DCS Strategic Plan 2022 | Page 7

GOAL 2

Increase Rehabilitative Opportunities
Measurable Objective
Strategy / Strategy Description
Status
M . O . 5 - Increase the percentage of Day Reporting Center ( DRC ) sites meeting a target score of 80 on the Program Assessment Tool ( DRC- PAT ) from 72 % in FY 2020 to 100 % by the end of FY 2023 .
Strategy 9 - Create a ‘ Response Plan ’ to findings from the DRC Evaluation . Day Reporting Centers ( DRCs ) are facilities where individuals receive a wide variety of services during the day but return to their homes in the evening . Nationally , DRCs are a popular alternative to imprisonment because of their cost-effectiveness and associations with recidivism reduction . To ensure DCS delivers quality programming , we partnered with the University of Georgia ( UGA ) to evaluate all 36 sites . Findings associated higher fidelity with better outcomes among participants . The average state-wide score was 84 %. However , with a target score of 80 %, only 26 of 36 ( 72 %) sites scored satisfactorily . DCS has developed and started implementing a ' Response Plan ' to address areas of concern highlighted by the evaluation . To date , we have increased formal partnerships with technical colleges , added counseling / programming to our audit process , and implemented a standardized treatment plan for program participants . Because program evaluation is an ongoing process , our Recidivism Reduction Unit ( RRU ) is exploring options for conducting future evaluations to assess the impact of these efforts .
On Target
M . O . 6 - Increase the availability of cognitivebased programming from 12 judicial circuits in FY 2020 to all 49 circuits by FY 2023 .
Strategy 10 - Conduct a ‘ Time Study ’ to assess counselors ' availability to deliver cognitive-based programming .
A well-recognized criminogenic need is antisocial thought patterns , which reinforce participation in criminal activity . Research on cognitive programs in community supervision settings , such as Moral Reconation Therapy ( MRT ), links improved outcomes to participants . Therefore , DCS is organizing an internal ' Time Study ' to ensure that counselors are fully optimized to address this need . Although the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the ' Time Study ,' DCS still made progress in increasing the availability of cognitive programs across the state . 31 of 49 ( 63 %) circuits offer MRT , and planning has resumed .
On Target
Georgia DCS | Strategic Plan 2022 06