Date: February 19, 2015

The purpose of this instructional memorandum is to announce the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO), Case Management (CM) Re-Entry Pilot Program. California Penal Code Section 3016 requires the CDCR to establish a CM Re-Entry Pilot Program for offenders who have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment and who are likely to benefit from a case management re-entry strategy designed to address homelessness, joblessness, mental disorders, and developmental disabilities while serving a term of parole. The purpose of the pilot program is to implement promising and evidence-based practices and strategies that promote improved public safety outcomes for offenders re-entering society.

Clinical Social Workers (CSW) will assist offenders assigned to the program with managing basic needs and developing individualized offender re-entry plans focusing on connecting offenders to federal, state, and local services.

The CM Re-Entry Pilot Program will be implemented in six counties at seven parole units statewide. The pilot site locations are Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Kern, Los Angeles, and San Diego Counties.

The pilot program will be in effect for 36 months beginning upon executive approval and will expire by operation of law at the end of this period unless it is promulgated through the Administrative Procedure Act prior to expiration.

CM Re-Entry Pilot Program cases shall be assigned at a 40:1 ratio (parolees per CSW) with up to 15:1 Enhanced Out Patient cases receiving additional services from the Integrated Services for Mentally Ill Parolees (ISMIP) Program. All parolees in the counties in which the CM Pilot Program is implemented shall be eligible to participate in the program. However, participation is dependent upon the availability of CSWs to maintain case ratios.

Program participants will be selected on a first-come first-serve basis. Assigning staff will review each parolee's Release Program Study (RPS), focusing on the parolee case factors, including their risk and needs, to identify parolees who will benefit from case management reentry strategy designed to address:

Assigning staff will assess participants releasing from prison via their RPS (CDCR Form 611) and a Disability and Effective Communication System (DECS) review; or upon release from jail or as a court walkover via an oral RPS and DECS review.

The CSW will be assigned re-entry cases by the Parole Outpatient Clinic supervisor 60 days prior to release. The CSW shall initiate a Pre-Release Case Management Re-Entry file for each program participant utilizing the Case Management Re-Entry Pilot Program forms.

Immediately following the parolee's initial interview with his/her parole agent, the parolee assigned to the pilot program will meet with the assigned CSW. The CSW will finalizethe parolee's CM Re-Entry file, and complete the CDCR Form 2287 ( ¹¹/₁₄ ), Case Management Re-Entry Participant Profile, CDCR Form 2277 ( ¹¹/₁₄ ), Case Management Re-Entry Initial Mental Health Screening, CDCR Form 2286 ( ¹¹/₁₄ ) Case Management Re-Entry Needs Assessment, and CDCR Form 2288 ( ¹¹/₁₄ ) Multnomah Community Ability Scale. The CSW shall determine the parolee's needs as High, Moderate or Low, prepare the parolee's Individualized Re-Entry Plan utilizing the CDCR Form 2276 ( ¹¹/₁₄ ), and immediately assist the parolee in addressing any critical needs the parolee may have.

CSWs shall work closely with each pilot program participant utilizing pre-release and initial assessment information to prepare an Individualized Re-Entry Plan. The Individualized Re-Entry Plan will be prepared during the “Stabilization Phase” of the program (discussed more fully later) and will focus on managing basic needs, including all Presenting Needs identified for each individual parolee. Presenting Needs are identified as: food, clothing, shelter, medication management, health benefits, medical/dental services, mental health services, substance abuse services, income, identification card, life skills, productive activities and pro-social support systems, academic/vocational programs, and a community reintegration/discharge sustainability plan. The Individualized Re-Entry Plan will be monitored, revised and fulfilled during the term of the program.

It is projected that each parolee will have achieved community connections/linkage for no less than six of their presenting needs prior to discharge and have a plan for sustainability upon discharge.

To ensure immediate basic needs are addressed and clinical symptoms are stabilized, all program participants will be assigned to the Stabilization Phase of the pilot program for a period of 45-60 days.

During the Stabilization Phase, the CSW will work with all program participants to ensure immediate basic needs are met and connections/linkage to mental health/medical service providers are initiated. The CSW will also ensure immediate referrals to ISMIP are made and will work as a liaison between the ISMIP contractor and the parole agent to ensure all gap services (emergency food, clothing, shelter, medications, etc.) are addressed during the ISMIP intake process.

Prior to program participants moving between program Phases, the CSW will conduct an Interdisciplinary Treatment Team (IDTT) meeting. The IDTT meeting can be a concentrated meeting between the CSW and one collateral contact (parole agent of record, district administrator, community service provider, etc.) or a full team meeting to include three or more treatment team providers, to include, but not be limited to parole staff (agent of record, district administrator, supervisor), clinical staff (psychiatrist, psychologist, CSW), community service provider(s), and/or family member(s). The CSW will schedule the IDTT meetings and will document the outcomes via their clinical case notes. The CSW will be required to ensure full team IDTT meetings are held during months when participants are eligible to move between program phases. During the Stabilization Phase, program participants not assigned to the ISMIP program shall receive the following monthly services from their CSW:

• No less than two face-to-face appointments each week with their CSW;

• No less than five IDTT meetings (concentrated or team) each month;

• No less than five community service referrals/connections each month; and

• No less than two clinical appointments through local, county, or state mental health service providers.

Parolees at this level of care will be assessed by the IDTT for step-down at 45 and/or 60 day intervals.

Parolee participants at the Stabilization Phase of care with moderate/low functioning case factors and high needs will be placed into the Transitional Phase of the program.

During the Transitional Phase, program participants assigned to the ISMIP program will continue ISMIP, with the CSW conducting no less than two IDTT (concentrated or team) meetings each month for the ISMIP parolees assigned to their caseload.

During the Transitional Phase, program participants not assigned to the ISMIP program shall receive the following monthly services from their CSW:

• No less than one face-to-face appointment each week with their CSW;

• No less than four IDTT meetings (concentrated or team) each month;

• No less than four community service referrals/connections each month; and

• No less than two clinical appointments through local, county, or state mental health service providers.

Parolees at this level of care will be assessed by the IDTT for placement in the next program phase at six, nine, and twelve month intervals. It is expected that program participants obtain community service connections for no less than four Presenting Needs prior to eligibility for the next phase.

Parolee participants at the Transitional Phase of care with moderate/low functioning case factors and low needs will be placed into the Sustainability Phase of the program.

During the Sustainability Phase, program participants assigned to the ISMIP program may continue in ISMIP or, based on assessment factors and IDTT meetings, transition back totheir CSW.

During the Sustainability Phase, program participants not assigned to the ISMIP program shall receive the following monthly services from their CSW:

• No less than one face-to-face appointment each week or bi-weekly with their CSW (depending on case factors, e.g., stability and employment);

• No less than three IDTT meetings (concentrated or team) each month;

• No less than three community service referrals/connections each month; and

• No less than two clinical appointments through local, county, or state mental health service providers.

Program participants in the Sustainability Phase will be assessed by the IDTT for successful program completion at six, nine, and twelve month intervals. It is expected that program participants sustain the presenting needs obtained in the Transitional Phase of the program as well as obtain community service connections for no less than two additional presenting needs and their Discharge Sustainability Plan prior to successful program completion or discharge from parole.

Each new CSW hire shall receive three days of training on the new Case Management Re-Entry Pilot Program Model, as well as Motivational Interviewing, Correctional Offender Management and Profiling Alternative Sanctions, and the California Static Risk Assessment.

Each pilot site location shall develop a Mental Health County Resource Guide. The components of each guide will include, but are not limited to: Identifying all federal, state, local, and community resources (including referral processes), release of information requirements, and additional criteria to address each of the presenting needs categories on the CDCR Form 2286.

DAPO will contract for an evaluation of the pilot program to assess its effectiveness in reducing recidivism among program participants.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the DAPO, Policy and Procedures Unit via electronic mail at [email protected].

BOBBY HAASE

Deputy Director

Division of Adult Parole Operations

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