Transcript Winona County CARE Program

Victor Souders
LatrishaDeniseGreen
Goals of the Program:
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To decrease the recidivism rate of offenders by 50% over a five-year period through
comprehensive case management and the coordinated delivery of services;
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To promote public safety by reducing the threat of harm by released offenders to the community
to which they return.
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To reduce costs associated with criminal case processing, re-arrest, and probation violations.
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To provide immediate comprehensive assessments locally
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To reduce dependency upon using the jail for consequences related to client instability, thereby
reducing the overall average daily population, and the average length of stay in the jail.
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To introduce offenders to an ongoing process of recovery designed to achieve total abstinence
from illicit/illegal drugs; and make this available in the local community.
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To promote self-sufficiency and empower offenders to become productive and responsible
community members
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CARE Program (CARE)—an offender reentry program utilizing best
practices in the prisoner reentry field, including comprehensive case
management, coordinated service delivery and mentoring.
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There are many more supportive local programs and organizations
involved in the CARE Program that, with pooled and coordinated
resources, bring individual and program success to all invested
participants. CARE connects clients to need-based services, which
address a multitude of issues focusing on expanding the strengths of the
participants and utilizing assets in the participant’s lives and in the
community.
The service delivery plan for CARE participants is specifically designed
and managed for offender risk and needs based upon evidenced-based
screening and assessment tools. Gaps in existing services are being
identified and programs will be developed to address those gaps. In this
way, CARE provides a full complement of services ranging from
assessment to intervention and support.
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Initial Screening Eligibility Requirements: Those individuals who are not
residents, not convicted or not willing to voluntarily participate in the CARE
Program will be deemed ineligible for the CARE Program at the Initial Screening
Form stage of the program. Applicants can be screened multiple times.
Target Population Verification: Those individuals who meet initial eligibility
requirements will be eligible to receive services as a CARE Client, applicants must
meet the following criteria:
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Must be a Winona County resident;
Must be an offender convicted as an adult in criminal court;
Must, upon release from custody, plan to reside in Winona for a minimum of ninety (90) days;
Must voluntarily participate in the program, including the signing of releases of information
for program providers;
Must be identified, via a validated assessment instrument, as having a risk of reoffending;
Must not be a level 3 sex offender;
Must not have been enrolled in the CARE Program within the last 90 days; and
If a state prisoner, must be within thirty (30) days of release
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In order to insure CARE clients are receiving an
adequate amount of case management, we
allow for up to thirty clients per case manager.
Clients who are unresponsive to meetings and
check-ins, may be considered dormant to allow
for more attention to go to the clients who are
actively participating towards achieving their
success story.
After a period of 90 days, if the dormant selects
to remain out of contact with CARE case
managers, his or her client status will be
removed.
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Each client’s specific program length and termination are decided on a case-by case basis.
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Program Length: The minimum recommended time for client participation in the CARE
Program is six months from the date of release from custody, subject to professional override
from the CORE Team
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Graduation: Clients who demonstrate significant stability in the majority of the areas listed
below, as characterized by a reduction in the client’s LSI-R score in conjunction with the client’s
achieved CARE Plan goals, will be deemed to have successfully completed the program
(successful termination):
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pro-social lifestyle;
housing;
personal finances;
employment/vocational (as appropriate);
substance use not disruptive to lifestyle;
mental health and/or emotional stability
Clients who successfully complete from the program are awarded a Certificate of Completion
Termination from the program may occur by death of the client or as listed below.
Voluntary Withdrawal: A client who specifically states that he or she does not want to
continue in the program will be deemed to have voluntarily withdrawn from the program.
No Contact Withdrawal: A client who fails to remain in contact with CARE Staff, despite
reasonable efforts of CARE Staff to contact the client, will be deemed to have withdrawn
from the program
Safety Reason Withdrawal: Any physical violence, serious verbal assault or terroristic threat
by a client against CARE Staff may result in automatic termination from the CARE
Program.
Other Withdrawal: CARE Staff may make a verbal motion to terminate or suspend a client
from the CARE Program. Termination/suspension is determined by the CARE Team by
majority vote. If the CARE Team agrees that there is a basis to grant the Motion for
Termination, reasons will be documented on a Termination Form which is sent to the client
in question; and the client will be removed from the program.
Aftercare: Depending on the client, aftercare may be needed. It may include on-going support
such as participation in an aftercare support group. Clients may access CARE Staff for
occasional short-term support.
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Reduction in recidivism;
Number of client graduations;
Increased employment and education
opportunities;
Increased payment of child support;
Increased housing opportunities;
Reduction in drug and alcohol abuse; and
Increased participation in substance abuse
and mental health services.
 First Quarter
Publicity and CARE distinction
CARE staff designed and presented multi-media
presentations that would educate public and criminal
justice participants about what the CARE Program is (and
is not)
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Second Quarter
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The JJA (the advisory board for the CARE Program) has accepted an ongoing responsibility for identifying gaps in services and barriers to the
successful implementation of the program
Developing an organized process to coordinate client needs with donors: liaison between CARE
and the local faith-based community/Poverty Roundtable to coordinate such requests.
Need for a flexible fund to cover incidental client expenses, such as fees for taking a GED,
which are not otherwise covered by other funding sources: A Flex Fund was created through the
grant.
Need for more streamlined communication between CARE and Human Services Financial Staff
of client’s jail status and application needs for obtaining Medical Assistance eligibility: Two
DHS financial workers have been identified as CARE contacts.
Need for earlier Rule 25 determinations: A backup social worker has been trained in performing
Rule 25 determinations and will rotate with the regular social worker in attending CARE Team
Meetings.
Funding of medications for those who are incarcerated and employed (the jail does not cover
these costs): Grant funds are available for those in need, upon recommendation of CARE Staff, as
situations arise.
More thorough screening of mental health needs for jail inmates: A local mental health provider
has provided Human Services with a proposed contract for conducting on-site Diagnostic
Assessments.
Lack of appropriate phones on which potential employers could leave messages for CARE client
job applicants (some have no phones; others would use a friend’s phone, etc): A local college has
donated the use of voice mailboxes for CARE clients to be used for leaving messages.
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Third Quarter
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Housing for applicants has continued to be problematic. Fortunately, the Fresh Start facility
(which provides Group Residential Housing to former inmates) opened up 10 bed slots in this
quarter. Unfortunately, the demand for this housing continues to exceed the supply. CARE Staff
continues to work with area landlords, and other GRH funded homes for other housing
opportunities
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Another barrier is the availability of state health insurance. Because of the funding cuts to
GAMC (General Assistance Medical Care), many of our CARE clients have been forced to convert
from GAMC to Minnesota Care. In addition to the financial problems created by the Minnesota
Care fees charged to clients, there has also been a lengthy delay in getting clients qualified for
Minnesota Care (2-3 months plus), which has resulted in delays in treatment and prescription
fills. Grant and county funds are being used to fill the gaps in coverage.
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Transportation also continues to be a problem. Available funding for medical appointments has
been cut. While the CARE Program is utilizing public transportation and other available
transportation, some of these options are not feasible for clients who live in rural areas. CARE
Staff is working with a local transportation provider, SEMCAC, to secure services for medicalrelated transportation.
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If you would like more information about the
Winona County CARE Program, please
contact:
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Latrisha Denise Green or Victor Souders at:
507-474-2687