SOP 107.05: Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 1 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

I. Introduction and Summary:

Georgia Department of Corrections’ (GDC) Care and Treatment is responsible for
organizing, managing, and delivering academic, counseling, cognitive behavioral,
reentry, career, and technical higher education, recreational, and chaplaincy services in
accordance with program guidelines, requirements, integrity, and fidelity. This policy
also serves to ensure that academic and vocational education programs are appropriate
to the needs of the offender/juvenile/resident.

II. Authority:

A. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 125-2-1-.01, 125-4-1-.01, 125-4-1-.04, and 125-4-1-.07;

B. GDC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): 107.01 Purpose & Objectives,

107.03 Staff Development, 107.07 Peer Evaluator, 108.01 Education Program
Administration, 209.08 Administrative Segregation - TIER II, 210.01
Inmate/Probation Boot Camp - General Policy, 220.03 Classification Committee,
214.02 Performance Incentive Credit Program, 219.01 Case Management -Records
Management, 503.02 Reentry Pre and Post-Release Planning, 506.08 Correctional
Training Requirements, and 508.08 Staff Development and Training; and

C. ACA Standards: 2-CO-4F-01, 2-CO-5B-01, 5-ACI-5E-01, 5-ACI-5E-02, 5-ACI
5E-04, 5-ACI-5E-06, 5-ACI-5E-07, 5-ACI-5E-09, 5-ACI-7A-01, 5-ACI-7B-10, 5ACI-7B-11, 5-ACI-7B-12, 5-ACI-7B-13, 4-ACRS-5A-04, 4-ACRS-5A-05, and 4ALDF-5A-04.

III. Definitions:

A. Responsivity - The identification of any barriers that might adversely affect an

offender’s ability to fully benefit from a prescribed program or intervention (e.g.,
medical, mental health issues, education level, reading level, language, ADA, or
cultural concerns). Responsivity is addressed when those barriers are removed or
when changes are made to the program/intervention to better accommodate the
offender.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 2 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

B. Performance Incentive Credit (PIC) - Allows opportunities for offenders to

reduce their length of stay in prison through satisfactory progress in certain
cognitive behavioral, substance use, educational, and vocational programs as well
as work assignments and good behavior.

C. Activity Priority Report (APR) - Report located in SCRIBE that identifies

offenders who have an identified need in a program activity. Priority is based on
the offender’s target completion date.

D. Target Completion Date (TCD ) - The dates set for an offender to be complete

with all of his/her identified program needs.

E. Cognitive Behavioral Programs - Evidence based programs available to

offenders designed to change crime-producing behaviors by changing the way they
think. These programs follow the Principles of Effective Intervention.

F. Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) - A structured, cognitive behavioral

approach to facilitating change in an offender’s behavior. MRT is designed to
promote pro-social behavior incorporating the following elements: Confrontation
and self-assessment, assessment of current relationships, reinforcement of positive
behavior and habits, positive identity formation, enhancement of self-concept,
decreasing hedonism, and developing higher stages of moral reasoning.

G. Motivation for Change (M4C) - A five (5) session pre-treatment program

developed by GDC based on the Theory of Change.

H. Offenders Under Transition (O.U.T) - A Cognitive Behavioral Program utilized

in the level 5 TIER II non-mental health facilities designed to enhance an
offender’s motivation to change a problem behavior and learn new skills.

I. TIER II Program - Long Term Administrative Segregation stratification plan that

manages the institutional conduct and programmatic need of the offenders
assigned to the program.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 3 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

J. Sex Offender Psycho-Educational Program (SOPP) - Psycho-educational,

cognitive-based curriculum introducing concepts and exercises aimed at
confronting sex offenders’ thinking and behavioral patterns.

K. Facilitator - A GDC employee who has attended and passed initial program

delivery instruction for the assigned Cognitive Behavioral Program.

L. Quality Assurance Evaluation (QA) - QA Evaluation is a process where

facilitation practices of a given program are reviewed. Focus is on program
integrity to ensure the program is delivered in the manner it was designed. QA
Evaluations also address classroom control, organization, sensitivity to group
dynamics, completeness of documentation, group participation, and response to
offenders’ use of the skills.

IV. Statement of Policy and Applicable Procedures:

A. Care and Treatment staff will have specific roles in coordinating the delivery and

management of counseling services and programs.

1. Within the first seven (7) working days of an offender’s arrival to a facility, the

permanent assigned counselor will document a conversation or questions about
suicide awareness and prevention.

B. SCRIBE Data:

1. SCRIBE currently provides the capability of managing and tracking the status

of programs assessed or required of offenders.

2. Maintaining accurate statewide information regarding the status of each

offender’s program case-plan is dependent on staff at each facility following
certain procedures for reviewing, updating, and documenting program
information.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 4 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

3. Under the direction of the on-site counseling supervisor, it shall be the

responsibility of the program facilitator and counseling staff at each facility to
interview offenders who have been submitted to them for program enrollments.
Prospective names for programming will come from the Activity Priority
Report in SCRIBE.

4. If there is a conflict with programming, the data entry point of contact will

notify the counselor supervisor and the program facilitator of said conflict.

5. The facilitator shall ensure that all class rosters are correct.

6. It is the responsibility of the Counselor, Supervisor, and Deputy Warden of

Care and Treatment to monitor the transfer list at a minimum of twice per
week to ensure that offenders currently enrolled in programs are not transferred
prior to them completing said program.

7. If an offender is on the transfer list, the counselor supervisor should notify

Offender Administration of offender’s current program status.

C. Case Plan/Program Plan:

1. The status and accuracy of SCRIBE should be determined during the

development and subsequent reviews of the case/program plan.

2. Counselors should review and update the case/program plan during their

quarterly contact to include program enrollment, completions, referrals, and
other status changes such as identification of new criminogenic needs.

3. Any modification to the end date of a program needs to be entered before the

program end date occurs. If the class is extended but this date is not changed,
the class will end automatically, and all participants will show a completion
even though they did not complete the program.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 5 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

D. Parole Notification:

1. Parole will send offender notifications to GDC electronically via SCRIBE’s

“To Do List” for GDC staff to distribute to the offender.

2. If he/she is out to court or hospital, the offender will show on the list of their

last bed location.

3. When the warden/designee opens the notification document, staff will print the

document, and at the time of printing the notification will disappear from the
queue.

4. The document will be automatically inserted in the offender’s documents in the

‘Parole Notifications’ folder.

E. Cognitive Behavioral Programs:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Programs are to be delivered as designed by the

developer or according to the Office of Reentry Services’ (ORS) requirements,
to maximize the effectiveness of the group. Facilitators must follow the
established lesson plan found in the program manual received during the
facilitator initial training. Offenders with special needs will be addressed
individually according to their specific need.

a. Cognitive Behavioral Programs are to be delivered twice per week, with at

least one (1) day between groups. Group size is discussed in each
individual program listed in this policy. Offenders are required to complete
the program once enrolled.

b. Group attendance is mandatory, not voluntary. Absences must be made up

for an offender to complete the group. If an offender has more than three
(3) absences and has not made up the classes, they must be removed from
the class.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 6 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

c. M4C requires no class absences. An excused absence must be made up by

the offender prior to attending the next scheduled class or they will have to
be removed from the group.

d. ORS has the authority to stop a program being delivered by any staff not

conducting the program as designed to maintain integrity of the programs.

2. Program Delivery:

a. Facilitators will follow the established curriculum detailed in the

Facilitation Material they receive in training.

b. Facilitators will deliver the programs as taught in initial and booster

training.

c. Groups must start at and maintain capacity as identified in training. MRT is

the exception as it can start with four (4) participants but must maintain
fifteen (15) participants.

d. All groups must be conducted at least twice per week (two (2) hours per

session) with at least one (1) day in between groups. Offenders will not be
allowed to complete more than one (1) step per session.

i. MRT is one and one-half (1 ½) hours, but the remaining 30 minutes
of the block should be used for homework and helping others.

e. Sites are responsible for maintaining an adequate number of program

materials and supplies (Attachment 3, Workbook Order Request).

f. Funds to purchase program items can be taken from the Counseling budget.

The D/W of Care and Treatment will complete an in-house request for
purchase and submit to the Reentry and Cognitive Programs SSPC for
approval. Once the SSPC approves the request, it will be forwarded to the

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 7 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

Director of Reentry and Cognitive Programming for approval. Once
approved, Inmate Services Business Management Unit will order the
program material and have it shipped to the facility.

g. Only trained facilitators shall participate in the delivery of ORS programs.

No one other than program participants and the facilitator shall attend the
groups except for an observing supervisor, an ORS representative, or other
previously approved staff.

h. Facilitators will conduct an initial interview with participants chosen from

the Activity Priority Report prior to the first group meeting. At the
interview, all program-related forms should be completed (Attachment 4,
MRT Workbook Receipt).

3. Offender Under Transition (O.U.T.):

a. The O.U.T Program is to be delivered as designed by the developer and

according to ORS Counseling and Cognitive Behavioral Programs Unit
requirements to maximize the effectiveness of the group. In addition to
delivering programs as outlined above, the O.U.T program will be
delivered in three (3) phases:

i. Phase One: Programming will be delivered in cell. Program
progression specified by program schedule. (Example: Week Five an
offender receives Lesson 1 and Lesson 2);

ii. Phase Two: Programming will be delivered in a combination of in cell
and therapeutic module setting; and

iii. Phase Three: Programming will be delivered in security chairs every
week. Progression through the phases will follow SOP 209.08,
Administrative Segregation - Tier II.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 8 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

4. Sex Offender Psycho-Educational Program (SOPP):

a. Pre-Screening: A list of offenders eligible for the SOPP course will be

distributed to the Chief Counselors. The Chief Counselor will schedule a
pre-screening interview.

b. During this interview, it must be explained to the offender that the Parole

Board and GDC has mandated their participation and successful
completion of the SOPP course and that the course is currently given at
select institutions. Offenders must be made aware that refusal to participate
OR failure to successfully complete the course could negatively impact
their consideration for parole (Attachment 6, SOPP Group Contract).

c. If the offender refuses to participate, a refusal form must be signed and

witnessed.

i. The form must indicate the offender’s reason for refusal to participate.

ii. The original should be kept in the offender’s institutional file.

iii. Document in case notes and the programs module in SCRIBE under
the comments section the offender’s reason for refusing the program.

iv. Do not forward the Refusal form to Central Office. Retain form on the
left side of the offender’s file (Attachment 7, SOPP Refusal Form).

d. If the offender agrees to participate, a signed and witnessed SOPP Group

Contract form (Attachment 6) must be completed.

i. The staff member should read the contract to the offender.

ii. The signed and witnessed original should be placed on the left side of
the offender’s Institutional file.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 9 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

iii. Do not forward the Group Contract to Central Office.

e. Offenders must be advised that failure to complete SOPP will be

documented and provided to the Parole Board for review.

f. All contact/activity with an offender regarding participation in SOPP must

be documented in the SCRIBE case notes.

g. All documentation of the offender’s paperwork in SOPP will be maintained

on the left side of the offender’s institutional file.

h. Offenders’ completion or failure to complete SOPP must have this

information documented in Case Notes using the Program Participation
Icon and the Programs Module in SCRIBE under comments section of
SOPP.

i. Offenders’ refusal to complete SOPP does not indicate that they do not

have a need for the program.

i. SOPP should not be removed from the offenders’ program plan. It
should be cancelled in the scheduler if they have been scheduled for
the class. If they have not been scheduled, the counselor should
document in SCRIBE case notes.

j. The Counselor Supervisor or Chief Counselor must ensure that each

offender assigned to SOPP has all the signed contracts in the institutional
file and that counselors with offenders on their caseload enrolled in SOPP
track the involvement and participation of each offender. This should be
documented in the offender’s institutional file.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 10 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

5. Quality Assurance Evaluations:

a. Each site offering cognitive behavioral programming will be monitored on

a regular basis to ensure program integrity and compliance with program
implementation.

b. Increased QA Evaluations may be conducted based upon the

recommendation of the SSPC and/or at the request of the site.

c. The QA Evaluation will be scheduled with the facilitator and their

supervisor at least ten (10) working days in advance; If the facilitator will
not be available the day of the QA Evaluation, they or their supervisor
must give 24-hour notice to the ORS staff who is scheduled to conduct the
QA Evaluation.

d. Supervisors are responsible for working with their care and treatment staff

to correct any issues identified during the QA Evaluation process. In some
cases, a corrective action plan may be required.

F. Selection Process and Criteria for Program Assignments:

1. Developing a Master Schedule/Calendar for program cycles requires a focused

and organized effort on the part of facility managers and staff.

2. The areas for consideration shall include the following and other factors could

also be considered:

a. The Deputy Warden of Care and Treatment is responsible for ensuring

programs are held with minimal cancellations as well as ensuring that the
number of programs are forecasted for each fiscal year and overseeing the
management of the Master Scheduler/Calendar for their assigned site;

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 11 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

b. The Target Completion Dates on the Activity Priority Report (APR) is used

to determine how many groups are needed for the fiscal year; and

c. This will be done no later than April 30 [th] of each year.

3. Offenders should be selected for programming based on the following:

a. The Activity Priority Report (APR) will be utilized to determine who will

be placed in programming;

b. All offenders should be completed with programming prior to their

identified Target Completion Date;

c. Prior to assignment to the group, the Facilitator will conduct an initial

interview with selected offenders;

d. During the interview, the Facilitator will explain the program, and have the

offender sign a Participant Expectation Form (Attachment 2);

h. The APR will be submitted to the classification chair for review and

forwarded to the operations analyst for entry into the scheduler;

i. If an offender refuses the group during the time of interview, the facilitator

will document in SCRIBE case notes and check the refusal button for the
program that was refused; and

k. All initial groups will start with the maximum capacity indicated for that

group, except for MRT.

5. The offender’s assigned counselor shall review the Activity Priority Report

(APR) for prospective offenders to be placed in programs based on the targeted
completion date. Other criteria to consider are:

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 12 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

a. PIC eligible;

b. Refusals;

c. Responsivity issues; and

d. Length of time left on sentence to determine if offender has enough time to

complete the group/program.

e. Counseling staff should review each offender's current assignment(s) to

determine the best day(s) and time-blocks (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or evening
sessions) to schedule assessed group/classes.

6. Program Facilitators/counselors will conduct a program initial interview

utilizing motivational interviewing skills with the selected offenders prior to
assignment to the program.

7. During the interview, the program Facilitator/counselor will explain the

program, administer pre- and post-tests and have the offender sign the
participant expectation form.

8. After the program interview, the program Facilitators/counselors will submit

recommendations to the counselor supervisor (classification chairperson).

9. The counselor supervisor or supervising authority should review all program

facilitator’s/counselor’s recommendations and handle program assignments
administratively.

10. Staff should provide offenders with a new schedule advising of new program

assignment.

11. Each offender should be provided with a Certificate of Completion. A

graduation ceremony is recommended for all Office of Reentry Services

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|Policy Name:Program Management and Cognitive Behavioral Programs|
|Policy Number: 107.05|Effective Date: 5/12/2022|Page Number: 13 of 13|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Inmate Services Division
(Office of Reentry Services)|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

Programs at least annually. All Certificates of Completion should have a copy
placed in the offenders TOPPSTEP file and given to them upon their release.

12. After the successful completion of groups, the program Facilitator/counselor

will submit the Program Data Form (PDF) (Attachment 1), to the counselor
supervisor (classification chairperson) for acknowledgement that the class has
ended so a new class can be scheduled if not already on the Master Calendar.

13. After the counselor supervisor has reviewed and initialed, the PDF will be

forwarded to the data entry POC so they can enter the final completion status
of the offenders in the program.

V. Attachments:

[Attachment 1: Program Data Form](https://gdc.policyhub.com/PolicyHub/Documents.aspx?doc=233&rev=233)
[Attachment 2: Participant Expectation Form](https://gdc.policyhub.com/PolicyHub/Documents.aspx?doc=235&rev=235)
Attachment 3: Workbook Order Request (MRT, SOPP, Active Parenting)
Attachment 4: MRT Workbook Receipt
Attachment 5: Procedure for Ordering SOPP Materials
Attachment 6: SOPP Group Contract
Attachment 7: SOPP Refusal Form

VI. Record Retention of Forms Relevant to This Policy:

Upon completion, Attachment 1 shall be maintained on site for at least one (1) year or
upon review by the Social Services Program Consultant (SSPC). Upon completion,
Attachments 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 shall be placed in the offender’s institutional file and
maintained in accordance with the official retention schedule for that file. Attachment
5 shall be utilized in accordance with the SOP until revised or obsolete.