ASSESSMENTS:

During the resident's first two (2) weeks in the program, he/she completes a series of risk/needs assessments to identify his/her criminogenic treatment needs, treatment readiness, and motivation level.  Assessments include:  Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS), Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI-3), Adult Self Assessment Questionnaire (ADSAQ), Adult Substance Use Survey-Revised (ASUS-R), Beck Depression Inventory, How I Think Questionnaire (HIT), and Social Skills Assessment.  In addition to these instruments, the Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI) report and other collateral information is used to determine risk/needs, treatment readiness, and motivation level.

HOUSE MODEL:

Upon entering the facility the resident is assigned to the Red House, Blue House, or White House.  All female residents are assigned to the Red House.  The male residents are assigned to either the blue or white house.  Each house has a team of program staff which consists of, case managers, treatment specialists, and a program specialist.  This team coordinates and corroborates their efforts to deliver all case management, group, and individual treatment services to the residents assigned to their house.

The house’s case managers assist the residents in developing a program plan with goals and objectives to address their identified criminogenic needs.  The resident immediately starts to address the goals and objectives in his/her program plan.  Goals that cannot be obtained within the four (4) to six (6) months of residency will become a part of the resident's release plans, which are forwarded to the probation department.  The probation officers enforce, monitor, and supervise compliance with release plans.

TIMELINE AND ACTIVITIES:

There are three phase levels that residents progress through during the four to six-month program.  They are as follows: (1) Orientation-Red Phase: (Entry-approximately 30 days) the focus is on completing an accurate assessment, increasing the resident's motivation to treatment, and familiarizing the resident with the cognitive behavioral treatment modality. During this phase the resident's movement is restricted to the facility with the only exception being a medial emergency. (2) Middle-Yellow Phase: (Approximately 30 days – 90 days) the focus is on treatment groups, limited community work service and limited movement into the community to attend program approved activities.  (3) Reintegration-Green Phase: (Approximately 90 days – release) the focus is on completing all case plan goals and objectives and making all final arrangements for a successful reintegration.  Some activities during this phase include but are not limited to: obtaining employment, securing housing, and attending community support group meetings (AA/NA).

GROUP COUNSELING:

Groups are developed to be comprehensive in nature and address the total range of the resident’s criminogenic needs. Each group addresses a major criminogenic area and uses a curriculum that is evidence-based and proven to reduce criminal behavior in the adult offender population. Cognitive-behavioral methods are applied in all groups and group size is kept small (10 to 12) to ensure that there is ample time for all residents to actively participate, practice the skills and receive feedback.
 

Orientation Group - this entry-level pre-treatment group meets three (3) times per week for a minimum of four (4) weeks and focuses on orientating the incoming resident to the rules, regulations, and behavioral expectations of the program.  Additionally, group time is spent on motivating the resident for treatment; introducing the new resident to the cognitive-behavioral treatment modality's concepts and principles; and giving him/her the foundation of this treatment approach.  The resident completes the first three (3) lessons of Thinking for a Change – Basic Social Skills – during this Orientation group with the goal being that he/she will be prepared to effectively participate in all cognitive-behavioral criminogenic treatment curriculum.

Thinking For a Change (T4C) (Lessons 5-22) - this group is offered to the male residents and meets three (3) days per week for a minimum of seven (7) weeks. T4C uses a combination of approaches to increase offenders’ awareness of self and others.  It integrates cognitive restructuring, social skills, and problem solving. The program begins by getting the resident to take an introspective examination of his way of thinking, and his feelings, attitudes and beliefs.  Social- skills training is provided as an alternative to antisocial behaviors. Finally, the problem solving piece of the curriculum is designed to integrate concepts of cognitive restructuring and social skills to develop pro-social solutions for high-risk situations that have led to problematic behavior in the past. The curriculum for this group is the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Thinking For a Change cognitive-behavioral curriculum.

Moving On – this gender responsive curriculum is offered to the female residents, and meets three (3) times per week for a minimum of eight (8) weeks.  The group curriculum is based on social learning and relational theory and is built on the notion that people can learn alternative behaviors if they are provided appropriate models, instruction, and the opportunity to build self-efficacy.  The curriculum deals with a series of topics that move from a broader understanding of what influences behavior (i.e. culture, society, family, relationships) to the personal, where the residents are introduced to self-change strategies. The program is designed to assist the residents in reintegration to their communities.  The curriculum for this group is Moving On, A Program for At-Risk Women, Author Marilyn Van Dieten, Ph.D.

Criminal Thinking - the resident who has been identified through risk/needs assessments as having a pattern of thinking errors that have repeatedly led to problematic and criminal behavior are required to participate in this group.  The group meets two (2) times per week for a minimum of six (6) weeks.  Through role-play and other cognitive skill-building exercises, the resident explores and corrects the thinking patterns that he/she utilizes to justify, deflect blame, and continue criminal, anti-social behavior.  The curriculum for this group was developed from Hazelden’s Criminal Addictive Thinking cognitive-behavioral curriculum, with some additional materials from Samenow’s Commitment to Change cognitive curriculum and Hazelden’s Criminality and Substance Abuse cognitive intervention curriculum.

Substance Abuse Treatment - the resident with substance abuse, criminal attitudes and behavioral patterns as criminogenic risk/needs factors participates in this group, which meets three (3) times per week for a minimum of seven (7) weeks. The curriculum used in this group is structured around 3 phases of treatment: Phase I Challenge to Change, Phase II Commitment to Change, and Phase III Ownership of Change. An important component of the curriculum is the screening and assessment process.  The resident is engaged in the assessment process as a partner with the group facilitator, with the understanding that assessment information is just as valuable to the resident as to the facilitator and the change is based on self-awareness.   The curriculum used in the group is Criminal Conduct & Substance Abuse Treatment – Strategies for Self-Improvement and Change 2^nd ed., Authors Kenneth W. Wanberg and Harvey B. Milkman.

Driving with Care - the resident with a history of DUI offenses as a criminogenic risk/needs area is required to participate in the driving with care group that meets twice weekly for a minimum of six (6) weeks.  The group is designed to help teach the resident to take responsibility for his/her actions and to make real changes in his/her thinking, beliefs, and behavior.  The curriculum for this group is Driving with Care Level II Education, Alcohol, Other Drugs and Driving Safety Education, Authors Kenneth W. Wanberg, Harvey B. Milkman, and David S. Timken.

AA/NA Support Meetings - the substance-abusing resident with a lack of a positive support system and positive leisure time activities are provided with the opportunity to attend in-house Alcoholics Anonymous support group meetings designed to promote sobriety and recovery. The resident in the reintegration phase of the program may become eligible to attend AA/NA support group meetings in his/her community.

Aggression Replacement Training - Residents with anger, aggression, or violent behavior as a criminogenic risk/needs factor participates in this intensive group that meets three (3) times per week for a minimum of 10 weeks.  The group provides the resident with pro-social skills to use in antisocial situations as well as skills to manage anger impulse that lead to aggressive and violent actions.  The curriculum for this group is divided into three components: (1) Social skill training, residents are taught interpersonal skills to deal with anger-provoking events; (2) Anger control training, residents are taught skills to reduce their affective impulses to behave with anger by increasing their self- control competencies; (3) Moral reasoning, this component is designed to raise the resident's level of fairness, justice, and concern with the needs and rights of others.  The curriculum used is developed by Goldstein & Glick entitled Aggression Replacement Training.

Anger Management – residents with poor tension/frustration control and lack of assertiveness skills as risk factors participates in this group that meets twice weekly for a minimum of four (4) weeks.  The resident is taught assertiveness skills, and anger control techniques.  The resident also learns to challenge and dispute his/her irrational beliefs that have led to criminal and hurtful behavior.  The curriculum for this group was developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients cognitive- behavioral curriculum.

Employability Skills Training - residents with a poor work history and who have been identified to have this area as a criminogenic risk/needs factor will participate in the group that meets two (2) times per week for a minimum of six (6) weeks.  The group focuses on developing the skills needed to obtain and maintain employment in addition to identifying skills and abilities.  An emphasis is placed on skill-building activities by using role-play and other cognitive-behavioral techniques to enhance the resident's ability to interview and handle various stressors on the job that have led to problematic behavior in the past.

Work Release - residents who need employment in order to facilitate their successful reintegration can achieve such during their last phase in residency.  Employment can range from temporary, permanent, part-time or full-time based on the needs of the resident.

Restorative Justice/Community Service Program (CSP) - residents engage in unpaid CSP activities during their residency as part of their treatment program. Activities can range from litter pick up to grass cutting for non-profit agencies.  All activities are performed within the NEOCAP five (5) county region.

Education - NEOCAP works collaboratively with the Trumbull County Career and Technical Center to provide an Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) program to the residents. Each resident entering the facility without a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) Diploma is administered the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) to determine his/her educational level of functioning.  Each offender's program is then tailored toward his/her level of functioning and educational goals. Residents are given the opportunity to test for the GED once they reach the required education level and successful passing of the practice GED administered in the classroom.  Residents who are not able to test for the GED while in residency, are given contact information for the ABLE program in their respective county to continue working toward their educational goals.