1. Enhancing Reintegration Integrated Transitional Support Model and Offender Reintegration Support Service Project & Bridging the Gap Project Reintegration Puzzle Conference 2010

2. Overview Integrated Transitional Support Model Bridging the Gap
Existing model
Business case and funding
Key products
Key learnings from process to date
Bridging the Gap
Background research and business case

3. Existing Transitional Support Model in Queensland
Transitions Coordinator at each Correctional Centre
Transitions Release Preparation program targeted at offenders assessed as higher risk of re-offending / higher level of reintegration need
Transitional Support Service for lower risk and shorter-term offenders
Offender Reintegration Support Service delivered by contracted NGOs
Advance2Work specialist post release employment assistance program

4. Integrated Transitional Support Model
Transitions
Release
Preparation
Program
Offender
Reintegration
Support
Service
Sentenced
prisoners OR
Transitional
Support
Service
To give a brief overview of the model - it consists of two pre release planning interventions.
The Transitions Program and the TSS.
The TP is for offenders assessed as being a high risk of reoffending, along with all those with a SVO or SO.
The TSS is for all other prisoners including those with short sentences.
These interventions assess and assist the individual to make plans for their release, including making linkages with org in the community that can provide practical support upon their release.
Following participation in one of these interventions an individual who is identified as having outstanding and particular high reintegration support needs is referred to our contracted service provider who provides pre release planning support and them works with the offender across the critical transition to the community for a period up to 6 months post their release.
6 months earliest release date
Eligible for Support
Release

5. Background - “The Road Home”
In December 2008, the Australian Govt released the White Paper on Homelessness – “The Road Home”.
Two headline goals:
Halve overall homelessness by 2020; and
Offer supported accommodation to all rough sleepers by 2020.
The Road Home outlined the Governments commitment to addressing homelessness in Australia, including the reform of existing homelessness services and extensive new investment in housing infrastructure and services.
The Australian Government, with the agreement of state and territory governments, has set two ambitious headline goals to drive the long term response to homelessness across the country.
Interim targets have been set to 2013 to monitor progress towards The Road Home’s longer-term goals:
By 2013, the government aims to have less then 97,350 homeless Australians.
The second target aims to have less then 12,300 people sleeping rough by 2013
The last target aims to have a 25 per cent reduction in service uses to 13,700 by 2013.

6. Background – Intergovernmental Agreement
National Affordable Housing Agreement $6.2b/5yrs
Former SAAP services, crisis accommodation and the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement
National Partnership on Homelessness $800m/4 yrs +
A Place to
Call Home $300m/5yrs
National Partnership on Social Housing $400m/2yrs
National Partnership on Remote Indigenous Housing $1.9b/10yrs
A number of strategies have been developed, with dedicated funding pools, to achieve the ambitious targets.
Our projects fit under the first yellow box, the NPAH, amongst other strategies that include housing infrastructure development.
Nation Building and Jobs Plan
Social Housing: $6b for New Construction/3.5years
$400m for Repair and Maintenance/2yrs

7. Background - National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness
COAG established the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH).
Multiple key areas for reform – People exiting the custody of the State
State government submissions for funding for projects that contribute to addressing homelessness.
QCS business case for funding to enhance the Agency’s existing Integrated Transitional Support Model (ITSM) and Offender Reintegration Support Service (ORSS).
The Council of Australian Governments established the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPA).
The NPA recognises a number of key areas for reform. Of relevance to QCS is the category including those people exiting the care and custody of the state, including prisoners.
The NPA recognises that ex-prisoners experience higher rates of homelessness than the general population and that the immediate post-release period is a high risk period for both primary and secondary homelessness (e.g. “couch surfing”).
State governments were invited to make submissions for funding to implement projects which would contribute to the goal of addressing homelessness.
As part of Queensland State Government negotiations, QCS put forward a business case for funding to enhance the Agency’s existing Integrated Transitional Support Model (ITSM) and Offender Reintegration Support Service (ORSS).

8. Background – QCS Business Case
Research
Emphasised the success of the existing model but highlighted the need for additional funding to address gaps in service delivery.
Dedicated staffing for service delivery (Transitions Coordinators) and expansion of ORSS to include all low security facilities.
Overall, aim to reduce the risk of homelessness amongst ex-prisoners by providing assessment, support and referral to external services across the period when prisoners are preparing for release and transitioning back into the community.
Research
The business case drew heavily upon the growing body of literature that confirms that released offenders are particularly vulnerable to becoming homeless and that there is a significant association between returning to prison and being homeless.
Research confirms that released offenders are particularly vulnerable to becoming homeless[1] and that there is a significant association between returning to prison and being homeless[2]. For many offenders, a return to criminal behaviour often becomes the interim solution to obstacles and difficulties encountered during the post-release period, particularly in relation to establishing safe and affordable accommodation, living independently and being financially responsible for themselves and any dependents.
Having stable and secure housing enables ex-prisoners to look beyond “survival mode” and become more future-oriented, focusing on a range of other secondary re-settlement issues such as accessing health care, addressing addiction issues and obtaining and maintaining employment[3]. Research also confirms the converse - that a lack of suitable housing can exacerbate substance abuse and medical and mental health problems and contribute to a return to an offending lifestyle.
A growing body of national and international research highlights the utility of assisting offenders to address a range of practical re-settlement issues, particularly the fundamental need for safe and secure housing[4], prior to release.
[1] Willis, 2004
[2] Baldry, McDonell, Maplestone and Peeters, 2003.
[3] Graffam et al, 2004; Lewis, Vennard, Maguire, Raynore, Vanstone, Raybould and Rix, 2003.
[4] See for instance Baldry, 2002; Borzycki, 2005 and Willis, 2004.
The intention of the Integrated Transitional Support Model (ITSM) is to provide prisoners exiting custody with the opportunity to access practical transitional support and release planning assistance. Delivery of effective pre-release planning support and coordinated linkages with community organisations, including those that provide housing, has the potential to significantly reduce the likelihood of immediate post-release homelessness and therefore is likely to have a positive impact on recidivism.
The business case highlighted the success of the existing model but also highlighted the need for additional funding to address gaps in service delivery through dedicated staffing for service delivery (Transitions Coordinators) and expansion of contracts with external ORSS providers to include all low security facilities.
QCS staff and service providers will address the wide range of reintegration needs an individual may present with, and in particular in the future will have an increase focus on reducing the risk of homelessness amongst ex-prisoners by providing assessment, support and referral to external services across the period when prisoners are preparing for release and transitioning back into the community.

9. Project Funding $6 m over next four financial years, $1.5 m per year
The project has a total of $6m in funding over the next 4 financial years, $1.5 per year, though due to delays in start up we are carrying over some of our first years funding.

10. Project Objective
To enhance service delivery under the Integrated Transitional Support Model and expand the ORSS to provide eligible prisoners exiting custody with the opportunity to access coordinated and structured transitional support, both pre release and post release in the community.
Overall the project objective is:
To enhance service delivery under the Integrated Transitional Support Model and expand the ORSS to provide eligible prisoners exiting custody with the opportunity to access coordinated and structured transitional support, both pre release and post release in the community.

11. Key Products Transitions Coordinators appointed and trained
Integrated Transitional Support Model Review, including the Transitions Release Preparation Program
Offender Reintegration Support Service expansion and re-tender
Database
Housing Partnerships
Enhanced Service Delivery
This is a summary of the key products that will be delivered by the project. The majority of project products have been delivered in the first 12 months, with some wrapping up completion in early in the next financial year, with consolidated service delivery to occur in the following financial years.
The newly appointed TCs commence across this State with month, and are soon to be trained in the new model and enhanced program.
ORSS was expanded to low security centres in addition to existing services are secure correctional facilities
ORSS will also undergo a State-wide re-tender for service delivery from 1 January 2011.
Finally, work is underway to develop a database to manage data relating to the Integrated Transitional Support Model – in particular to manage ORSS data. The database will allow external providers to input case management information and importantly allow QCS to analyse the key reintegration areas and the time spend addressing these needs across different offender demographics.
Housing partnerships will be a key area of focus for the project in the coming financial year, given our funding under the NPAH will be looking to work with other government and non-government agencies to improve the accessibility to affordable housing.
Finally all of these elements lead to enhanced service delivery across the State.

12. Targets 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Transitional support 2700 3300
Offender Reintegration Support Service
880
1250
Our targets under the NPAH are ambitious, particularly from this point forward.
This year we have already reached our goal of providing transitional planning to 2700 individuals and we are hopeful that we will just get across the line with our ORSS target.

13. Key Learnings
Effective relationships built with Policy area within QCS who were able to advocate for the approach we were taking when seeking the funding
Need to ensure sufficient dedicated staffing – including Project Manager and importance of attracting the “right” staff
Balancing strategic and operational focus (i.e. balancing planning with “doing”)
Need for effective change management and communication strategies with key stakeholders
Need for realistic understanding of time-frames
Establishing a project board for governance and oversight, with key internal senior stakeholders included to increase “buy-in” and successful implementation / raise the profile of the project
Barriers in correctional staff attitudes to prisoners/reintegration
A number of community agencies / other government depts interested in partnering with us to deliver the project / achieve positive reintegration outcomes.

14. Throughcare Support for Offenders With Impaired Cognitive Functioning
BRIDGING THE GAP
Throughcare Support for Offenders With Impaired Cognitive Functioning
PILOT PROJECT

15. What is Cognitive Impairment?
Cognitive impairment is a broad term used to describe a wide variety of impaired brain function relating to the ability of a person to:
think
concentrate
react to emotions
formulate ideas
problem solve
reason and
remember.
There can be a wide range of severity in impairment from mild through to severe. Cognitive impairment can be associated with many disabilities and disorders that can be present at birth or acquired later in life.
(Source: )

16. Background
Research has identified that people with an ID are over-represented in the criminal justice system vs prevalence in the general community.
E.g. community estimates range from 0.3 – 3% and prison estimates range from 1.5% - 29%.

17. Challenges in a Prison Environment
Research indicates that this population of offenders can be particularly disadvantaged and vulnerable in a prison environment.
E.g Victorian study found:
Less likely to progress to low security
Higher numbers of prison incidents recorded against them
More likely to be denied parole (typically due to unsuitable post-release accommodation)

18. Re-Settlement Challenges
The offending behaviour of many people with cognitive impairments is a function of a complex array of unmet health, housing, economic and social needs.
Risk of “slipping through the cracks” upon release and not having access to coordinated and comprehensive systems of support.

19. Bridging the Gap Submission
State Government’s Prevention and Early Intervention scheme (PEI).
This scheme was set up to provide funding for pilot projects in the human services field to provide prevention and early intervention services for various “vulnerable” groups within the community.
QCS made a submission for funding based on the lack of any existing specialist interventions for this group within the prison population.

20. Business Case Successful
Total funding of $1.46 million over the next three financial years, commencing in 2009 – 2010 FY for a pilot for sentenced male and female offenders in South East Queensland.
Key deliverables:
Recruitment of a Senior Adviser based in head office
Recruitment of two specialist Disability Support Workers to work directly with offenders in custody
Implementation of a screening tool to identify offenders with ICF at reception
Procurement process to engage a specialist NGO to provide intensive reintegration support and case management during transition from custody to community (Interact Australia)
Development and implementation of specialist activities and services to enhance adaptive behavioural functioning with a focus on successful reintegration
Delivery of targeted staff training on managing this offender population and managing challenging behaviours appropriately
Woodford Correctional Centre to pilot a specialist accommodation unit for this target population.
Formal evaluation of the pilot

24. Key Learnings
Need to ensure sufficient dedicated staffing – including Project Manager and importance of attracting the “right” staff
Distinguishing between ICF and mental health issues – although may be co-occuring.
Included specific allocation in funding submission for a formal evaluation of the pilot
Being flexible with the pilot – using it as an opportunity to trial different approaches.
Need to “find” and engage key partner agencies to ensure a “joined up” approach and avoid duplication of services
Bringing in expert agencies to deliver specialist training to custodial staff at Woodford unit
Making training part of the core induction training available to all custodial officers. 24
24In of 13 v24

25. Questions?