Texas Department of Criminal Justice

INDIVIDUALS WITH A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS OR INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY POSE A UNIQUE SET OF CHALLENGES TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.  THEIR NEEDS ARE COMPLEX, AND THE DISORDERS THEY SUFFER FROM ARE COMMONLY MISUNDERSTOOD.  UNFORTUNATELY, AN INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS CAN ALL TOO OFTEN RESULT IN CRISIS AND NEGATIVE OUTCOMES.  TO SUPPORT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE’S (TDCJ) MISSION OF PROVIDING PUBLIC SAFETY, PROMOTING POSITIVE CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR AND REINTEGRATING INMATES INTO SOCIETY, TRAINING AND EDUCATION ON THE DISTINCT NEEDS OF THOSE WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES OR INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY IS ESSENTIAL.    THE TDCJ’S TRAINING AND LEADER DEVELOPMENT DIVISION (TLDD) IS CHARGED WITH THE ESSENTIAL TASK OF PROVIDING STATUTORILY MANDATED TRAINING FOR THE APPROXIMATELY 24,000 CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, 1,400 PAROLE OFFICERS, 2,600 COMMUNITY SUPERVISION OFFICERS, AND AN ADDITIONAL 11,000 CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS EMPLOYED WITH TDCJ.  TDCJ’S CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS RECEIVE 37 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION ON INMATE MENTAL HEALTH DURING PRE-SERVICE TRAINING, 11.5 HOURS OF WHICH SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS NON-VIOLENT CRISIS INTERVENTION OR OTHER BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES.  CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO WORK AT ONE OF TDCJ’S EIGHT MENTAL HEALTH THERAPEUTIC DIVERSION PROGRAM (MHTDP) FACILITIES RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 16 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION FOCUSING ON WORKING WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH INMATE POPULATION.  CURRENTLY, NO HOURS IN THE PAROLE OFFICER PRE-SERVICE TRAINING ACADEMY OR COMMUNITY SUPERVISION OFFICER CERTIFICATION TRAINING ARE DIRECTLY DEVOTED TO THE TOPIC OF CRISIS INTERVENTION OR THE SUPERVISION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES OR INTELLECTUAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.   THE TDCJ SEEKS GRANT FUNDS TO DEVELOP TRAINING IN THE AREAS OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, INTELLECTUAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AND CRISIS INTERVENTION BY USING EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES AND RECOGNIZED BEST PRACTICES SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO DE-ESCALATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CRISIS.  GRANT FUNDS WOULD BE USED TO HIRE A TRAINING SPECIALIST CURRICULUM WRITER THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEPLOYMENT OF A BEST PRACTICE RESPONSE TO PERSONS WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING A CRISIS AND TO PROVIDE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT FOR THIS POSITION.  GRANT FUNDS WILL ALSO BE ALLOCATED FOR STAFF TRAVEL TO CONFERENCES AND TRAININGS, RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRAINING CURRICULUM AND TO OBSERVE BEST PRACTICES RELATED TO CRISIS RESPONSE AND INTERVENTION TRAINING BEING CONDUCTED BY OTHER STATES. THE BJA’S CRISIS RESPONSE AND INTERVENTION TRAINING PROGRAM AND FORENSIC ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT CURRICULUMS WILL BE TLDD’S GUIDE THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROJECT.

THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE (TDCJ) IS SEEKING TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF INMATES WHO RELEASE VIA A DIRECT (“FLAT”) DISCHARGE. INMATES RELEASED VIA A FLAT DISCHARGE TYPICALLY RECEIVE LESS EXTENSIVE PRE-RELEASE PROGRAMMING AND REENTRY PREPARATION THAN AN INMATE RELEASING TO PAROLE SUPERVISION, AND DO NOT RECEIVE GUIDANCE FROM THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FOLLOWING RELEASE. FUNDS ALLOCATED UNDER THIS GRANT WILL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE THIS SEGMENT OF THE INCARCERATED POPULATION WITH A MULTI-PHASED CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT WILL PROVIDE THEM AND THEIR SPONSOR WITH MUCH NEEDED PROGRAMMING BOTH PRIOR- AND POST-RELEASE. THE INITIAL PHASE OF THE PROGRAM WOULD BE TO PERFORM AN ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE THE INMATE’S NEEDS RELATIVE TO THE PROGRAM. THE INMATE WILL THEN BE PLACED ON A DESIGNATED FACILITY AND PAIRED WITH A COACH WHO WILL HELP THEM COMPLETE EDUCATION GOALS AND REENTRY PLANNING THAT ADDRESSES ISSUES IMPACTING SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION. IN ADDITION, THE INMATE WILL COMPLETE THE COGNITIVE/LIFE SKILLS CURRICULUM, WHICH INCLUDES COGNITIVE INTERVENTION, SUBSTANCE USE TRIGGERS AND RELAPSE PREVENTION, AND MENTAL HEALTH FIRST-AID. DURING THE SECOND PHASE OF PROGRAMMING, THE INMATE’S SPONSOR (A FAMILY MEMBER OR CLOSE FRIEND THAT THE INMATE MAY BE RETURNING TO FOLLOWING RELEASE), WILL BE IDENTIFIED AND UNDERGO TRAINING THAT INCLUDES SIMILAR CURRICULUM AND AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT EDUCATING THEM ON “INCARCERATED LIFESTYLE”. BY PROVIDING THE SPONSORS WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR LOVED ONES’ THOUGHT PROCESSES AND HABITS, THEY WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND ASSIST THE FORMER INMATE AS THEY REINTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY. DURING THE THIRD PHASE OF THE PROGRAM, THE INMATE’S PROGRESS IS MONITORED. THE COACH WILL PERFORM ROUTINE CHECK-INS TO PROVIDE ENCOURAGEMENT AND THE INMATE’S SPONSOR WILL WORK WITH A CASE MANAGER WHO WILL PROVIDE UPDATES AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH RESOURCES. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROGRAM ARE TO ADDRESS KEY INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND INTRODUCE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS BY PAIRING FLAT DISCHARGE INMATES WITH COACHES WHO WILL PROVIDE COGNITIVE/LIFE SKILLS TRAINING AND ENCOURAGE PRO-SOCIAL INTERACTIONS; AND IMPROVING COMMUNITY CONDITIONS BY OFFERING COMPARABLE TRAINING TO THE INMATES’ SPONSORS. THE GOALS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO REDUCE CRIME AND ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY BY PREPARING THIS RETURNING POPULATION TO MAINTAIN A CRIME-FREE EXISTENCE THROUGH REENTRY PREPAREDNESS AND POST-RELEASE ENVIRONMENT RISK REDUCTION, WHILE INCREASING ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS AND THE COMMUNITY.

MAPPING THE FUTURE: A SYSTEMS BASED APPROACH TO REFINING REENTRY PLANNING

AS A PRIOR JMHCP RECIPIENT (2015-MO-BX-0013) ENTITLED HALFWAY HOUSE TO HOME AND (O-BJA-2021-95004) ENTITLED DEPLOYING SERVICES: AN INFORMED CONTINUITY OF CARE PROJECT FOR VETERANS, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE’S REENTRY AND INTEGRATION DIVISION SEEKS TO OBTAIN GRANT FUNDS FOR A MANAGER II POSITION (LICENSED TO OVERSEE A PEER SUPPORT TRAINING PROGRAM) TO FACILITATE PEER SUPPORT TRAINING DORMITORIES/COHORTS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 20 MALES AND/OR FEMALE INMATES AS CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS (CMHPSS), AND THE COORDINATION OF COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT OF UP TO TWO (2) GRADUATES WITH TEXAS CORRECTIONAL OFFICE ON OFFENDERS WITH MEDICAL AND MENTAL IMPAIRMENT (TCOOMMI) SERVICES MAINTAINING A MAXIMUM CASELOAD OF 1:25.  PROJECT CERTIFICATION GRADUATES ARE ANTICIPATED TO SERVE APPROXIMATELY 20 MODERATE TO HIGH-RISK COMMUNITY-BASED ADULT PAROLE/PROBATIONERS AND 100 INSTITUTIONAL BASED INMATES.  A MANAGER IV WILL PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF THE PROJECT STAFF, ENSURE PROJECT FIDELITY AND DATA INTEGRITY.     UNDER OBJECTIVE 2, THIS GRANT PROPOSES TO INCREASE COMMUNITY WORKFORCE AND CAPACITY FOR CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.  THE BASIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS WILL FOCUS ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF ELIGIBLE INMATES TO PARTICIPATE IN A PRE-RELEASE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.  AN EVIDENCE-BASED TRAINING PROGRAM WILL BE USED.  CMHPSSS WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, REENTRY AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO INMATES PARTICIPATING IN EXISTING PRISON MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OR ADULT PAROLE/PROBATIONERS IN COMMUNITY BASED TCOOMMI PROGRAMS.  CMHPSSS MAY SECURE EMPLOYMENT PROVIDING MEDICAID BILLABLE SERVICES, TO INCLUDE TCOOMMI SERVICES, WITH EXISTING COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS. TCOOMMI FUNDED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH WELL-ESTABLISHED CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES (LMHAS) WHICH COVER EACH COUNTY IN THE STATE, WITH PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION SERVICES, AFTERCARE SERVICE COORDINATION, JOINT TREATMENT PLANNING (WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES, SOCIAL SERVICES, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES AND OTHER APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINES), AND BENEFITS ELIGIBILITY SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS PROVIDED AT NO COST TO REFERRED PAROLE/PROBATION INDIVIDUALS.  CMHPSS HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO POSITIVELY IMPACT CLIENT SELF-CARE ENGAGEMENT, TREATMENT RESPONSES THAT ARE INCLUSIVE OF NEEDS, SELF-ESTEEM, SENSE OF HOPE, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND FUNCTIONING.  ADDITIONALLY, USE OF CMHPSS HAS SHOWN A CORRELATION TO DECREASES IN INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATIONS, DEPRESSION, AND PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS.  CURRENT AGENCY PRISON AND COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DO NOT INCLUDE PEER SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THIS PURPOSE.  PROJECT PLANNING WILL BE COMPLETED DURING THE FIRST 12-MONTHS OF THE AWARD AND WILL INCLUDE MEASURABLE PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES RELATING TO THE LONG-TERM GOALS OF BUILDING WORKFORCE CAPACITY FOR CMHPSS AND INCREASED AVAILABILITY OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS.

THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE’S (TDCJ) PAROLE DIVISION SUPERVISES INDIVIDUALS RELEASED FROM PRISON WHO ARE SERVING OUT THEIR SENTENCES IN TEXAS COMMUNITIES.  THE PAROLE DIVISION CONSISTS OF FIVE REGIONS STATEWIDE WITH 67 DISTRICT PAROLE OFFICES AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING THE ACTIVITIES OF INDIVIDUALS ON SUPERVISION AND THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF THEIR RELEASE AND LAWS OF SOCIETY.  THE PAROLE DIVISION PROMOTES COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF RELEASE BY SUPPORTING THE USE OF INTERVENTIONS AND MOTIVATIONAL OPTIONS AND STRIVES TO ENHANCE SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION THROUGH PROGRAMMING AND RESOURCES IMPACTING THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO RECIDIVISM.  THE DIVISION DOES NOT MAKE RELEASE DECISIONS, NOR DOES IT DECIDE ANY SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF PAROLE.  AUTHORITY FOR THESE DECISIONS RESTS WITH THE TEXAS BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES.              THE TEXAS BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES’ APPROVAL DECISIONS ARE BASED UPON AN ESTABLISHED SET OF GUIDELINES, WHICH UTILIZES A RISK ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT (STATIC AND DYNAMIC FACTORS) AND OFFENSE SEVERITY RANKING (LOW, MODERATE, HIGH, HIGHEST). THE BOARD ALSO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR PAROLE SUPERVISION, SUCH AS REQUIRING THE PAROLEE TO ATTEND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING, ANGER MANAGEMENT OR SIMILAR PROGRAMMING.              COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMMING IS AVAILABLE IN 12 DISTRICT REENTRY CENTERS LOCATED IN POPULOUS AREAS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.  THERE ARE ALSO PROGRAMS OFFERED AT THE DISTRICT PAROLE OFFICES, HOWEVER PROGRAM AVAILABILITY VARIES BETWEEN OFFICES.  FOR OFFENDERS ASSIGNED TO RURAL DISTRICT PAROLE OFFICES, ATTENDING APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMING MAY BE PROBLEMATIC DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF THE NEAREST DISTRICT REENTRY CENTER.  IN THESE CASES, THE PROGRAM REFERRAL IS EXCUSED DUE TO LACK OF SERVICES.           THIS GRANT REQUEST SEEKS TO OBTAIN TWO PROGRAM SPECIALIST POSITIONS TO FACILITATE VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING FOR OFFICES OUTSIDE OF A DISTRICT REENTRY CENTER TO SATISFY THESE SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF PAROLE. THE GRANTEE WILL RECEIVE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ACTION PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF REAL TIME TECHNICAL TOOLS TO WORK WITH EXISTING SYSTEMS.

THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE (TDCJ) WILL USE THE GRANT FUNDS TO SUPPORT SALARIES FOR TWO CASE MANAGER POSITIONS WHO WILL BE HOUSED IN THE TDCJ’S PAROLE DIVISION HEADQUARTERS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. THE OFFICERS WILL MONITOR SEX OFFENDER COMPLIANCE TO ENSURE OVERSIGHT OF THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION PROCESS. IN ADDITION, THE GRANT FUNDS WILL SUPPORT GENERAL OFFICE SUPPLIES (I.E., LAPTOP, CUBICLE, PRINTERS, FILE CABINETS ETC.), AND OTHER COSTS TO INCLUDE OFFICE SPACE AND DATABASE UPGRADES.

THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE’S REENTRY AND INTEGRATION DIVISION SEEKS TO OBTAIN GRANT FUNDS FOR TWO HUMAN SERVICE SPECIALISTS POSITIONS TO DELIVER UP TO ONE HUNDRED TWENTY (120) DAYS OF VETERAN INFORMED CASE COORDINATION SERVICES FOR UP TO 400 VERIFIED VETERAN OFFENDERS WITH A SEVERE OR PERSISTENT QUALIFYING MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS, TO INCLUDE CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, WITH PRIORITY PLACEMENT FOR HIGHER CRIMINOGENIC RISK. A PROGRAM SUPERVISOR WILL PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF THE PROGRAM STAFF, ENSURE PROJECT FIDELITY AND DATA INTEGRITY.     THE BASIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS WILL FOCUS ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF VERIFIED VETERAN INMATES RELEASING TO PAROLE SUPERVISION AND CURRENTLY UNDER PAROLE SUPERVISION WHO ALSO HAVE AN ELIGIBLE MENTAL ILLNESS. AN EVIDENCE-BASED RISK ASSESSMENT WILL IDENTIFY PRIORITY PLACEMENT MODERATE TO HIGH CRIMINOGENIC RISK VETERAN OFFENDERS AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THE ELIGIBLE VETERAN OFFENDERS, FOCUSING ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIAL NEEDS, SUCH AS MEDICAL CONDITIONS REQUIRING ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS POST RELEASE, EMPLOYMENT WHICH CORRELATES WITH EXISTING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE, HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH REFERRAL SERVICES, SKILLS TRAINING, PSYCHOSOCIAL REHABILITATION, AND OTHER COMMUNITY READINESS/REENTRY ACTIVITIES.  THE HUMAN SERVICES SPECIALISTS WILL ENSURE ALL REQUIRED SERVICE AND MENTAL HEALTH RELATED RECORDS ARE OBTAINED WITH APPROPRIATE LINKAGES MADE FOR BOTH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT NEEDS AS WELL AS OTHER IDENTIFIED NEEDS AS PART OF CONTINUITY OF CARE PLANNING. FURTHER, THEY WILL MONITOR THE VETERAN OFFENDER’S PROGRESS AND WORK CLOSELY WITH THE RECEIVING LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY TCOOMMI PROGRAM TO ENSURE VETERAN INFORMED SERVICES ADDRESSING VETERAN SPECIFIC NEEDS ARE PROVIDED AND INCLUSIVE OF VETERAN ENTITIES SUCH AS DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS AND OTHER VETERAN SPECIFIC RESOURCES. TCOOMMI FUNDED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH WELL-ESTABLISHED CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES WHICH COVER EACH COUNTY IN THE STATE, WITH PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION SERVICES, AFTERCARE SERVICE COORDINATION, JOINT TREATMENT PLANNING (WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES, SOCIAL SERVICES, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES AND OTHER APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINES), AND BENEFITS ELIGIBILITY SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS PROVIDED AT NO COST TO REFERRED OFFENDERS.  THE PLANNING PHASE WILL BE COMPLETED WITHIN ONE YEAR AND WILL INCLUDE MEASURABLE PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES RELATING TO THE LONG-TERM GOALS OF INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY AND REALIZING A 5% REDUCTION OF THE CURRENT RECIDIVISM RATE FOR THE TARGET POPULATION AFTER THREE YEARS.

IGF::OT::IGF ALUMINUM FISH TANKS - INKS DAM NFH

17 SINK/TOILET COMBINATIONS

BUILD, DELIVER, AND INSTALL COURTROOM FURNITURE.

PIROUETTE TABLES WITH GLIDES

HORSES

DRINK DISPENSER

VENDOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING STAINLESS STEEL 60 GALLON DRINK DISPENSERS PER STATEMENT OF WORK.

ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE TO USERS OF UPLAND COTTON

ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE TO USERS OF UPLAND COTTON

TDCJ-TEXAS PRISON INDUSTRIES-INDUSTRY METAL PRODUCTS DIVISION- COUPLING FOR TOILET IN PRISONER CELL *TDCJ REQUIRED A PO FOR EVERY ORDER.* IGF::OT::IGF