Facilitating Behavior Change Training 2.0

 

Project Description:

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Facilitating Behavior Change Training consists of 32 hours of blended learning that prepares participants to gain the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to incorporate Core Correctional Practices (CCPs) into one-on-one supervision interactions with persons incarcerated or under community supervision. NIC is currently collaborating with CRJ delivering the training to selected sites nationally; results of the training evaluations from these trainings will lead to adjustments to curriculum and delivery strategies. This cooperative agreement incorporate the changes to the original curriculum and will continue to build on the delivery and development of Facilitating Behavior Change training resources with the delivery of the blended training to jails and prisons (case management and reentry staff), community supervision (pretrial, probation and parole) agencies at the various tribal, local, state, and Federal (BOP) agencies to increase the opportunity for post-release success.

 

Abstract:

Research has shown that individual recidivism outcomes are not tied to implementing evidence-based practices (EBP) alone (e.g., standardized risk and need assessment tool, case planning, cognitive-behavioral therapies, etc.) but extend to officer/client interactions and relationships. The core correctional practices (CCP), which explicitly focuses on officer and client relationship, has strong empirical support and provides a framework for establishing guidelines for officer and client relationships that lead to positive behavioral change and reduced recidivism. At a critical time, when research has demonstrated that CCPs both provide benefits to system-involved individuals and are challenging to implement to fidelity, there is a clear need for a comprehensive training strategy, which includes coaching and readiness evaluation, to support the development of new community supervision practice.

The project addresses the need for training in support of CCPs, specifically through the Facilitating Behavioral Change training. To ensure participants’ long-term retention and mastery of skills, a holistic approach is proposed, including the creation of the Participant Readiness Evaluation Plan (PREP) tool, which will inform strengths-based, trauma-informed coaching. The PREP tool will include a pre-assessment to establish trainees’ readiness to adopt new practices in rehabilitation and behavior change as well as competency in the CCPs. The post-assessment will provide data to determine the focus of strengths-based, trauma-informed coaching. This approach to coaching, which includes opportunities for group, peer-to-peer, and individualized goal setting, promotes morale and staff retention to work in coordination with agencies’ efforts to ameliorate staffing shortages and turnover. Further, UCJC will promote implementation in training cohorts through individualized coaching for “implementation champions” in each cohort and coordinating with NIC to create a public community site. The Utah Criminal Justice Center (UCJC) team has over 20 years of experience training corrections professionals from institutional to community settings, extensive practice facilitating in-person and virtual training and coaching, and over 15 years of experience with implementation and program evaluation.

 

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For more information, contact emily.salisbury@utah.edu

 

 

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