Report 2016-131 Recommendation 10 Responses

Report 2016-131: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: It Must Increase Its Efforts to Prevent and Respond to Inmate Suicides (Release Date: August 2017)

Recommendation #10 To: Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of

To address the unique circumstances that may increase its female inmates' rates of suicide and suicide attempts, Corrections should Implement its planned same-sex domestic violence curriculum by December 2017.

1-Year Agency Response

The Female Offenders Programs and Services held a Gender Responsive Strategies Workgroup meeting on the following dates: August 30 and 31, 2017, December 14, 2017, March 28, 2018 and June 19, 2018 where specific needs of female offenders were discussed. Suicide prevention was among the topics discussed.

CDCR developed a Partnership Plan that includes daily huddles, executive leadership rounding, and quarterly round table meetings between custody and mental health staff. The Partnership Plan implemented in December 2017 and is ongoing at CIW and CCWF.

Further, the Plan was incorporated into CIW's and CCWF's local operating procedures.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

1. SMHP is working on a contract to provide a same sex domestic violence program to MHSDS inmates. The Female Offenders Programs and Services held a Gender Responsive Workgroup meeting on August 30 and 31, 2017 to discuss specific needs of female offenders. Suicide prevention was among the topics discussed.

2. CIW, CCWF and FWF are working with outside resources and community resource managers to bring in domestic violence prevention and awareness programs.

3. CDCR developed a partnership plan that includes daily huddles, executive leadership rounding, and quarterly round table meetings between custody and mental health staff. This plan was implemented at CIW and CCWF in December 2017.

The Partnership plan has been implemented and is ongoing at CIW and CCWF. The SMHP contract estimated completion date by May 2018.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

1. The Statewide Mental Health Program is working on a contract to provide a same sex domestic violence program to MHSDS inmates. The vendor will provide a specialized curriculum and training for clinicians, who will lead the groups.

2. The Female Offenders Programs and Services held a Gender Responsive Workgroup meeting on August 30 and 31, 2017 to discuss specific needs of female offenders. Suicide prevention was among the topics discussed, and follow-up workgroups will be scheduled to further address the complex issues underlying self-harming behavior in female inmates.

3. The California Institute for Women (CIW) and the Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) are working with outside resources and community resource managers to bring in domestic violence prevention and awareness programs.

4. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has developed a partnership plan that includes daily huddles, executive leadership rounding, and quarterly round table meetings between custody and mental health staff. This plan will be implemented at CIW and CCWF in October 2017.

See attached domestic violence program summaries and Partnership narrative plan. A copy of the training curriculum will be provided once complete.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2016-131

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.