Solaris Therapeutic Community

1. Alexander Maconochie Correctional Centre, ACT Simon Rosenberg SolarisTherapeuticCommunity

2. Why Innovative? • A Therapeutic Community in a prison • Partnership between NGO and government agency • Continuity between in-prison and post-release

3. What is SOLARIS? • Custodial Therapeutic Community inside Canberra’s new prison, the Alexander Maconochie Centre • Uses the ‘community as method’ approach to treat male prisoners with substance misuse, who often have other complex needs • Multidisciplinary approach to treatment • Operational July 2009 • Occupies one of four 20 bed low security men’s cottages

4. Solaris Objectives • To create a safe TC environment underpinned by the healthy prisons concept • To reduce the incidence of drug and alcohol related recidivism through the provision of targeted interventions • To deliver a comprehensive range of programs including educational, vocational training, therapeutic interventions and culturally appropriate support • To increase participants’ educational achievements and employment capacity • Encourage and promote the reintegration and post release support of participants • Enable provision of health services

5. Eligibility Criteria • Prisoners need to volunteer for the program • Serving a non-parole period or fixed term of 7 months or more with at least 6 months left to serve • Minimum security classification • No history of sexual related offences of any type • Stable pharmacotherapy and/or psychiatric medication regime

6. Solaris Partnership & Staffing • Partnership between ACT Corrective Services and ADFACT means ‘matrix management’. • Staff include Therapeutic Correctional Officers, and AOD Clinicians from Corrective Services and ADFACT, working in a team. • Therapeutic Correctional Officers have an extended role that includes correctional, therapeutic and social roles. • TC works closely with Corrections Health to provide a coordinated treatment approach to participants’ health needs. • Other services such as chaplaincy and psychology available • High level joint Reference Group to monitor implementation

7. Solaris Treatment Continuum Staged program : • Assessment/Screening • Induction 6 weeks • Treatment 20 weeks • Transition and Release • Post-release support, through dedicated Transition Worker

8. Treatment Phase Modules Program Modules include: • Criminal Conduct and Substance Abuse Treatment (Wanberg/Milkman) 50 Sessions • Positive Life Skills (Relapse Prevention) • Debate • Parenting • Managing Finances • SMART Recovery • 12 Step Self Help Groups • Art Therapy • Horticulture • Yoga

9. Transition and Exit Pathways “Research has shown that prisoners are most at risk of reoffending when an integrated throughcare post release structure is not accessible” Dr George De Leon Centre for Therapeutic Community Research at NDRI

10. Evidence Reoffending rates within 24 months of release: • Comorbid substance and MH disorders – 67% • Substance disorder only – 55% • MH disorder only – 49% Smith, N & Trimboli, L, Crime and Justice Bulletin, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics & Research, May 2010

11. A Solution • In-prison TC can reduce recidivism by 5% • In-prison TC plus ‘community aftercare’ can reduce recidivism by 7% Mitchell, Wilson & MacKenzie, “The effectiveness of incarceration-based drug treatment on criminal behaviour”, Campbell Collaboration Systematic Reviews, No 11, 2006

12. INDUCTION PROGRAM First point of entry to TC Six week continual assessment, education and case management Preparation 6 week AOD program provided to all prisoners prior to entry to TC TREATMENT PROGRAM Six month treatment program comprising individual & group counselling, CBT, parenting & relationship skills, relapse prevention & family interventions. Work skills training There are a number of pathways from the AMC TC to the community, depending on the point of release and the person’s stage of readiness to re-enter the community. • ADFACT’s Karralika TC, Transitional Housing and Nexus Halfway House Program • Individual Counselling • Current pharmacotherapies • Solaris participants may receive early release based on admission to Karralika • Individual Case Mgt MANAGED ACCOMMODATION PROGRAM Release to high intensity supported accommodation. Corrective Services and ADFACT staffing, supported by Outreach Worker TRANSITION RELEASE CENTRE Release to the TRC outside the wall, outside work or education, return to TRC in evening. Supported within TRC by clinical workers & case management

13. Transition Worker • Relationships developed pre-release • Focus on the immediate post-release period • Family restorative practice • Referrals as needed (not “cold”!) • Create new community supports • Aim to develop self-reliance

14. Anecdotal Evidence • “If I was shown this 20 years ago, I could honestly say I wouldn’t be here today.” • “I can’t speak highly enough about the staff here. They go out of there way to teach us and provide intensive support in our lives. I have learnt so much whilst in here about myself.” • “It is a very different feeling than I am accustomed to, to feel cared for and genuinely assisted by corrections officers.” • “I’m so thankful for the program it will save a lot of people in the future” • “I have been in and out of gaol all my adult life…. in just [a] short space of time my attitude and thoughts have had a massive change…. even my mother who of course has known me my whole life can see … the change” • “Since coming to TC I have really opened up to myself and others, and have found out things about myself that I could never find in the past. At first I thought there would be nothing I could change about myself and that nobody could help me.”

15. QUESTION TIME www.solaris.act.gov.au simon.r@adfact.org