California Assembly bill 1950, along with the shifting demands of the Merced County Probation Department created a unique challenge for Merced Day Reporting Center (DRC) Program Manager, Jennifer Fialho, and her team. Although the DRC has had a proven approach to reentry in Merced County for over decade, the realities on the ground demanded different approaches outside of the comprehensive DRC model. The DRC team got straight to work and created opportunities to provide structured, assessment driven Cognitive Behavioral Interventions (CBI) outside the traditional model. PM Fialho, working alongside the Merced County Probation Department, agreed to pilot structured tracks. The tracks were meant to address short term probationers in need of CBI, participants that were employed in the community, and those participant’s whose primary driver of criminal behavior was Substance Use Disorder.
The new Modified Short-Term Track is designed to be completed in 60 to 90 days. Participants are able to check-in through the BI Smart link app, as well as complete courses through the ACCI Cognitive Life Skills application, fill out Behavior Change Plans, and complete Individual Cognitive Intervention sessions.
The idea behind the Employment Track is for participants who are working to still be able to participate and complete CBI at the DRC through ACCI.
Finally, the Substance Abuse Track is focused on Substance Use and can be completed in three to five months with intensive programming utilizing University of Cincinnati’s Cognitive Based Interventions for Substance Abusers (CBI-SA) as the primary intervention.
The piloted tracks and the existing DRC model are all part of an innovative approach that aims to prioritize need, increase responsiveness by implementing targeted interventions, and create pathways for program completions. We are looking forward to fine tuning these tracks and seeing improved outcomes!
