MNSIRR Hosts its First Evidence Based Practices Academy
By Kevin Fawcett, MNSIRR Regional Coordinator
The Minnesota Statewide Initiative to Reduce Recidivism hosted its first ever Evidence Based Practices Academy in July at the New Brighton Community Center. The goal of the academy was for all community service providers to gain valuable knowledge in evidenced based practices while gaining skills, and helping them to effectively impact their clients towards behavioral change. Training included 30 participants representing 13 community organizations. These organizations included staff from correctional half way houses, chemical dependency treatment and mental health facilities.
The academy began with the University of Cincinnati Corrections institute (UCCI) training the first two days on Core Correctional Practices (CCP). As mentioned in previous MNSIRR News, Core Correctional Practices is a cognitive based training that teaches effective intervention skills to staff. This training is useful for all criminal justice professionals, especially direct care, security and treatment staff. Participants received specific skill building training on principles of effective interventions. These eight core interventions included: quality interpersonal relationships, effective reinforcement, effective disapproval, effective use of authority, cognitive restructuring, anti-criminal modeling, structured learning/skill building and problem solving techniques. Participants of the training commented on the practical nature of the interventions and how it enhanced their skills. One of the participants shared that he implemented some of the skills immediately upon returning to his job and was amazed how well it worked for him and the client.
Day three of the academy began with a Motivational Interviewing booster. Participants spent the morning practicing their “OARS” skills (O = Open Ended Questions A = Affirmations R = Reflections S = Summaries). Staff reflected the importance of practicing these skills and being “game ready” when working with their clients. This interactive training allowed staff to refresh and strengthen their skills in a fun and supportive environment.
The afternoon of day three included an overview of the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) assessment tool followed by a discussion of seamless case planning. An overview of the Risk, Need and Responsivity (RNR) model was given, creating dialogue on best practices for client management. Academy participants gained an understanding of criminogenic risk areas and how to best address these target areas, using the LS/CMI to help guide the treatment plan.
Day four of the academy included a case management overview and an introduction to the Carey Guides. Carey Guides are designed to help correctional professionals assist clients with behavioral changes. Carey Guides are a set of 33 guides that can be used by correctional professionals as a quick and easy skill development tool. Often correctional staff are busy and have difficulty finding time to respond in-depth to the needs of their clients. With the use of Carey Guides, staff are able to have short, practical tools to assist clients in changing their thinking and behavior. All academy participants were then given a set of Carey Guides to use at their organizations.
The MNSIRR team is currently working on a second academy to be hosted this fall in the northern region of Minnesota.
Integrated Case Management in Minnesota DOC Facilities
By Marabelle Morgan, Community Reentry Transition Manager
The MN DOC has adopted the Integrated Case Management Model (ICM) for selected high risk offenders returning to MNSIRR counties. Currently, nearly 400 offenders are receiving ICM. As we make the necessary internal changes and more resources are available, we expect to include all high risk offenders returning to MNSIRR counties in the next 14 to 18 months.
Although a number of offenders received ICM and were released previously, we began tracking these targeted, high risk offenders in February 2016. By the end of this September, at least 118 offenders who received ICM while incarcerated will have been released to community supervision. The chart below shows how many have or will be returning to each county in the coming months. Since we are adding additional offenders all the time, these are estimates based on those currently receiving ICM.
Exploring "What Works"
Featured in each newsletter, we'll explore concept's of "what works" to change lives.
The Core Correctional Practice of Effective Use of Authority
By Sandi Sostak, MN DOC Evidence Based Practice Coordinator
Our roles as corrections staff include the use of power. The demeanor, position, and, for many of us, the uniform and control methods all contribute to gaining offender compliance. Security in our facilities and field services is number one – for staff and for offenders. Sometimes use of force beyond a direct order is required for compliance. Many times, however, Effective Use of Authority not only addresses the immediate concern, but contributes to increased safety and security in the long-run.
Crises are often cycle-related (calm, trigger, agitation, acceleration, peak, de-escalation, recovery). Intervening at the trigger stage will likely yield the best result for all. Children and adults can go from calm to peak in seconds; it is the brain activity around emotion and reasoning that impact the outcome of that crisis.
Helping offenders learn to “stop and think” can be very effective. Some techniques that can be utilized to for mildly disruptive behavior including diverting the offender’s attention. Sometimes it is just about listening……..reflective listening, i.e. “It looks like you are really angry; what’s up? Sometimes the opportunity to ‘save face’ is helpful, i.e. “Is there any reasonable way we can resolve this?”
Ultimately our goal is for change to occur in unsupervised situations, sustained across environment and time, i.e. we want our offenders to be successful during incarceration and after release. Effective Use of Authority contributes to positive offender change by demonstrating the stop and think process; it involves four steps that can be applied to almost any situation.
Be direct and specific concerning your demands, using a normal voice
State the specific choices and the consequences of those choices
Provide respectful guidance toward compliance
Praise compliance or enforce consequences
Putting those steps into practice would sound like:
The expectation is_________. You can chose to continue doing ___________ and the resulting consequence will be__________. Or, you can choose to do _______ and the resulting consequence will be _______. Choosing ___________ will get you closer to your goals and result in better outcomes for you.
Effective use of Authority gives the offender a choice. This format provides guidance towards compliance (a good choice!), and the consequences of those choices are known. Offenders are praised for making a good choice, reinforcing that behavior.
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