ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. General

1. With the client and his/her Treatment Team members, assures that the client’s ISP is developed and implemented within established time frames, and assures that the ISP contains goals and outcomes that lead to the acquisition of the skills needed by the client to attain independence in the community.

2. Assures that goals and other services are implemented, monitors progress and documents performance as specified in Agency policy.

3. Serves as the client’s advocate and serves as liaison between the client and other staff in the implementation and follow up of programmatic issues.

4. Implements/follows procedures necessary to assure compliance with applicable Code of Maryland Regulations and Agency policies.

5. Adheres to all Agency, state and federal policies regarding confidentiality, abuse, neglect and discipline of clients.

B. Specific

1. Within the first 30 days following a client’s admission to the program, assures that the client’s needs and values are identified and documented on the Plan for Attainment.

2. Assists with determination of the client’s ISP goals and outcomes.

3. Writes Goal Plans for each client’s identified goals.

4. With the Residential Supervisor, assures that staff are provided in-service training in the proper implementation of the ISP.

5. Conducts ongoing program observations and records review and, with the Residential Supervisor, provides training and supports to staff, as needed, to assure attainment of goals.

6. Attends/participate in meetings as requested by the Director of Operations.

7. With input from the Treatment Team, completes 30 Day ISP Reviews within specified time frames.

8. With the ARD, assures all required documentation is filed in clients’ records within specified time frames.

9. As part of an ongoing quality improvement program, conducts, at minimum, quarterly client satisfaction surveys to monitor level of satisfaction with services being provided; convenes Treatment Team Meetings to address areas of dissatisfaction and documents follow up on the Treatment Team Meeting form. Performs and completes other CQI functions as stipulated in the YIT Quality Assurance/Continuous Quality Improvement Plan.

10. Conducts client advocacy meetings to address their areas of concern and interest, including their vocational and educational goals, and provides follow-up, as needed.

11. Coordinates with Treatment Team members (residential, school, et al) to identify employment opportunities for clients and provides follow-up to assure job procurement.

12. Serves as liaison between the residential and school programs, and with the Residential Supervisor, serves as liaison between the community and the Agency.

13. Participates as a member of the Incident Review Committee for any incident involving his/her assigned clients.

14. Coordinates contacts/communication/follow-up with Social Worker, family, and/or advocate, and with the ARD, coordinates home visits.

15. Conducts an initial home visit to explain and discuss the client’s Residential Behavioral Contract with family members and client.

16. Writes Discharge Summaries, as specified by the COMAR and by Agency policy and procedure.

17. Attends Court Hearings as scheduled. In the event the hearing involves significant legal issues or other unusual factors, the Residential Counselor will request appropriate administrative supports.

18. With the ARD, accompanies discharged clients to their next placement and completes the formal discharge process.

19. Performs other related duties as assigned by the Director of Operations.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

This position requires, at a minimum,

1. Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in counseling, education, nursing, occupational or physical therapy, psychology, social work, sociology, speech pathology or audiology, therapeutic recreation or a related human service field and

2. Minimum of two years’ experience providing professional services to emotionally challenged youth.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

Click Below to Apply!

https://home.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=3018131

 The National Center on Institutions and Alternatives (NCIA) a non-profit human services agency is seeking a Registered Nurse to support our Adult Residential Services (ARS) and Day Program.  This is a full-time salary exempt position, reporting to the Program Director for ARS.

The overall purpose of this position is to provide medical case management for individuals to assure their health, safety and well-being, to assure the implementation and delivery of the delegated nursing functions and care in compliance with the applicable Code of Maryland Regulations and as set forth in each individual’s Nursing Care Plan.

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Medications are administered in accordance with the practices established by the administration’s curriculum on Medication Training. The delegating nurse shall be trained in the administration’s curriculum on Medication Technician Training Program (MTTP).

Assures all medications are administered and recorded following the regulations taught in the MTTP.

Makes site visits at least every 45 days to all ALUs where delegation of nursing functions, including medication administration, is being implemented. During these site visits, Physician’s Medication Order Forms (PMOF), pharmacy labels on the medications, and the Medication Administration Record (MAR) are reviewed by the delegating registered nurse to ensure accurate medication administration.

Records errors in medication administration resulting from lack of compliance with the DDA regulations taught in the MTTP and assures errors are addressed via disciplinary action with involved staff.

Assures computer generated medication administration records/treatment administration records are provided by the pharmacy for all medications used by individuals.

Assures Nursing Functions are delegated in compliance with applicable regulations. Completes an Initial Assessment or Change of Delegation of Nursing Function for each individual for whom delegation will be given and/or has health care needs.

 Requirements

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor’s degree and/or experience that demonstrates the ability to provide the services in this description.

 Requires experience in either working with chronic and seriously mentally ill and/or people with developmental disabilities.  Experience is helpful with DDA programs and regulations.

 CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: Licensed in Maryland as a Registered Nurse

 OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Ability to interact positively with individuals, co-workers, community residents, family, advocates and Agency staff (including, but not limited to, the House Manager, Residential Counselor, Residential Director, Individual Services Monitor, Medical Staff and Psychological Services Staff)

 Ability to provide direction and leadership to subordinate staff.

 Ability to provide instruction, training and support to staff and developmentally disabled individuals.

 Ability to function independently as a delegating Registered Nurse. 

 Proficient in Microsoft programs.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

Click Below to Apply!

 https://home.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=4982331

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Serves as liaison between CBAI administrative/management and representatives from the Office of Health Care Quality and the DDA Regional Office QA personnel to assure implementation of policies and procedures necessary to assure full compliance with applicable Code of Maryland Regulations and Agency policies.
2. Monitors the CDP Quality Assurance Plan and edits/modifies plan as needed; provides a written QA Report to  DDA  and CQI Director  annually
3. assures appropriate follow-up on reportable and internally investigated incidents as recommended by the Incident Review Committee
4. Provides in-service training to staff in identified areas of need
5. Serves as a member  of the CBAI Standing Committee; assures follow up of any committee recommendations
6. Serves as member of the CBAI Quality Assurance Committee
7. Assures that an incident tracking system is maintained to facilitate tracking of incident statistics and production of trend reports to assist CBAI management in improving services to individuals
8. Conducts ongoing records audits as stipulated in the CDP Quality Assurance/Continuous Quality Improvement Plan and conducts additional random records audits, provides follow-up, support and training to assure promotion of clients’ values and rights and to assure corrective action is implemented to resolve identified problems
9. Serves as a member of the CBAI ARD Committee
10. Attends/participates in Interdisciplinary Team Meetings as needed
11. Attends/participates in NCIA monthly Management Meetings and other meetings as requested by the CQI Director.
12. Meets regularly with the CQI  Director, CBAI, the Nursing Supervisor, and Licensed Psychologist to disseminate information and facilitate on-going program assessment and development
13. Performs other related duties as assigned by the CQI Director, CBAI

 SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Yes – Two non-supervisory employees

The National Center on Institutions and Alternatives (NCIA) a non-profit human services agency is seeking a Case Manager to support our Career Development Program (CDP). This is a full-time salary exempt position, reporting to the CQI Manager.   The purpose of this position is to assure that the services described in each client’s Individual Plan are provided, and that these services are monitored and documented as specified in the Individual Plan and as required by Agency Policy and Procedure.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.With the client and his/her Interdisciplinary Team members, assures that the client has goals and outcomes that are appropriate to identified values and needs and that ultimately lead to increased self-determination, self-advocacy and community integration and acceptance.

2.Assures that the goals and other services are implemented, monitors progress and documents performance as specified in the Individual Plan and as required by Agency Policy.

3.Serves as the client’s career advocate and serves as liaison between the client and other staff in the implementation and follow up of programmatic issues.

4.Implements/follows procedures necessary to assure compliance with applicable Code of Maryland Regulations and Agency policies.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor’s degree , in Behavioral Sciences, Human Services, Developmental Disabilities or a related field, and one year pertinent experience in providing services to developmentally disabled adults Or Associates Degree in Behavioral Sciences, Human Services, Developmental Disabilities or a related field and three years pertinent experience in providing services to developmentally disabled adults

Or 

Minimum of 5 years pertinent experience in providing services to developmentally disabled adults

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1.Ability to interact positively with individuals, co-workers, supervisors, NCIA and CDP management, DDA staff, and members of the community.

2.Ability to assist in the development of appropriate goals/outcomes, ability to develop effective goal plans, skill in program implementation, monitoring and assessment

3.Ability to use Microsoft’s Office Suite 2007

4.Ability to write clearly and concisely (Written communication)

5.Ability to facilitate small meetings

6.Sound interpersonal skills (Oral Communication)

7.Solid organizational skills

8.Time management skills

9.Multi-tasking ability

10.Ability to meet deadlines

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

This position requires, at a minimum,

1.Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in counseling, education, nursing, occupational or physical therapy, psychology, social work, sociology, speech pathology or audiology, therapeutic recreation or a related human service field and

2.Minimum of two years’ experience providing professional services to emotionally challenged individuals.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

Click Below to Apply!

https://home.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=4982151

San Antonio Ezpress-News

October 19, 2012

 Fewer inmates in Bexar County Jail are committing suicide now than in 2009, when the number was three times the national average, but more prevention needs to be done, Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz said Thursday.

“The inmate population that year spiked so much that we didn’t have enough room in our own jail,” said Ortiz, who took office the same year five inmates here and a sixth housed in Corpus Christi killed themselves. “Since then, there’s been a decrease in population in jails nationwide. We’ve only had two (suicides) this year, but that’s two too many. One is too many.”

Ortiz on Thursday touted changes he’s made at the jail, where the average annual population has dropped from 4,440 in 2009 to 3,675 this year. The changes came out of recommendations made by a national suicide prevention expert, Lindsay Hayes, who visited the jail in 2010 at Ortiz’s request.

“Some of his recommendations were not accomplishable immediately, but we’re still working on it,” he said. “Some things were too expensive, but we’re doing the best that we can.”

Hayes, a consultant with the National Institute of Corrections, reported that the jail’s policies and procedures regarding mentally ill and suicidal inmates were sound but not being followed.

Two inmates who committed suicide in 2009 weren’t properly screened in the booking area, Hayes found, and cells were filled with items that inmates could use to hang themselves.

Since then, anchoring devices have been removed from suicidal inmates’ cells, and the staff uses electronic screening forms that must be filled out properly. A 40-hour crisis intervention training course is mandatory for all officers, including cadets, and about 23 percent have taken it so far, he said.

Hayes also suggested the jail avoid keeping mentally ill inmates in isolation, which “not only escalates the inmate’s sense of alienation, but also further serves to remove the individual from proper staff supervision.”

Currently, staff from the Center for Health Care Services evaluate mentally ill and suicidal inmates and places them in several areas: in suicide-specific cells in general population pods; in the suicide prevention unit, an acute-care area; and in the mental health unit, also used for acute care.

After Hayes’ report, Ortiz began retrofitting units in the jail’s basement from low-risk areas to high-risk units that can hold mentally ill and medical inmates.

Work was completed in February, and two medical units are now in use. A third unit, for mental health inmates, may not be used until some policies and procedures are changed.

With room for 26 people, the new unit will house inmates who don’t need acute care but aren’t ready to be housed with the general population, Lt. Laura Balditt said. Guards will be able to constantly see inmates. Cords have been removed from telephones that will be used by inmates.

“We don’t have to seclude them anymore,” she said about mentally unstable inmates. “We had to reduce the number of bed capacity in here, but it could save a life.”

Ortiz, who’s running for re-election against Republican Susan Pamerleau in the Nov. 6 election, said another thing that has helped keep suicides down is to identify mentally ill or medical inmates and divert them to services such as Haven for Hope and University Hospital.

Ortiz’s opponent said she’d skimmed Hayes’ report but was unaware of how many officers receive crisis intervention training. She said the fact that officers hadn’t been following protocol was “a matter of setting standards, holding people accountable.”

“This isn’t just operating by the seat of your pants,” she said. “It’s important to plan and anticipate, to ensure you’re identifying at-risk individuals. That’s the role of a leader, to anticipate and plan.”

According to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards Director Brandon Wood, the agency found no violations of minimum jail standards by Ortiz’s staff in either of the two suicides so far this year.

In June, Robert Rodriguez, 29, wedged a sharpened, plastic spoon into a shunt used for dialysis treatment and killed himself in an administrative segregation unit, officials said. The month before, capital murder suspect Corey Hiller, 36, was found hanging by a bedsheet in the jail’s medical infirmary unit the day before he was set to make his first pretrial court appearance.

Neither inmate was on suicide watch at the time of their deaths.

Commercial Appeal

By Beth Warren

October 11, 2012

Memphis’ juvenile jail needs to take both immediate and long-term steps to better prevent detained youths from harming or killing themselves, according to a national expert’s assessment.

The report, by jail suicide prevention consultant Lindsay Hayes, is part of an ongoing overhaul of Shelby County Juvenile Court and its detention center in response to U.S. Department of Justice findings that youths’ due-process rights and safety weren’t properly protected in lockup or court.

There hasn’t been a suicide at the youth jail during the past 37 years, Juvenile Judge Curtis Person said.

Keeping it that way is one of the major challenges of running a jail with many depressed or mentally ill detainees, said Rick Powell, who oversees the detention center.

There have been attempts. Teens have jumped off the second story of a housing unit, and tied bedsheets around their necks to strangle themselves, Powell said.

In recent incidents, detainees have chewed off their own flesh, repeatedly banged their heads against walls, and in July a teen cut himself with a spork. About six months ago, a detention officer grabbed a detainee who was about to jump from the second story.

“If kids break out in a fight, we can break that up really quickly,” Powell said.

It’s a much more daunting challenge to prevent troubled and inventive teens from harming or killing themselves, he said.

“Are we doing everything we can do to keep him safe?” Powell said he frequently asks himself. “That is what keeps me awake.”

Judge Person decided to hire Hayes, who has worked as a consultant for DOJ, to inspect the jail and review how suicide threats are handled. Hayes, the project director of the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives in Mansfield, Mass., has conducted five national studies of jail, prison and juvenile suicide.

Hayes was paid by the county for his expertise, which included a three-day, on-site inspection in August. Hayes’ finalized his conclusions, which were both complimentary and critical, Sept. 29.

“We paid someone to come in here and criticize us,” Powell said. “That shows that we definitely realize we’re not perfect and the system can be improved.”

Hayes found suicide prevention training for detention staff “inadequate and in need of immediate remedy,” the report states. He suggested periodic suicide or serious-injury drills, similar to fire drills, so staff members can practice their roles in a crisis.

Hayes praised the Memphis facility for bucking a tendency at jails across the nation to segregate suicidal youths and take away phones, visitation and other privileges, further isolating already depressed youths.

The consultant agreed with the local practice of sending suicidal youths to the jail’s in-house school, Hope Academy, along with their peers, but Hayes said that meant teachers also needed suicide prevention training.

Hayes, who has been appointed as a federal court monitor to review suicide prevention practices in several adult and youth correctional facilities under judicial oversight, also disagreed with some Department of Justice findings.

Contrary to DOJ, Hayes didn’t find the Memphis youth jail to be vulnerable to hangings, which nationally are the No. 1 method of suicides behind bars, according to the report.

Hayes inspected air holes in ventilation grates at the Memphis facility and determined they are too small to allow youths to thread bedsheets or towels through them to tie and use as a anchoring base for hanging.

“Resident rooms were found to be as ‘suicide-resistant’ as possible,” Hayes concluded.

The most involved — and costly — change expected on the heels of Hayes’ report is an overhaul of the medical and mental health system, Person said.

Currently, jail staff call “mobile crisis,” which is Youth Villages’ Specialized Crisis Services, when there is an immediate threat but not one requiring a 911 call.

Larry Scroggs, the court’s chief administrative officer, said it can take one to two hours before crisis responders arrive.

Dawn Puster, Youth Villages’ director of Tennessee Crisis Services and Community Support, said crisis teams can face multiple calls at the same time. “We’re required to get to 90 percent of calls within two hours,” she said. “For the majority, we get there in under an hour.”

Hayes also recommended more intense screening and treatment of troubled youths, whom he said were not always left on suicide-watch long enough, given psychotropic medications or advised of a long-term plan for ongoing treatment once they left lockup.

Puster, who didn’t receive a copy of the report until Thursday, said her teams do communicate short-term and long-term safety plans with youths, jail staff, their families, social workers, probation officers and anyone else involved in their care.

Person said he envisions creating a comprehensive medical and mental health program similar to the adult jail system. That plan could include a youth jail psychologist and an on-call psychiatrist.

Click here to hear Mr. Hayes’ discussion on BLOGTALKRADIO.

State and local dignitaries attended the event including; Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, Legislative Aide representing Delegate Adrienne Jones, Speaker Pro Tem,  Baltimore County Council Chairwoman Vicki Almond and Baltimore County Councilman Kenneth Oliver.

The Career Development Center is a state-of-the-art, 19,000 square foot facility supporting approximately 250 adults with intellectual disabilities.   The new building is designed to create a space that is conducive to learning. Plenty of open space, natural light and an outdoor atrium provide a great learning environment.

The Career Development Center features the following programs:

• Café and cafeteria
• Computer training center
• Creative Art Room
• Exercise and Fitness Center
• Retail Mall and gift shop
• Staff Training Centers
• Vocational training and conference rooms

If you would like more information or a tour of NCIA’s new Career Development Center please contact Walter Billips, Director of Operations at 443-780-1375

Ryan Christopher Chambers came to our school in June 2011, also as a Certificate Tract student. Ryan presented with atypical patterns of interpersonal communication characterized by his avoidance of most activities that included social interactions with his peers. Given Ryan’s adaptive deficits, he avoided getting on the bus and eating in the school cafeteria. With the assistance of staff, he was able to work on improving his verbal comprehension and expression, as well as understanding social cues. We are happy to report that he has made significant improvements regarding some of his social phobias; he is able to utilize readily available staff supports when needed, which has helped him improve his relationships with others and make academic strides in the classroom. “Ryan now comes on the school bus, eats his lunch in the cafeteria with his peers, and is now able to advocate appropriately for himself,” stated Michelle Kilkenny, Assistant Director of Education. Ryan enjoys sports and is also interested in cooking. He will be transitioning to the Diploma Tract program/self-contained classroom next school quarter, and is anticipating graduating with a high school diploma in June 2014. We could not have achieved this without the assistance of our dedicated YIT staff, Ryan’s parents, particularly his mother, Ms. Rodney, and the nonpublic office of Baltimore County. Congratulations to you Ryan on all your achievements!

Peter and Ryan are powerful examples of what the NCIA Youth In Transition School has worked to achieve for many students since we opened our doors in 1994. We have a place for every student that walks through our doors, as we work to provide them with a structured learning environment that addresses their academic, social, and emotional needs. We also recognize and celebrate the close partnerships we have with students and their families, local school systems, and community-based organizations. The willingness of the special individuals that provide these essential resources to embrace our model of collaboration, have been key to the successes of our students. We are so proud of all our students!

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Attends and participates/completes in all in-service training as scheduled.

2. Supervises the prescribed daily operation of individuals’ assigned area in accordance with applicable standards and regulations. This includes, but is not limited to: environmental, fiscal, medical requirements, individuals’ treatment regimens and ensuring that appropriate written reports are completed as scheduled

3. Prepares for and participates in program planning for assigned individuals and as delineated by the CDC Operational Management and ensures that appropriate written reports and records are completed as scheduled.

4. Assures work areas and equipment meet applicable safety standards and assures appropriateness of assignments, equipment and supplies prior to the arrival of individuals, and replenishes needed supplies throughout the work day, as needed.

5. Provides each individual with the individualized instruction, support, direction, supervision, demonstration and follow up needed by the individual to acquire appropriate work skills/work habits and/or to maintain employment.

6. Demonstrates knowledge of assigned individuals’ career development goals, Goal Plans, supplemental procedures and Behavior Plans and assures they are implemented as written; maintains data as directed by the CDC Operational Management and as specified by the individuals’ Goal Plans.

7. Insures the daily work schedule is visible to individuals and staff and assures the schedule is followed by individuals.

8. Responds to crisis situations expediently and provides the appropriate input and support needed to resolve the situation.

9. Inspects work for adherence to specifications throughout the day.

10. Provides the ongoing instruction, training, support and reinforcement needed by the individual to correct errors. Reports information/problems to the CDC Operational Management.

11. Responds to crisis situations expediently and provides the appropriate input and support needed to resolve the situation

12. Provides individuals with consistent line of sight supervision during program hours.

13. Maintains communication with the CDC Operational Management to insure that all necessary administrative follow up and support services are provided.

14. Provides documentation of incidents according to the CDC Incident Reporting Procedure policy.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one to three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse.

Click Below to Apply!

https://home.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=1310631

This is a full- or part-time position supervised by the House Manager. The overall purpose of this position is to assure the health, safety and well-being of individuals and to assure individuals reside and interact in the least restrictive environment within the community. This includes, but is not limited to, assuring the implementation and delivery of the services and supports designated in clients’ Individual Plans, provision of the individualized support, supervision, instruction and follow up needed to insure individuals achieve and maintain the highest possible level of independence in functional life skills and monitoring and documenting individuals’ performance.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A) General

1. Supervises the prescribed daily routines of the residence in accordance with applicable standards and regulations. This includes but is not limited to environmental, fiscal and medical requirements, individuals’ treatment regimens and ensuring that appropriate written documentation is completed as scheduled.

2. Responds to crisis situations expediently and provides the appropriate input and support needed to resolve the situation.

B) Specific

1. Provides relevant information, as requested, concerning individuals’ values, interests, needs and progress.

2. Assists individuals in maintaining a clean, neat and safe environment; this includes, but is not limited to, assuring that the residence will pass safety and environmental inspections.

3. Provides each client with the individualized instruction, support, direction, supervision, demonstration and follow-up needed by the individual to acquire appropriate functional life skills and to integrate successfully in the community. This includes, but is not limited to, assuring participation in residential and community based leisure and social activities, accessing community amenities, encouraging communication with family and friends, encouraging and assisting individuals in developing and utilizing effective self-determination and self-advocacy skills and encouraging, instructing and supporting individuals in developing the functional life skills and assuming the responsibilities required for successful independent living.

4. Assures the House Manager is provided with a current telephone number by which the Residential Counselor can be reached expediently

5. Assists individuals with any transitions such as Emergency room visits, residential moves, etc.

6. Demonstrates knowledge of assigned individuals’ goals, Goal Plans, Supplemental Procedures, Behavior Plans and Nursing Plans of Care and assures they are implemented as written; maintains data as required/ specified in clients’ Individual Plans.

7. Insures the daily proactive schedule is visible to individuals and assures the schedule is followed by individuals.

8. Assures individuals participate in all required/scheduled meetings, appointments and daily activities.

9. Conducts Just Community Meetings twice each week and completes written

documentation of these meetings.

10. Attends meetings as scheduled or as directed by the House Manager or his/her designee.

11. Immediately reports incidents according to Agency policy for Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedures. Is available to participate in the investigation of incidents as requested.

12. Attends and participates in all in-service training as scheduled.

13. Provides individuals with consistent supervision and interaction. This includes, but is not limited to, staying on shift until officially relieved and positively communicating with individuals.

14. Maintains current certification in Medication Administration.

15. Performs other duties as directed by the Residential Director or his/her designee.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one to three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Associate Degree or college coursework preferred.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

 Click Below to apply!

https://home.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=1250071

In criminal justice lexicon, the term “Madoff sentence” has expanded in use.  One often sees it in sentencing proceedings, where the government believes a defendant deserves a severe sentence, or if the defense attorney argues his case is not deserving of a “Madoff sentence”.  These arguments are necessary because federal sentencing guidelines now routinely score fraud cases in the 360 months to life category because of enhancements.

One analogy in the Payton and Madoff cases was the spoken justification and rationale used by both Commissioner Goodell and Judge Chin for the dramatic sentences.  Both unequivocally argued that the penalty was imposed for deterrent purposes—to send a message to others .  While we all want to believe in the concept of deterrence, there is little if any research that says it is effective.  In fact, in the criminal justice system research has consistently shown the opposite—that it is the certainty of punishment, not its length, which achieves the most effect.

Another interesting similarity in both cases centers on disparity.  In the Madoff case, statistical information was presented to the Court showing average sentences in other major fraud cases.  In Payton’s case, I can only assume that other suspensions were looked at.  Yet in both cases, the penalty imposed far exceeded anything to date, or anything justifiable by hard data.    It raises the question—could Madoff have been sentenced to a 40 or 50 year term, with the same effect of dying in prison?  Or could  Sean Payton have  received a 6 game suspension, which would have been the longest in NFL history?

Having assisted attorneys in major fraud cases for almost 35 years, it is part of my responsibility to make sure the Court understands the totality of a person’s life, not just the incidents that resulted in the criminal violation.  As he considers his appeal. it is my hope that Commissioner Goodell looks at the positive attributes of Sean Payton and the value he has brought to the game of football, and not just his infractions.

The National Center on Institutions and Alternatives (NCIA) is seeking Youth Residential Counselors to Effectively supervise youth, provide direct counseling services and interventions to prevent and/or appropriately de-escalate crisis situations

This is a full or part-time position, supervised by the ARD. The purpose of this position is to provide a therapeutic environment for clients, to provide support, assist ARD and clients, to adhere to all emergency protocols for crisis situations occurring in assigned units, to ensure that clients receive quality of service as stipulated in their Individual Service Plans and to effectively communicate and promote agency goals and objectives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Adheres to all safety, health and security procedures

2. Effectively establishes and facilities a positive, orderly and safe residential climate

3. Documents all incidents in an accurate and professional manner

4. Serves as a contributing member of the treatment team and support all staff

5. Contributes to the design and implementation of Individual Service Plans

6. Completes assessments of youth as needed and directed by management personnel

7. Attends and actively participates in treatment team meetings

8. As directed by agency nurse, administers medication

9. Direct service delivery to include crisis prevention/intervention, staff coverage, individual counseling, educational support and employment assistance

10. Is an instrument in the design and implementation of unit group and individual activities

11. Assists with the program efforts towards family reunification or main streaming youth back to the community

12. Uses positive consequence/reinforcements and models appropriate behaviors at all times

13. Assists with daily living skills, meal planning and preparation, activity planning assigned chore, etc.

14. Attends training seminars, in-service, and mandatory workshops to promote staff development and program development.

15. Working knowledge of each client ISP

16. Ensure that all daily documentation is completed (shift change, temperature, progress

notes), etc.

17. Passive physical restraint

18. Adheres to all program, state, federal policies regarding confidentiality, abuse, discipline

and neglect

19. Compliance with all other policies and procedures as outlined in the employee manual

distributed by NCIA.

20. Performs other related duties as assigned by the RCII.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

1. This position requires at a minimum:: A High School Diploma or GED and two years experience in the youth care field

2. Associate Degree or college coursework preferred.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

Click Below to apply!
https://home.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=1309711

Our initial experience with the computer-based testing administration was pleasant and successful. This electronic format is more efficient in that the data is sent directly to the contractor without paperwork.  It also was welcomed by the students who have grown up using computers and have more advanced technology than previous generations.

The very first testing class to complete the online version of the mandatory state assessments consisted of M’iessha Davis, DeAndre Rayner, Alphania Hampton and Corey Sherrod.  These students were able to complete all three content areas of the test after receiving a brief outline of instructions.  Upon reflection of the session, 11th grader Alphania Hampton stated, “I like testing on the computer.  It’s just like regular testing, but you only have to click the mouse.”  Corey Sherrod, a high school senior, said, “I like online testing.  You don’t have to keep flipping pages.”

As the testing administrators proceed with future sessions, they will be able to expand participation to all students with the acquisition of new headphones to provide verbatim reading accommodations. Also between testing sessions, instructors will be able to utilize the computer lab for instruction and online and software based interactive activities.  The construction of the  NCIA YIT School computer lab is an exciting step in a more technological direction for our school community.

Click here to read the article or read below.

Madison County jail employees consistently failed to follow policy for the frequency of inmate safety checks before Jonathan Lee Carter hanged himself on Dec. 20, according to logs released by the Sheriff’s Office on Friday.

Carter was on suicide watch in a cell by himself when he was found hanging from the sprinkler system just after 10 p.m. Dec. 20. Sheriff David Woolfork has said that inmates on suicide watch are to be checked every 15 to 30 minutes.

But logs released Friday show that more than 30 minutes passed between checks on Carter nine times after about 11 a.m. on the day he died. Someone had not checked on Carter in more than two hours when he was found hanging in his cell, according to the logs.

Woolfork said no policy changes are needed in the jail for suicide watch check-ins if deputies follow the 15-minute to 30-minute window. Some changes might take place, but not necessarily as a result of Carter’s death, he said.

“From time to time, we look at policies,” he said. “We look and see what policies may need tweaking. We’ll continue to do that.”

He said the department may look at making a more clear distinction between what it means to be on isolation watch and suicide watch.

Woolfork said he does not plan to require additional training for corrections officers as a result of what happened.

Lindsay Hayes is project director for the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives, which provides training on how to prevent inmate suicides. He said he hopes Woolfork will be open to a change in policy about suicide checks in light of Carter’s death. He said 30 minutes is too long of a gap between checks.

“There’s no such thing as a 30-minute level of observation,” he said. “It’s a complete disconnect to believe you can prevent a suicide in 30 minutes. That provides ample opportunity for inmates to kill themselves. That’s not an acceptable level of care.”

He said that a 15-minute level is acceptable under two conditions: If the checks are staggered so suicidal inmates can’t anticipate the next check; and if the inmate’s cell is suicide-resistant.

The fact that two shifts reflected in the jail logs had several violations of the 30-minute level of observation seems to indicate a systemic problem in the department, Hayes said.

“This was not one or two officers on a shift not doing their job,” he said. “If in fact it’s happening on other shifts, this is a larger problem than one or two officers.”

Hayes suggested that the department revise its policy to ensure no checks go beyond 15 minutes and that the staff is trained to understand “it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of inmates identified as suicidal,” and it “won’t be tolerated that officers are allowed to go for long periods of time without observations,” he said.

Woolfork said he does not plan to discipline three deputies who, according to the logs, monitored Carter from about 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those officers waited more than 30 minutes between checks on Carter six times. Those gaps ranged from 33 minutes to 44 minutes, according to the logs.

Woolfork said he was concerned about those gaps but noted that there were also gaps as little as five minutes in between checks by those officers.

Two other deputies who monitored Carter from 4 p.m. until his death had two gaps of more than an hour between checks and did their last check on him at 7:40 p.m., more than two hours and 20 minutes before he was found hanging in his cell. Those deputies, Tamara Taylor and Josh Hogg, have been suspended with pay during an internal investigation into the matter.

Action is being pursued against Taylor and Hogg because the gaps were much wider in between checks on their shift, Woolfork said.

“It appeared, in our opinion, it was a blatant disregard for the individual,” he said.

A disciplinary hearing for both deputies is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday. Neither Taylor or Hogg could be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

The Jackson Sun obtained the jail logs through a request under the state’s public records law. Woolfork had previously refused to release the logs, saying they were part of an ongoing internal investigation and were, therefore, not public. But the law does not allow for such an exclusion in the release of records.

According to the department’s personnel files, Hogg was hired as a corrections officer in September 2007. In March 2008, he asked to be transferred from the jail to the patrol division. Several similar requests are in his file.

In November 2008, he was disciplined because a pocketknife was found in his office at the jail. His punishment was to re-read his jail procedures manual and sign a form saying he did.

Taylor was hired as a corrections officer in December 2000, according to her personnel file. Taylor has several requests in her file to be moved from the jail to any available position. In August 2002, she violated policy by letting an unauthorized person into the secure area of the jail, according to her file.

Taylor also has been disciplined for misuse of sick time, according to the file. She was required to bring a doctor’s note after future sick days for a period of six months after each incident, according to the file.

In a November 2005 letter to the sheriff, Taylor asked to be transferred from the jail because she was suffering from numerous “stalph (sic) infections” from poor conditions at the jail. She said in her letter that she felt she had served her time and hoped to move upward in her career with the department.

 
Jail death: ‘I can’t take it anymore,’ inmate wrote in transfer request before hanging
By Lauren Foreman
The Jackson Sun (TN)
December 29, 2011

Click here to read the article or read it below.

Johnathan Lee Carter begged officials to transfer him to state prison the day before authorities say he killed himself in the Madison County jail. “I can’t take being in p.c. [protective custody] no longer,” he said in an inmate request form on Dec. 20. “… I fell (sic.) like I’m going to hurt myself … I can’t take it anymore.”

The next day jailers found Carter, 24, hanging from the sprinkler system in the ceiling of his isolation cell, where he had been on suicide watch. Carter used a piece of cloth from a protective jacket to hang himself with, Sheriff David Woolfork said. Carter used a toilet and sink, which are connected, to reach the sprinkler, Woolfork said.

“It’s sad,’ he said. “But he made the decision to kill himself.”

An expert on preventing inmate suicides said, however, that an inmate on suicide watch should not be able to take his life if the proper measures are in place.

Woolfork said Carter was in a cell by himself before being placed on suicide watch. He said prisoners are sometimes placed in cells by themselves when they are not compatible with other inmates, but he did not believe that was the case with Carter. He said he was not aware of any previous problems with Carter or of him being harassed.

Woolfork said it is not uncommon for inmates to request transfers from the county jail to state prison because they have more freedom and may know more people in state prison. But Woolfork said he has never known the lack of a transfer to drive someone to kill himself.

A preliminary autopsy report confirmed suicide by strangulation as Carter’s cause of death. A final autopsy report has not been issued.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has ruled out foul play in Carter’s death, and Woolfork said an internal investigation should be completed early next week.

Woolfork has said Carter had been sentenced to 10 years with the Tennessee Department of Correction. He was in Madison County Circuit Court on charges of aggravated robbery and failure to appear this month.

Woolfork has said that an aunt of Carter’s told him that Carter had been a member of the Gangsters Disciples on and off since he was a teenager. But Tracey Carter-Myles, Carter’s mother, said she had never known her son to be in a gang.

Carter-Myles said her son was trying to turn his life around. He read the Bible more and planned to get married, she said.

“I don’t think it really hit me till I saw his body at the funeral home that he was gone,” Carter-Myles said.

She said she and her husband, David Myles, had just gone to bed when Carter’s girlfriend called with the news that Carter had died. Carter-Myles said she screamed and yelled in disbelief. “He really was a good boy,” she said.

Carter was from Huntingdon and had four daughters: Olivia, 6, Riley, 5, Kileigha, 3, and 3-month-old Adasion Carter, his mother said. She described her son as a talented basketball player.

One of four siblings, he grew up in church and had an instinctively protective nature, his mother said. He would not allow anyone to speak negatively of his mother, brothers and sisters, she said.

“Lot of people thought I didn’t really care anything about my kids,” she said. “They really don’t know how close me and my kids were. We’ve been here for each other.”

Lindsay Hayes is project director for the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives, which provides training on how to prevent inmate suicides. He said an inmate should not be able to hang himself from a sprinkler head because jails should use heads with a 20- to 30-pound weight limit.

“An inmate on suicide watch should never be successful in committing suicide,” he said.

Hayes said there are generally two levels of suicide watch: Constant supervision, in which an officer monitors an inmate 24 hours a day, and close observation, when officials should check the inmate at least every 15 minutes but stagger the time periods so inmates cannot predict the monitoring frequency.

Hayes said upon strangulation by hanging, a person loses consciousness within the first one or two minutes and incurs brain damage within three minutes to five minutes. After 10 minutes to 15 minutes, a person cannot survive, he said.

Sheriff Woolfork said workers check inmates on suicide watch every 15 minutes even though local policy dictates checks must occur in 30-minute intervals. Woolfork declined to provide records showing when checks were made on Carter because they are part of his department’s internal investigation.

Woolfork said that in his experience, when a person decides he wants to commit suicide, there is not much anyone can do to stop him.

Hayes said that mindset prevails among many jail administrators, but his research has proven otherwise.

The rate of suicide has decreased from 107 per 100,000 inmates to 38 per 100,000 inmates since the 1980s, which means suicides can be prevented, Hayes said.

If jails have proper staff training, proper policies and procedures, qualified mental health staffing, and a safe environment to house inmates, suicides are less likely, he said.

“No one on suicide watch should ever be able to commit suicide,” Hayes said.

UPDATE

January 4, 2011. Two Madison County sheriff’s deputies have been suspended as the investigation into the death of a jail inmate continues.

The Youth In Transition School expresses its sincere gratitude to the Northrop Grumman employees for their generosity and kindness.  What a wonderful example of the true spirit of our holidays!

Prison suicides run against national trend

But investigator calls suicide-prevention program here ‘very robust.’
Report on three deaths due as soon as this month.

By JACK BRUBAKER, Lancaster On-line, November 13, 2011

Three prisoners have committed suicide in the 1,100-inmate Lancaster County Prison this year.

How unusual is that?

“Very unusual, but not unprecedented,” according to Lindsay Hayes, an expert on suicide prevention in correctional facilities who is examining the situation here.

The local cluster of suicides is not in sync with a national trend, according to a study Hayes directed last year.

During the past two decades, the suicide rate in county jails has declined threefold, according to the National Study of Inmate Suicide. The study terms that decrease “extraordinary.”

So why an increase in suicides here?

Hayes declines to discuss details of his recent inspection of the local jail until after he releases his report. He says that may be by the end of this month.

However, he says there is a variety of possible explanations for such suicide spikes. In some cases, he says, there is no explanation.

Overcrowding, which is chronic in Lancaster County Prison, is not a factor, according to Hayes, who was hired by PrimeCare Medical Inc., a private, Harrisburg-based firm that provides the
prison’s medical services.

“The key is always if a jurisdiction continues to experience a high number of suicides year after year,” Hayes writes in answer to email questions posed by a reporter.

The three suicides — the first two by diving over a railing from an upper tier and the third by hanging — happened March 22, July 24 and Sept. 28.

This is the first year the local prison has experienced more than one suicide. There have been 10 suicides since 1998, including six in the past six years.

From 2008, when the state Department of Corrections began providing suicide statistics from individual county jails, through 2010, three prisons in the state have reported as many as two suicides per year. No county jail has reported three in one year.

Some counties do not report prison statistics to the state.

Hayes, program director of the Massachusetts-based National Center on Institutions and Alternatives jail suicide prevention and liability reduction program, spent three days at the county jail early this month.

He examined various aspects of the suicide-prevention program, including staff training, new inmate screening, and observation of inmates.

Hayes says the prison staff’s response to the three suicides is similar to the response in hundreds of other jails with suicide clusters that he has assessed.

“There was a high degree of stress and concern created over the recent deaths,” he explains, “with staff deeply invested in trying to do whatever is reasonably possible to stop the bleeding and reduce the opportunity for future suicides.”

Hayes says that from his observation the prison is maintaining a “very robust” program to train correctional officers to prevent suicides.

“There were three suicide prevention training workshops going on during my visit,” he says.

But one aspect of that training program was missing.

John MacAlarney has been providing specialized suicide-prevention training to the prison for several years. He stopped doing that following the third suicide.

MacAlarney and his employer, the Family Training and Advocacy Center for Mental Illness, of Philadelphia, have provided no reason for leaving the job.

But Scott Martin, chairman of the Lancaster County Commissioners and the prison board, says he is disturbed by Family Training’s abrupt withdrawal.

“For an organization that is committed to a cause — and then we have three unfortunate situations — to make a decision counter to their mission is not appropriate,” he says.

MacAlarney’s group will not be missed, Martin says, because suicide-prevention training efforts by the prison itself and by local groups doing crisis intervention training already have increased.

“We were already moving in that direction,” he says. “We appreciate what they’ve done in the past, but we have good local firms who can do the job.”

State and local dignitaries attended the event including; Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, Dr. Kelley,representing Senator Delores Kelley, Delegate Adrienne Jones, Speaker Pro Tem,  Delegate Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, and Baltimore County Councilman Kenneth Oliver.

The Youth In Transition School Automotive Training Center is a state of the art automotive center with a lubrication pit, inspection bay with 2-post lift, electronically measured automotive equipment and a classroom using computer based training.  The YIT Automotive Program trains and educates students on basic automotive repair skills, job readiness and life management skills.

“The new Automotive Training Center is the latest addition to the Youth In Transition School’s vocational programs.  Our goal is to provide an opportunity for students to become successfully employed in an automotive center.  The combination of a state-of-the-art automotive training center, computer based training and internships at local automotive stores will provide a solid foundation for our students” said Herbert J. Hoelter, NCIA Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

“Having a vocational program that prepares students specifically for work at a quick lube automotive center with a focus on safety, quality of service and customer care is an important component of the program” stated Pete Blauvelt, President of the Jiffy Lube Baltimore region’s Franchise Owner’s organization. “We commend NCIA on creating such a program.”

“NCIA’s new automotive training program is a model for how to close the gap between worker skills and employer needs,” said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.

Anthony Jennings

Donte Diggs

Tavon Colbert

Ryan Chambers

Cameron Carr

Ayinde Gibson

Doniesha Demory

Crystal Boyle

Samantha Patterson

Margaret Miller

Peter Leitch

Joseph Fox

Lorie Fowlkes

Christopher McKeithen

Monique Morgan

Francesca Ott

Tawon Pinkett

Branden Taylor

This education is critical. We have reached a time in our country’s history where the criminal justice system is driving us into fiscal, moral and legal bankruptcy.  Each of these articles highlight part of the problem and, combined, give a “Readers  Digest” synthesis of some of the more vexing issues that have caused our crisis.

The WSJ article is important for its analysis of both the “mens rea” (criminal intent) theory, as well as a statistical report on the number of behaviors that have become “criminalized”, thus leading to more prosecutions and more prison sentences. It highlights the “Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act”, passed by Congress in 2006 with only about a half dozen of the 535 members of Congress voting on
it.  It also referenced a study done by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the conservative Heritage Foundation that found more than 40% of non-violent offenses created or
amended during the last two Congresses which had weak “mens rea” at best.  If there is no criminal intent, can there still be a crime?

The New York Times article targets what they see as a “Sentencing Shift” which they document as giving more power to prosecutors as a result of mandatory sentencing laws and other harsher  penalties.  The article is informative, but should have been written over 20 years ago, when the Federal Sentencing Guidelines were enacted, giving discretion for charging decisions (and therefore sentencing and plea bargaining authority) to the United States Attorney Offices around the country.  One only needs to look at the number of white collar offenses charged as money laundering to understand this issue.  Judges, who routinely call sentencing the most difficult part of their job, were essentially locked out of sentencing decisions.  Fortunately, the Supreme Court in the Booker decision restored the discretion of Federal Judges.

The NY Times article also misses the point of “how we got here from there”?  A telling quotation from Rachel Barrow, a law professor from NYU, begins to answer that question.  She posts that “…Legislators want to make it easy for prosecutors to get the conviction without having to go to trial.  And prosecutors who are starved for resources want to use that leverage”.  Missing from the debate is an understanding of where a majority of our legislators have previously served in office.  Look at the rolls of our local, state and federal politicians.  They have overwhelmingly flocked from positions as county prosecutors, district attorneys and United States Attorney Offices. Charles Schumer, Rudy Giuliani and Chris Christie are the poster boys for this trend.

The final article, in Thomson Reuters, would seem innocuous to most casual readers, in that the government was asking for a sentence of 8-10 years for Winifred Jiau, a consultant in the insider trading jihad being conducted in the Southern District of New York.  Her offense—allegedly stealing earning reports from two computer chipmakers and being paid a total of $208,000 by hedge fund executives.  Her mistake—going to trial.  Other major figures in the cases, far more involved but who cooperated with the government, were sentenced to much lower terms.  The government, in its filing, wanted a double digit sentence for deterrence purposes, a common argument that is not substantiated by any criminal justice research.  Fortunately, Judge Jed Rakoff refuted their argument and sentenced her to four years imprisonment.

Education is important in the call for reform in our criminal justice system.  It is my hope that judges, defense attorneys and the public continue to look for solutions to the abuse of power by  prosecutors.

In the midst of this criminal justice circus, in which Mr. Strauss-Kahn was ceremoniously pulled off an Air France flight and taken to the “Special Victims Unit” in Harlem, was the infamous “perp walk”.  For those unfamiliar with the process, it begins with a prosecutor’s office notifying the press that they will be arresting an individual and gives them the date, place and time.  The press then send their best photographers and film crew, and the accused (the “perp”) is then paraded through the gaggle, usually bound with handcuffs and accompanied by a body of agents, prosecutors and any other law enforcement personnel looking to get on You Tube.

The perp walk has become a staple for prosecutors in high profile cases.  The “innocent until proven guilty” mantra of the American criminal justice system has no usefulness in this arena.  The history of perp walks goes back to the days of organized crime arrests, where John Gotti turned these events into fashion shows.  The process was perfected by Rudy Guiliani, when he was the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.  With a penchant for drama (and an unabashed political ambition) he raided brokerage houses, trading firms and luxury apartments with the press in tow.  Little did he care about those innocent defendants who would take their cases to trial and walk out of the courtroom acquitted.  To him, the arrest and the public shame and humiliation became the name of the game.

And what a game it turned out to be.  A couple of case examples highlight the deviousness of these tactics.  In one of my cases, three members of a family business knew they were under investigation
for a white-collar offense.  The father had health problems and was in his mid-70s.  They hired prominent New York attorneys, former federal prosecutors, who called the U.S. Attorney’s office to inform them that their clients would be happy to report any time for processing if they were looking to arrest them.  The following morning at 6 am federal agents burst open the door of their apartment and lead them out in handcuffs through the pre-arranged media throng.  They were released later that day on bail.

In another major white-collar case, the defendant had agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with the government.  As a condition of the plea, he asked that he not be subjected to a perp walk, as he had small children and elderly parents and he did not want to embarrass them. The Assistant U.S. Attorney could not get his boss to agree, the press was called, and he and his attorney had to fight off cameras walking across Foley Square for arraignment.

It’s time to end this senseless and unnecessary practice.  It unfairly stigmatizes the accused, and places a “GUILTY” scarlet banner across his or her forehead, even before the charges are read to the Judge. It disgraces our criminal justice system and, along with our massive experiment in incarceration, belittles our international reputation.

Key program  features include:

•  State-of the-art Automotive Training Center with lubrication pit and inspection bay
• Latest automotive equipment and two-post lift for hands on training.
• Computer based training curriculum.
• Internships at local automotive stores.

1. What are common misperceptions about jail suicide? RESPONSE: The most common misconception is that suicides are not preventable, i.e., if an inmate chooses to kill themselves, there is generally nothing we can do about it. As reduced suicide rates in county jails throughout the country clearly demonstrate, this is simply not true. While all suicides are not preventable, many of them are and jurisdictions that remain vigilant in prevention efforts avoid bad outcomes.
2. What are challenges you see to reducing jail suicide? RESPONSE: The two main impediments to suicide prevention are negative attitudes and complacency. Negative attitudes, particularly from decision makers within a correctional agency, can corrupt prevention efforts. Complacency can be just as dangerous and usually occurs when an agency, without exerting much effort in prevention, goes through a period of time without any inmate suicides or serious suicide attempts, thus falsely believing they are immune from the problem.
3. Is treatment of suicidal inmates possible in a jail setting or is it the jail setting that makes some inmates suicidal? RESPONSE: We have no choice. Jails have become the de facto treatment setting because, given the shrinking number of in-patient beds, it is very difficult to hospitalize a suicidal inmate. While it is true that an inmate’s confinement often creates and/or exacerbates their suicidal thoughts, and the best treatment is often their release from incarceration, while they remain in our custody, the most realistic treatment is identification, management, stabilization, and periodic follow-up.
4. Do you think educating detention staff in mental health subjects should be a part of their training? RESPONSE: Yes, basic training in mental health issues is extremely important to the management of inmate behavior. The training need not concentrate on differing DSM-IV diagnoses, rather it should provide instruction on good communication skills, crisis intervention techniques, and other intervention skills meant to deescalate behavior.
5. What accounts for the decline in jail suicide? RESPONSE: There are many reasons why the suicide rate in county jails has decreased, including a more consistent offering of suicide prevention training to staff, more in-depth probing of suicide risk factors during intake screening, better suicide prevention practices, and the continuing threat of liability. Most importantly, however, the general awareness that inmate suicides can be prevented is much greater today than 20 years ago.
6. What are the signs of a suicidal inmate, and how should staff respond?RESPONSE: There is no short answer to that question. There are many signs and symptoms to suicidal behavior, including the most obvious one of talking about/or threatening suicide or making statements that are death-related (e.g., “I’ve had it. I can’t take it anymore”). Other signs and symptoms include current depression, severe agitation and/or anxiety; helplessness and/or hopelessness; paranoid delusions or hallucinations; strong guilt and/or shame over offense; intoxication and/or withdrawal; previous history of suicidal and/or self-injurious behavior; and history of mental illness.
    
   It is also extremely important to remember that we should not rely exclusively on the direct statements of an inmate who denies that they are suicidal and/or have a prior history of suicidal behavior, particularly when their behavior, actions and/or history suggest otherwise. Often, despite an inmate’s denial of suicidal ideation, their behavior, actions, and/or history speak louder than their words.
7. What are some of the trends and patterns across the country on jail and prison suicide, as well as suicide attempts? RESPONSE: The National Study of Jail Suicide: 20 Years Later report that our agency developed for the U.S. Justice Department’s National Institute of Corrections in May 2010 found several changing dynamics to jail suicides, including the fact that suicides no longer are more likely to occur within the first 24 hours of confinement and, therefore, victims are not necessarily intoxicated upon their deaths. In addition, many suicides occur in close proximity to court hearings, as well as telephone calls and/or visits from family members. Finally, although most jails self-reported having a written suicide prevention policy at the time of the inmate suicide, most of the policies were found to be inadequate and not reflective of comprehensive procedures in the identification, management, and stabilization of suicidal inmates.
8. How does New Mexico rank within these trends and patterns? RESPONSE: That is a difficult question to answer because our most recent research study did not focus on state-by-state trends. I will say, however, having spent time in your state, and consulted with the New Mexico Association of Counties (NMAOC) on a few occasions, I do not know of another county association whose risk management entity is more devoted to the issue of jail suicide prevention than the NMAOC. I hope that your member counties continue to take advantage of your training resources and technical assistance.
9. What are the top 5 suicide prevention measures that a jail system should take in addressing the problem? RESPONSE: In no particular order of importance because they are all critical to prevention, 1) pro-active administration that maintains a zero-tolerance for inmate suicides; 2) professional, well trained, and caring staff; 3) adequate practices that mirror a reasonable suicide prevention policy; 4) adequate medical/mental health staffing resources; and 5) an adequate number of “suicide-resistant” cells designated to house suicidal inmates.
10. How effective is suicide prevention training in a jail or prison setting? RESPONSE: Having conducted suicide prevention training for over 30 years, I am a bit biased, but I truly believe it is the backbone of any prevention program. An agency really cannot prevent a problem if its staff have not received sufficient on-going training. In addition, training cannot be limited to correctional staff, but also should be mandated for both medical and mental health personnel. A significant explanation for the reduction in the rate of jail suicide throughout the country has been the dedication to suicide prevention training.

-Davon

-David Hall

Psychology Associate

• Classroom with computer based training for 10 students
• One lubrication bay
• One bay with lift capabilities for tire services
• Customer service module

The AVTC training program encompasses the following core components:

• train and educate students in basic automotive repair skills
• job readiness and life management skills
• Internship and employment opportunities at a national automotive lubrication Center.

YIT expects to complete construction in August 2011 with the inaugural class starting in September 2011.

Click here to read the article.

Alternatively, follow this link:
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/07/18/prisoner-suicide-raises-questions.html?sid=101

In the first case, on August 27, 2010 the Honorable Richard A. Schell, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas, sentenced a first-time white collar defendant who pled guilty to Making and Subscribing a False Tax Return in violation of 26 U.S.C. 7206(1) to three (3) years of probation conditioned upon his completion of 1,000 hours of community service. This sentence was imposed despite the fact that the defendant faced an advisory sentencing guideline range of 24-30 months. NCIA staff from our New York office located an organization that would benefit from this defendant’s skills and experience and drafted a community service proposal for review at sentencing. In addition, NCIA staff conducted a disparity analysis of all similarly-situated offenders sentenced in federal courts between October 1, 1998 and September 30, 2009 and determined that an alternative sentence in this case would be consistent with the sentences imposed on similar offenders. Judge Schell imposed a sentence that did not include a period of incarceration, which allowed the community service organization the opportunity to expand its services.

In the second case, two defendants were charged with overbilling on USAID contracts in Afghanistan and faced sentencing guidelines of up to five years. NCIA staff assisted defense counsel in developing the defendants’ background information, including documentation of substantial prior community service and conducting a statistical disparity analysis for use under 18 USC 3553 (a)(6). The Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer, presiding in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, sentenced both individuals to terms of probation conditioned upon community service.

These two cases highlight a growing trend of Courts to apply 18 U.S.C. §3553(a) factors to individualize sentences, and, consistent with recent Sentencing Commission initiatives, reflect a growing trend in the use of alternatives to incarceration.