Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies Pacific Coast Research Center Studies

Transitional Case Management (TCM) (Lead Center: UCLA Pacific Coast Research Center). In an effort to increase participation in community aftercare treatment for substance-abusing offenders who have paroled from prison, this intervention proposes to test a transitional case management model that consists of completion by the inmate of a self-assessment of strengths that informs the development of the continuing care plan, a case conference call shortly before release, and strengths-based case management for three months to promote retention in treatment and to support the participants’ access to designated services in the community. The design includes random assignment of consenting inmates to one of two groups: (1) Standard Referral group, which uses the standard transition/re-entry procedure used by the facility, including a referral to community treatment, and (2) Transitional Case Management group. Outcomes will include measures of aftercare participation, drug use, psychosocial functioning, and recidivism, measured 6 months following the end of the intervention. The study will also assess the impact of the intervention on organizational and system factors and the cost effectiveness of the intervention.

Inmate Pre-Release Assessment (IPASS) (Lead Center: UCLA Pacific Coast Research Center). This short-term study will develop and test the IPASS as a method of (1) prioritizing aftercare treatment need among graduates of prison-based substance abuse treatment programs, and (2) specifying an appropriate level of care in the community (residential, outpatient, or self-help groups). To this end, the IPASS will be administered to inmates 90 days prior to release, along with a trailer form on which the prerelease counselors will indicate how important it is for that inmate to receive aftercare and what level of care is indicated. Although the transitional counselor will oversee the administration of the IPASS, aftercare placements will be based on his or her existing practices. Using a “passive matching” procedure comparing IPASS-concordant and IPASS-discordant referrals, parolees will be compared with regard to aftercare show up rates and retention. In addition, 12-month recidivism data will also be extracted from official records.

Criminal Justice Co-Occuring Disorders Screening Instrument (CODSI) (Lead Center: Rocky Mountains Research Center, NDRI). This study will adapt and field test a screening instrument that can be used in prison-based substance abuse treatment programs to identify inmates with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. Accurately assessing the prevalence of co-occurring disorders (COD) among the criminal justice population is essential to delivering appropriate treatment services. The screening instrument and protocol are being developed based on input from criminal justice stakeholders and a panel of COD experts. Three existing mental health screening instruments will be field tested in order to obtain the optimal set of items that can identify offenders with COD. The three instruments are: (1) a modified version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), (2) the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs – Short Screener (GAIN-SS), and (3) the Mental Health Screening Form-III (MHSF). The validity of these instruments will be tested relative to a standardized diagnostic instrument, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). The CODSI protocol will be administered to 300 research participants in prison-based substance abuse treatment programs. The Pacific Coast Research Center will collaborate with Mental Health Systems in sampling male and female inmates from its substance abuse treatment programs at the California Rehabilitation Center.

e-Court (Lead Center: Coordinating Center at Virginia Commonwealth University/University of Maryland). The e-Court project will develop and test a management information system (MIS) for monitoring performance at the individual (client) and the program level that can be readily adopted and implemented in drug courts receiving federal funding. The PCRC has administered baseline interviews to members of the drug court (i.e., judge, case managers, coordinators, treatment providers, probation officers, and other supervision staff) at sites in Kansas and Missouri. The PCRC will write site reports describing the organizational structure of the assigned drug courts.

Integrated Community Correctional Outpatient Addiction Treatment (Step’n Out) (Lead Center: Lifespan Hospital/Brown University). This study tests whether improved integration between the community supervision system and the outpatient addiction treatment system can increase treatment adherence, decrease drug use, and improve public safety outcomes among drug-involved inmates reentering the community. Step’n Out will: (1) systematize collaborative assessment, treatment orientation, planning, and monitoring between supervision officers, treatment counselors, and clients; and (2) encourage therapeutic relationships and lasting behavioral change through a coordinated, supportive approach to supervision that emphasizes the client’s pro-social goals and the steps they take to attain them.

Performance Indicators for Corrections (PIC) (Lead Center: Southwest Research Center). This short-term study will adapt and test the TCU Criminal Justice Client Evaluation of Self and Treatment (CJ-CEST) and the NDRI Client Assessment Inventory (CAI) for use in multiple correctional settings. These assessments will be incorporated into participating treatment programs as progress indicators and serve as the foundation for longer-term, comprehensive treatment process studies. Previous research indicates that these assessments help programs monitor and document client changes during treatment, providing the foundation for meeting the need for evaluation and monitoring services.

Survey of Treatment Practices in the Criminal Justice System (Lead Center: Bureau of Governmental Research Coordinating Center). This study will provide estimates of the prevalence of substance abuse treatment delivery practices within the criminal justice system and will expand current understanding of the organizational and structural issues that influence practice (e.g., mission, climate, staff, resources, access to technology). Knowledge gained from this study will help to provide a platform for the development of a new generation of research regarding systems issues. Study findings will also fill an immediate need for criminal justice and drug treatment stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, legislators, administrators) to identify general trends in the delivery of services and the factors influencing delivery. With a focus on service integration issues, survey findings will serve to inform stakeholders and policy makers about the issues affecting the delivery of treatment practices within or linked to the criminal justice system that might require different system-wide practices.

Targeted Interventions for Corrections (TIC) (Lead Center: Southwest Research Center). The objective of this study is to establish guidelines and resources for an evidence-based library of brief treatment intervention components for outpatient re-entry correctional programs. The TCU Treatment Model provides the conceptual and scientific foundations for the use of targeted interventions that address client problems related to the following topics: treatment readiness and motivation, anger and hostility, criminal thinking, risky behaviors for HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis C, communication, and other social skill deficits. The PCRC participated in data collection for the Anger Management and Criminal Thinking modules.