Ohio's Prision Program for Offenders with MR/DD

The Sugar Creek Developmental Unit

The Sugar Creek Developmental Unit(SCDU) is a specialized housing unit located within the Allen Correctional Institution that provides a structured treatment setting for offenders with mental retardation and/or developmental disability (MR/DD). Offenders with MR/DD who are committed to prison in Ohio often function normally in general population. Others need special kinds of help that can be easily provided at their parent institution. About 33% of incarcerated offenders with MR/DD need a more supportive/supervised setting. These offenders can be at risk for victimization by other offenders or exhibit inappropriate behavior resulting from the offender’s limited cognitive ability, lack of interpersonal skills and/or daily living skills. Offenders cannot be “sentenced” directly to the SCDU, however, any input about an individual with MR/DD received from the court and/or the County Board of MR/DD providing services is welcomed and assists ODRC greatly in determining the placement of offenders with MR/DD as they enter our system.

Although the program proposed has no direct parallel in the community, it does incorporate aspects of a MR/DD model utilizing active treatment. This active treatment model is designed to address the need for appropriate treatment of a group of offenders with mental retardation who are incarcerated within the ODRC. According to this model, offenders are housed in the least restrictive environment available. In Ohio, developmental centers usually house people with severe or profound mental retardation. Offenders with mental retardation incarcerated within the ODRC usually are diagnosed with mild or moderate mental retardation/developmental disability but still require special services. These services may include supportive housing with an emphasis on Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s), Behavioral Support Programs, Social Skills Training, Education, Job Training and Re-entry programming. The purpose of the SCDU is to provide appropriate programs, services and housing for offenders whose diagnosis includes MR/DD and to assist these offenders with developing skills that will allow, upon successful completion of the program, integration into the prison population and eventual re-entry into the community. The program will provide individualized services specific to the needs of each offender with MR/DD. The Sugar Creek program includes components to address deficits in daily living skills, interpersonal skills, pre-vocational skills, vocational skills and educational achievements.

Admission Criteria

The offender must be male. Services for female offenders with MR/DD are provided within their assigned institution.
b. The offender must be diagnosed with mental retardation or a developmental disability. Offenders with any mental illness must be psychiatrically stable and able to participate in active treatment for their mental retardation or developmental disability.
c. The offender must have a medical level of 1 or 2, which indicates they can function with minimal medical assistance in achieving activities of daily living (ADL’s).
d. The offender must have a security level of 1, 2 or 3. Offenders with a security level of 4A can be admitted to the unit after consultation with treatment teams, wardens of the involved institutions and the Director of MR Services. Offenders who are at security levels 4B and 5 are provided treatment at their respective institutions.
e. The offender’s multi-disciplinary treatment team recommends placement of the offender at the Sugar Creek Developmental Unit.

If all the above criteria are fulfilled, a request for transfer shall be initiated. Placement is only made when it is in the best interest of the offender and when less restrictive environments and previous interventions have proven to be ineffective. Admissions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. While awaiting placement into the SCDU, offenders are placed in the least restrictive setting appropriate to their needs. The Director of MR Services will oversee prioritization of admission upon consideration of relevant clinical information.

Staffing

Staff providing services for the offenders on the unit consist of a Program Manager, a Habilitation Coordinator, psychiatric attendants and support/ ancillary services based on assessed need. Ancillary staff may include a Speech/Hearing Therapist, an Occupational Therapist and/or a Physical Therapist. Other institutional staff involved in services, through their normal institutional capacities, includes Mental Health, Unit Management, Case Management, Security, Activity Therapy and Correction Counselors.

Offender Housing

The SCDU consists of both single and double cells with a 50 bed capacity. The offender’s treatment team shall determine the offender’s cell assignment.

Programming/ Therapeutic Activities

Programming and therapeutic activities will vary according to the needs of the offender identified through a multi-disciplinary assessment and on the re-entry plan. Therapeutic activities will be available to the offenders seven days a week.

Step System

Offenders shall be assigned to a step when entering the SCDU. New admissions will normally be assigned step Bronze pending evaluation and will earn their way up to step Silver and eventually step Gold if security status allows. To advance, offenders must participate in recommended therapeutic programming and activities, including maintaining good personal hygiene and cell cleanliness. The treatment team determines step advancement.

Step Bronze: remain on the unit except for escort to accomplish specific institutional and programming needs.
Step Silver: escorted to programming and therapeutic activities, café, religious services, library, pill call; maintains a work assignment on the unit, performing community service projects and/or other selected work activities to meet treatment needs.
Step Gold: unescorted to programming and therapeutic activities, café, religious services, library, pill call, school, job assignments, etc.

Length of Stay

The length of stay will vary according to the needs and progress of the individual offender.

Education

Allen Correctional Institution has a Special Education teacher assigned the specific responsibility of working with offenders who are mentally ill and/or MR/DD. The Special Education teacher will be providing services on the unit or in the Mental Health Program Building as appropriate. Otherwise, Education Services are provided according to ODRC policies and procedures.

Discharge Criteria

Offenders may be discharged from the SCDU in any of the following three ways:

Assessment Review - Once the offender is transferred to the unit and receives a complete assessment, the treatment team may determine he does not need the level of services afforded by the SCDU placement. At this time, transfer from the unit will be initiated.
Program completion - The offender has met discharge goals established in the Individual Treatment Plan.
Disciplinary Removal - An offender may be removed from the program if; despite all treatment interventions, his actions are determined to represent a substantial threat to the safety and security of the institution, staff or other offenders.

Please contact Dr. Robyn Hoffman @614-728-5247 for further information and questions.