official food service?
Yes
No
Don't know
How might food preparation and service practices change during facility lockdowns? (check all that apply)
Different incarcerated food workers may be assigned to food preparation and service
Fewer incarcerated food workers are available to support food preparation and service
No incarcerated food workers are allowed to support food preparation and service
Food service may be delayed or discontinued
Food may sit for longer periods of time
Different food menus may be used
Other
Don't know
Other changes during lockdown

Are you aware of any suspected foodborne illness outbreaks at your facility in the last year?
([Note: a foodborne illness outbreak is when 2 or more people get sick (for example with diarrhea or vomiting) from
eating the same food, even if the cause was not confirmed])
Yes
No
Don't know

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Individual job
Definitions.pdf
Which of the following best describes your primary job function?
Security/custody
Healthcare worker (doctor, nurse, psychologist, nutritionist, pharmacist, etc.)
Facility leadership (e.g., warden, sheriff, jail administrator)
Food service specialist/administrator or cook
Education or training specialist
Facilities/maintenance staff
Other
Other job function

How long have you worked at your current correctional facility?
Less than 1 year
1-4 years
5-9 years
10+ years
How often do you oversee or participate in food preparation, cooking, or reheating at your facility?
Never
Rarely (less than once per month)
Sometimes (at least once per month)
Very often (at least once per week)
Always (nearly every time you work)
How often do you oversee or participate in food distribution/service at your facility?
Never
Rarely (less than once per month)
Sometimes (at least once per month)
Very often (at least once per week)
Always (nearly every time you work)
How confident are you in your ability to prevent foodborne illnesses at your facility? (select the best answer)
Not confident at all
Slightly confident
Moderately confident
Confident
Very confident

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Training
Definitions.pdf
In the last year, were you trained in any of the following food safety practices? (check all that apply)
Hand washing techniques for food preparation and service
Food service procedures (including use of gloves and hot and cold holding practices)
Minimum cooking temperatures
Safe cooling procedures
Safe thawing practices
Kitchen cleaning, disinfection, and sanitation
Foodborne disease outbreak investigations
Did not receive any training on food safety practices
In your opinion, what types of tools would be helpful for all correctional workers in understanding food safety? (check
all that apply)
Food safety manuals for correctional facilities
Food safety checklists (for preparation, distribution, and cleanup)
Instructional posters
Instructional videos
Toolkits (may include training guides, assessments, resources, example policies, etc).
Online training modules
In-person, classroom-based training
In-person hands-on training
Other
Don't know
No additional training is needed
Other tool

For any of the tools that you chose above, describe why you selected those tools.

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Beliefs, barriers, and impacts
Definitions.pdf
In general, how does the risk of foodborne outbreaks compare for incarcerated people compared to the general
public?
Incarcerated people have less risk of foodborne outbreaks compared to the general public
Incarcerated people have equal risk of foodborne outbreaks compared to the general public
Incarcerated people have more risk of foodborne outbreaks compared to the general public
Don't know
In your opinion, how do foodborne illness outbreaks (for example those causing diarrhea and vomiting) impact
correctional facilities? (check all that apply)
Creates more work for staff
Creates a health risk for staff
Creates a health risk for incarcerated people
Strains facility healthcare services
Reduces morale of staff
Reduces morale of incarcerated people
Creates potential liability for the facility
Creates security challenges (E.g., leads to lockdowns, reduced staff, transfers, atypical movement of
incarcerated people)
Other
Don't know
Other impact

In your opinion, which groups play a role in food safety in correctional facilities? (check all that apply)
Food service department staff and contractors
Incarcerated food workers assigned to food service on work details
Facility leadership
Correctional workers
Healthcare workers
Facility safety workers
Incarcerated individuals who are not food workers
Other
Don't know
Other group

Do you believe you have a role to play in food safety at your facility?
Yes
No
Don't know

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In your opinion, which factors contribute to the safety of food coming from your facility's kitchen? (check all that
apply)
Training in food safety
Staff experienced in food safety
Staff interest in food safety
Incarcerated food worker interest in food safety
Archived meal tray (also called dead man's tray) practices
Food safety inspections
Leadership interest in food safety
Easy to use food safety plans or manuals
Other
Don't know
Other factors

In your opinion, which are barriers to food safety in your facility? (check all that apply)
Lack of funding for food safety supplies (thermometers, hot holding equipment, etc.)
Poor quality of food products at purchase or donation
Low staff interest in food safety
Lack of time to practice food safety tasks (cleaning, monitoring temperatures, etc.)
Lack of oversight of food safety procedures
Lack of training in food safety procedures
Lack of training materials tailored for correctional facilities
Change in operations during lockdowns or safety incidents
Unapproved food preparation/storage by incarcerated individuals
Other
Don't know
Other barriers

In your opinion, how would you rate food safety at your current facility?
Very poor
Poor
Acceptable
Good
Very good
Don't know
How concerned are you about the risk of foodborne illness in your facility?
Not at all concerned
Slightly concerned
Moderately concerned
Concerned
Very concerned
Don't know

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Do you believe that improved food safety practices will reduce foodborne outbreaks in your facility?
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Don't know
In the last year, has your facility conducted food safety training for incarcerated food workers?
Yes
No
Don't know
What are the barriers to training incarcerated food workers? (check all that apply)
Language barrier of incarcerated food workers
Low literacy of incarcerated food workers
Low interest from incarcerated food workers
Low interest from correctional food specialists
High turnover of incarcerated food workers
High turnover of correctional food specialists
Limited resources tailored for correctional settings
Limited time to train incarcerated food workers
Low priority for leadership
No barriers for training incarcerated food workers
Other
Don't know
Other barriers

What types of training tools would be helpful for incarcerated food workers in understanding food safety? (check all
that apply)
Food safety manuals for correctional facilities
Food safety checklists (for preparation, distribution, and cleanup)
Instructional posters
Instructional videos
Toolkits (may include training guides, assessments, resources, example policies, etc).
Online training modules
In-person training, classroom-based training
In-person, hands-on training
No additional training is needed
Other
Don't know
Other tools

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Does your facility currently offer any types of food safety certifications (ServSafe or others) as part of educational or
vocational training for incarcerated persons?
Yes
No
Don't know
In the last year, has your facility kitchen participated in a routine food safety inspection?
Yes
No
Don't know
If yes, how often are food safety inspections conducted in your facility (e.g., weekly, monthly, annually)?

Which groups are involved in routine food safety inspections at your facility? (check all that apply)
Federal prison inspectors
State or local health department staff
State or local department of corrections (DOC) staff
Facility staff
Contracted inspectors
Other
Don't know
Other inspector

Have you ever obtained a food manager's certificate (ServSafe or other)?
Yes
No
Don't know
If yes, how long ago was your last food safety certification, if known?

If yes, did your current employer sponsor or support your certification?
Yes
No
Don't know

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How many hours of food safety training are required for non-incarcerated food workers per year at your facility per
year? (select the best option)
0-10 hours
11-25 hours
26-40 hours
More than 40 hours
Don't know
How does your facility involve a certified food protection manager? (select the best option)
Certified food protection managers are required to be on site for all food preparation
The facility employs at least one certified food protection manager
The facility shares a certified food protection manager with other facilities
There are no certified food protection managers associated with our facility
Don't know
True or false, you should wash your hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before preparing food?
True
False
Don't know
True or false, hot foods should be held at a temperature of 120°F or above until they are served?
True
False
Don't know
True or false, raw chicken must be cooked to at least 150°F to be served safely?
True
False
Don't know
True or false, stirring the food in a container placed in an ice water bath is one appropriate method for cooling hot
food?
True
False
Don't know
True or false, frozen food can be safely thawed by submerging in standing hot water (120°F)?
True
False
Don't know
True or false, utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment should be sanitized before use and after cleaning?
True
False
Don't know

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