dcjs office of probation and correctional alternatives

Fundamentals of Community Corrections (FCC) Training - Supporting Evidence-

Based Practices in all ATI Programs

NYAPSA ConferenceOctober 21, 2013

Yvonne J. BehanATI/Re-entry Manager

DCJSOffice of Probation and Correctional Alternatives

OPCA plays a critical role in New York’s Criminal Justice System:

Funds and Regulates the State’s 58 County and City of New York Probation Departments

Funds nearly 250 ATI programs -- in addition to Probation Departments

Manages the interstate transfer of 5,000 probationers between NYS and all other states

OPCA - An Office within DCJS

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OPCA provides funding and oversight for nearly 200 ATI and Re-entry programs across NYS including:

• Community Service • Defender-Based-Advocacy• Pre-Trial Release• Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities

(TASC) • Specialized/Drug & Alcohol• Probation Violation Residential Centers• Six ATI/Re-entry Programs funded via ARRA• 19 County Re-entry Task Forces

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OPCA’S ATI Annual Reporting

Pursuant to New York Executive Law Section 267 with regard to Article 13A, DCJS is required to submit an Annual Report to the Governor. The 2012 Annual Statistical Reports for Alternative-to-Incarceration (ATI) Program Models highlight the following :

• Community Service Programs (37) report that 84.6% of participants successfully complete the service. 

• Pretrial Services Programs (44) report 31,066 releases with an overall Failure to Appear Rate of 2.8%.

• Specialized Drug and Alcohol Service Programs (46) report 9,876 individuals placed in programs with 70.9% completing.

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OPCA’S ATI Annual Reporting

• Defender-Based Advocacy Programs (11) prepared 2,256 individualized client-specific plans and 2,045 were accepted by the Courts.  

• TASC Model Programs (15) report 5,406 placements and 3,481 successful completions. 

• CRTF – (19) - 3,623 Track I intakes reported by the 19 County Re-entry Task Forces for the program year of July 2012 thru June 2013.

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Standards

• In 2005 - Published the Community Services Sentencing Standards

• In 2007 - Published New York State Pretrial Standards

• In 2008 - Published New York State TASC Standards

• 2010 – Published New York State Defender-Based Advocacy Standards

Visit http://dcjs.ny.gov for copies and additional information.

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OPCA’S Quality Assurance

• Provide Technical Assistance• Site Visit Monitoring• Quarterly Progress Reports• Annual Focus Groups• Review Recidivism Rates – Required

Submission of Tracking Logs• Annual Plan/Contract Review• Quality Control Audits• Training – FCC, T4C, OWDS etc.

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OPCA trains probation officers--required 70-hour Fundamentals of Probation Practice (FPP), a nationally recognized training curriculum that was accredited in 2008 by the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) -- Evidence-Based Practice Skill Building learning modules were developed by Orbis Partners.

However, professionals working in community corrections programs were receiving varied training that was not standardized or supported by evidence based practices. The need for the FCC training was evident. Programs began asking for such training.

Additional Quality Assurance: Training

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The Primary Goals of FCC Training

Provide community corrections program staff with the opportunity to learn and practice the fundamental skills that will be needed to successfully work with individuals in the community corrections program.

Provide information on the evidence based practices and “What Works” research that has proven to work effectively in bringing about change and success.

Curriculum Development and Implementation

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The FCC curriculum was developed by a workgroup comprised of ATI professionals from each of the five ATI models, Pre-Trial Services, Community Services, Defender-Based Advocacy, TASC and Specialized/Drug and Alcohol Services Programs and DPCA Staff.

The FCC includes the latest information on screening, assessment, motivational interviewing and case planning.

Fundamentals of Community Corrections (FCC)

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• FCC was drawn from Fundamentals of Probation Practices which was influenced by the “What Works” Movement

• EBP Modules in the FPP were developed under contract with Orbis Partners, Inc.

Curriculum Development and Implementation

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The FCC also includes learning modules on highly- effective programs

and the rights of the program participant.

The FCC includes methods which are based on the principles of adult learning.

The FCC Manual

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An Introductionto the Fundamentalsof Community Corrections –(FCC) Manual

Highlights of FCC

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Module 1: Welcome and Introduction to Community Corrections

Introduction Activities

• Name

• Program and geographic location

• Something of interest about the county/location where program is located

• Something that others at the table don’t know about you

Highlights of FCC

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Module 2: Justice System and the LawSubsection: Accessing Criminal History Records

Module 3: Rights of the Program Participant – Unique to FCC – produced by the Legal Action Center

The Rights of the Program Participant focuses on the role of the ATI and community corrections professional in helping program participants understand and address issues pertaining to:

legal and due process rights consequences of criminal convictions mitigating collateral consequences voting rights of the individual certificates of relief from disability

Module 3: Rights of the Program Participant

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Rights of the Program Participant details the questions that employers are allowed to ask about criminal convictions.

Explains New York laws that protect individuals with criminal histories from discrimination and protect the confidentiality of drug and alcohol records.

Exercises include:

• Examining the Rap Sheet and determining inaccuracies and instruction on how best to correct them

• Detailing information that must be provided on employment applications or during employment interviews

Module 3: Rights of the Program Participant

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Highlights of FCC

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Module 4: What Works

Case Activity #1 – Case Profiles that continue through curriculum

Prediction Activity

Module 5: Fundamentals of Assessment -Expand NYCOMPAS Access to ATI’s

Highlights of FCC

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Module 6: Cultural Awareness

Module 7: Interviewing

Module 8: Case Planning Strategies

Highlights of FCC

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Module 9a and 9 - Strategies for Highly Effective Programs – Developed with the assistance of the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and Dr. Faye Taxman

Module 10: Ethics

Module 11: Stress Management for Community Corrections Professionals

Highlights of FCC

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Module 11: Stress Management for Community Corrections Professionals

Future Trainings scheduled in 2014: • Westchester• Albany• Adirondack Region• Central New York• NYC

Questions???????

For more information contact:Yvonne Behan, (518) 485-5153

yvonne.behan@dcjs.ny.gov

Next Steps

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