How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses

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SOLICITATION FOR APP LICATIONS Training Opportunity: How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses PLEASE COMPLETE THIS APPLICATION IN ITS ENTIRETY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE

1 SOLICITATION FOR APP LICATIONS Training Opportunity: How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses PLEASE COMPLETE THIS APPLICATION IN ITS ENTIRETY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ACCURATE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON YOUR COMMUNITY AND THAT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF COMMITMENT AMONG COMMUNITY-BASED AGENCIES IS DEMONSTRATED. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. PLEASE RETURN THIS APPLICATION VIA POSTAL MAIL OR BY DECEMBER 5, 2014: SAMHSA s GAINS Center Policy Research Associates, Inc. 345 Delaware Avenue Delmar, NY Attn: Matthew Robbins, Training Coordinator Phone: mrobbins@prainc.com

2 OVERVIEW SAMHSA s GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation, operated by Policy Research Associates, Inc. (PRA), is known nationally for its work in regard to people with behavioral health needs involved in the criminal justice system. The GAINS Center is soliciting applications from communities interested in receiving the training How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses. The purpose of this solicitation is to offer free technical assistance to up to 10 communities nationwide who are prepared for and interested in expanding their training efforts to create a trauma-informed system. THE SOLICITATION IS FOR THREE SEPARATE OPTIONS: 1) Communities seeking to receive on-site training from the SAMHSA s GAINS Center on How Being Trauma- Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses. This training would be available for up to 35 participants, and is roughly 4 hours in duration. 2) Communities applying for the above training also have the option of receiving a 1-2 hour strategic planning session with their key stakeholders following the training. During the session, the stakeholders will work with SAMHSA s GAINS Center facilitators to develop their own goals concerning the implementation of trauma-informed care. Communities interested in this option must demonstrate evidence of an existing system-specific or inter-system workgroup that is/will be focused on the implementation. Sites selected for this option will receive approximately 6 months of post-training follow-up technical assistance from SAMHSA s GAINS Center. 3) Communities/regions/states seeking to have SAMHSA s GAINS Center conduct a train-the-trainer (TTT) event on How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses. This option requires applicants to specifically address and demonstrate their readiness to implement trauma-informed principles/practices within the organization/community/region/state via their responses to the questions on pages 3 and 4 of this solicitation. This TTT would be available for up to 20 trainers, and is 2 days in length. PURPOSE & BACKGROUND There is growing recognition that trauma can play a significant role in criminal justice involvement. Trauma has been identified as a key issue warranting attention, training, and education by the SAMHSA s GAINS Center Expert Panel. Although prevalence estimates vary, there is consensus that high percentages of justice-involved women and men have experienced serious trauma throughout their lifetime. The reverberating effects of traumatic experiences can challenge a person s capacity for recovery and pose significant barriers to accessing services, often resulting in an increased risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system. As a central component of our efforts to assist communities in moving toward a trauma-informed continuum of services to improve outcomes for individuals who have experienced trauma, The GAINS Center has developed a half-day training specifically tailored to assist criminal justice professionals in developing trauma-informed responses to justice-involved men and women. The primary goals of the training are to (1) Increase understanding of trauma, (2) Create an awareness of the impact of trauma on behavior, and (3) Develop trauma-informed responses. Achieving these goals will decrease recidivism, increase safety, and promote and support recovery of justice-involved men and women by linking them to appropriate treatment and support services. SAMHSA s GAINS Center Trauma-Informed Care Training Solicitation Application Page 1

3 SITE SELECTION SAMHSA s GAINS Center will offer this training free of charge to up to ten (five training deliveries, five train-thetrainers) selected communities between February 2015 and August There are no fees for registration, tuition, or materials associated with these trainings. The GAINS Center will pay all costs associated with pre- and post-training coordination, conference calls, and trainer time and travel. Communities selected for these training deliveries and train-the-trainer events must be able to provide facilities to comfortably accommodate event participants. Further details will be provided to communities selected to participate. TARGET AUDIENCE/TRAINING PARTICIPANTS Target audiences for this training are community-based criminal justice system professionals, including community corrections (probation, parole, and pre-trial services officers), court personnel, law enforcement officers, and human service providers who work with justice-involved populations. Participants can be assembled from within a county, region, or state, and can also be gathered from outside of the community of the training site. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS It is required that each community submitting an application for consideration identify leaders within their community that support this project and are dedicated to allocating staff time to participate in the training activities. Support must be illustrated by a written letter of support or commitment from community partners. This may include administrators from the following local agencies: Probation/Parole departments Law enforcement Community corrections Courts (may include Judge) All applications for consideration must be received by December 5, Selected communities will be notified on or before January 2, ALL selected communities must agree to participate in the following aspects of the project: Pre-training planning conference call(s) with GAINS Center staff Provide space to host training, which must be able to comfortably accommodate up to a total of 43 people for the training delivery, or up to a total of 23 people for the TTT Communities interested in the strategic planning session must also: Demonstrate evidence of an existing system-specific or inter-system workgroup that is/will be focused on the implementation. Agree to facilitate participation of approximately 10 identified workgroup members and/or other stakeholders in a pre-/post-training impact assessment. Participants in the impact assessment will be asked to participate in two telephone interviews of approximately minutes each, once prior to receiving the training and another approximately six months following the training delivery. Communities selected for the Train-the-Trainer (TTT) option must also: Select up to 20 potential trainers with the following characteristics: o Has worked as a criminal justice professional, behavioral health professional in a CJ setting and/or with CJ clients, or an experienced training provider with a similar audience/subject matter for at least 3 years (cross-training is recommended) o Has delivered a minimum of 15 hours of training or professional education Provide proof of the above qualifications for at least 10 trainers (can include resumes, CVs, bios, etc.) SAMHSA s GAINS Center Trauma-Informed Care Training Solicitation Application Page 2

4 Conduct a brief survey of skills for each potential trainer utilizing an instrument provided by the GAINS Center Demonstrate capacity to provide follow-up support to trainers post-ttt Agree to the condition that trainers are required to deliver the training program subsequent to the TTT Provide details regarding future training dates, locations, and audiences to the GAINS Center Participate in a post-training follow up call with the GAINS Center after several trainers have delivered the training SAMHSA s GAINS Center Trauma-Informed Care Training Solicitation Application Page 3

5 Trauma-Informed Criminal Justice Responses TRAINING SITE APPLICATION PLEASE COMPLETE THE APPLICATION BELOW. ONLY COMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR SITE SELECTION. Jurisdiction: Population: Training Requested: Training Delivery Training Delivery with Strategic Planning Session Train-the-Trainer (TTT) NAME OF PERSON COMPLETING THIS FORM TITLE: ADDRESS: PHONE: Please describe any previous training criminal justice professionals in your community have received that specifically focused on the special needs of men or women with mental illness, substance use disorders, and/or histories of trauma. Please describe special crisis intervention procedures employed for women and men in crisis (e.g. use of non-invasive, non-threatening de-escalation techniques for general use and to avoid re-traumatizing procedures). SAMHSA s GAINS Center Trauma-Informed Care Training Solicitation Application Page 4

6 Does your community currently have plans to enhance existing policies or services for this population? Please describe. What specific goals do you hope to achieve by participating in the training? Why is it important for your jurisdiction to receive this training now? Please describe current screening and assessment methods that identify trauma or gender-specific issues. (If applicable, attach a copy of current screening and assessment forms to your application). Does your community have programs that offer gender and trauma-specific services? If so, please describe. Please describe any formal or informal community linkages to behavioral health providers that offer gender-specific or trauma-specific treatment services. For training delivery with strategic planning applicants, please demonstrate/describe the stakeholder group and existing mechanisms for convening, and describe existing working relationships (e.g., who is involved, meeting frequency/location, goals) For TTT applicants: Please demonstrate your capacity to provide follow-up support to trainers post-ttt by describing your infrastructure, resources, and follow-up plan. For TTT applicants: Please identify and provide qualifications for at least two individuals that serve as a representative sample of your potential trainers. Credentials for these individuals should meet the requirements outlined in the Application Requirements section for TTT communities. SAMHSA s GAINS Center Trauma-Informed Care Training Solicitation Application Page 5

7 PLEASE IDENTIFY THE LEAD AGENCIES/ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE AGREED TO SEND STAFF TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRAINING HOW BEING TRAUMA-INFORMED IMPROVES CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM RESPONSES. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL AGENCIES OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT PLAN TO ATTEND, PLEASE IDENTIFY THEM USING THE OTHER CATEGORY. IF THERE ARE MULTIPLE AGENCIES OF THE SAME TYPE, PLEASE COPY THE CORRESPONDING TABLE(S) AND INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION FOR EACH AGENCY SEPARATELY. Please identify a primary contact for your jurisdiction. Please ensure the primary contact is someone who will be accessible to the participants and to PRA staff for pre- and post-training activities. PRIMARY CONTACT FOR THIS APPLICATION Primary Contact Name: Role/Position: Agency: City/State/Zip: Phone: Fax: SAMHSA s GAINS Center Trauma-Informed Care Training Solicitation Application Page 6

8 COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS AGENCY Agency Name: LEAD CONTACT Name: Agency: City, State, Zip: Phone: Fax: LAW ENFORCEMENT Agency Name: LEAD CONTACT Name: Agency: City, State, Zip: Phone: Fax: SAMHSA s GAINS Center Trauma-Informed Care Training Solicitation Application Page 7

9 COURT Agency Name: LEAD CONTACT Name: Agency: City, State, Zip: Phone: Fax: OTHER Agency Name: LEAD CONTACT Name: Agency: City, State, Zip: Phone: Fax: SAMHSA s GAINS Center Trauma-Informed Care Training Solicitation Application Page 8

10 Thank you! SAMHSA s GAINS Center sincerely appreciates your interest in this initiative. PLEASE RETURN THIS APPLICATION VIA POSTAL MAIL OR BY DECEMBER 5, 2014: SAMHSA s GAINS Center Policy Research Associates, Inc. 345 Delaware Avenue Delmar, NY Attn: Matthew Robbins, Training Coordinator Phone: mrobbins@prainc.com Late submissions will not be accepted or reviewed. Incomplete applications will not be considered. All applicants will receive notification regarding the status of their application on or before January 2, Notification will be distributed via . SAMHSA s GAINS Center Trauma-Informed Care Training Solicitation Application Page 9

How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses Train-the-Trainer (TTT) Event

SOLICITATION FOR APP LICATIONS Training Opportunity: How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses Train-the-Trainer (TTT) Event PLEASE COMPLETE THIS APPLICATION IN ITS ENTIRETY