SANCTION, TREATMENT, ASSESSMENT, REVOCATION AND TRANSITION (START) CENTER

Below: START on 10/05

Program Overview

In mid-December 2005, Community, Counseling, and Correctional Services, Inc. (CCCS) began providing service in the Sanction, Treatment, Assessment, Revocation, and Transition (START) Center. This is a 3-year pilot project between the Montana Department of Corrections (MDOC) and CCCS.  Following the initial 3-year period, MDOC will likely solicit proposals for a permanent assessment/sanction center.

Located on the Warm Springs State Hospital Campus at Warm Springs, Montana, this 80-bed capacity facility offers an assessment/sanction center for adult males who have violated conditions of community placement including pre-release, parole, or probation. 

START provides the security needed to hold offenders accountable for violating terms of placement while offering the assessment and relapse prevention services necessary to appropriately match needs with resources and determine whether continued community (and less costly) placement is possible or if the offender requires placement in a secure facility.  MDOC's experience is that a short-term sanction serves as an effective wake-up call for the offender in violation of community placement requirements. The program has an average length of stay of 30 days with a projected maximum of 60-90 days depending on the needs of the individual offender and the determination of MDOC. 

Below: START 10/06

View the Power Point presentation.

View the program's directory. (PDF 30 KB)

View the program statistics (HTML).  PDF Version

View the General Facility Rules. (PDF 18 KB)

Program Description

Assessment

Sanction and revocation admissions serving over 14 days will typically be assessed during the first week of their confinement for treatment, program and aftercare needs.  Intake assessment tools include the following: 

1. LSI-R (Level of Service Inventory-Revised) The LSI-R was developed by Don A. Andrews, Ph.D. and James Bonata, Ph.D., of Ottawa, Canada. The LSI-R is a quantitative survey of attributes of offenders and their situations relevant to the decisions regarding level of service.
2. Biopsychosocial
3. MDQ (Major Depression Questionnaire)
4. Beck Inventory
5. Mental Health Screening Form III
6. Michigan Alcohol Screening Test
7. CAGE Questionnaire
8. Personal Drug Use Questionnaire
9. Personal Drinking Questionnaire
10. Cognitive-Behavioral Assessment Test
11. South Oaks Gambling Screen

Programs

After the initial screening and assessment has been completed an offender may be assigned to one or more of the following programs according to needs assessment. 

1.      CPR (Cognitive Programs and Restructuring)
2.      CTE (Criminal Thinking Errors)
3.      Anger Management
4.      Relapse Prevention
5.      Life Skills
6.      Changes Program
7.      Alcoholics Anonymous

In addition to the above programs the Chaplain visits the facility on a weekly basis.  Also, offenders not precluded from manual labor due to medical or other reasons are assigned to a work program, placed on our work roster and rotated through various facility work assignments.

Dayroom, yard and gym recreation is permitted during scheduled times when offenders are not attending groups or work assignments. Gym and recreation yard activities are directly supervised by staff and in addition the recreation yard fence is equipped with a double row of razor wire.   

Security Program

The security staff provides direct supervision care seven days a week twenty-four hours a day.  Offender pat searches, cell searches, area searches and inspections are conducted on a routine and random basis. All offenders are required to submit UA samples at intake and on a random basis during their confinement in the facility.  A minimum of seven official counts are conducted daily. At least one of the seven daily counts is a stand-up count.  Offenders are returned to their cells and the facility is placed on lockdown status for official and emergency counts and from 10:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.  Census checks are conducted on a random basis as needed by the Security Supervisor.  Offenders are confined to the facility and escorts outside of the facility typically require direct staff supervision and full restraints. The facility is also equipped with a four cell wing which may be used as a locked housing unit area.  Disciplinary reports utilize violation codes adopted from the Montana State Prison disciplinary policy. 

Property

The only items of personal property that are authorized into the START facility through the admission process are the following: 

1. 1 set of personal clothing (shirt, pants, coat, shoes, underwear, t-shirt, belt)
2. Legal Papers, Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, Driver’s License, Photo ID Card
3. Prescription Glasses, Medical/Dental as indicated by Medical Staff
4. Address Book, Bible, Big Book, Family Photos (No Frames or Backing)
5. Religious Medal, Wedding Ring, Watch (max values $100.00)

Placement 

START's Case Managers screen all intakes for placement in START facility programs, possible community placement and aftercare programs if eligible.  In order to provide effective services it is extremely helpful to receive as much information about the offender as quickly as possible.  Please provide the following paperwork with all placements:

1. Warrant
2. Notification of Offender Sentenced to DOC or MSP/MWP
3. Summary of On-Site Hearing 

If possible, we would also like to receive:

1. A copy of the PSI
2. Judgments/Commitment Orders
3. Disciplinary Reports
4. Board of Pardons Reports and Dispositions
5. Treatment Recommendations
6. Classification Reports and any other information that may be helpful in determining offender program placement

Revocation referrals include offenders whose community placement have been revoked. Revocations may be confined to the START facility from 10 to 120 days. During this time period offenders are expected to maintain clear conduct and participate in program and work assignments. Facility case managers will attempt to salvage a community placement for eligible offenders.  Failure to follow program recommendations and/or excessive or major disciplinary violations may result in program termination and the transfer of the offender to the Montana State Prison. 

Sanction referrals includes offenders whose community placement has not been revoked, but they have received a sanction to the START facility for a pre-determined time period as a result of a formal type of disciplinary hearing.  Sanctions of 30 days or less may be imposed, however sanctions in excess of 30 days must be approved by the Community Corrections Administrator.  Sanctioned offenders are also expected to maintain clear conduct and participate in program and work assignments.  Sanctioned offenders will be returned to their previous status or program assignment upon completion of the sanction.  Failure to follow START program recommendations and/or excessive or major disciplinary violations may result in additional formal disciplinary action which may include program termination, revocation and the transfer of the offender to the Montana State Prison.  Special conditions and/or limitations concerning sanction length may apply to certain classes of offenders such as probationers.  Please be specific concerning the sanction length including the start and end dates. 

Please notify the START Case Managers of screening results for community placement. The case managers will complete discharge summaries on all offenders and forward the summaries to the offender’s program discharge destination.  The summaries include; assessment results, program recommendations/participation/evaluation/completion or failure reports, disciplinary results and any other information pertinent to the offender’s overall program participation and placement destination.  If there is any other information you would like to see included in the discharge summary please contact us with your requests and/or suggestions.

Transportation and Placement

Transportation to and from the facility is provided by CCCS when an offender completes programming; it includes return to communities albeit parole, ISP, pre-release.  The provision of this transportation within the context of the operations contract translate into tremendous cost savings for MDOC and ultimately the taxpayer.  The contract provider is responsible for all transport services thereby shifting the cost and human resource strain of providing this service.