Policy bulletin 647

Commissioner’s Directive (CD) 578 – Intensive Intervention Strategy in Women Offender Institutions/Units

Guidelines (GL) 578-1 – Therapeutic Quiet Room

On June 21, 2019, Bill C-83, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act, received Royal Assent. The amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (the Act) are now in effect, and the corresponding changes to policy are addressed in this bulletin. Among other things, the Act reflects the statutory amendments to the English version to replace the term "Aboriginal" with the term "Indigenous", allows the Commissioner to establish Health Care Units to provide individuals with an appropriate living environment to facilitate their access to health care, and introduces Structured Intervention Units for inmates who cannot be safely managed in the mainstream inmate population. As a result, CD 578 - Intensive Intervention Strategy in Women Offender Institutions/Units has been amended to comply with this new legislation.

Furthermore, this policy has been updated and Annex B of this CD has been modified as part of the cyclical review process.

New GL 578-1 – Therapeutic Quiet Room were developed to outline new requirements on processes for the use of the therapeutic quiet room, located in the Structured Living Environment at women offender institutions/ units.

The following outlines the major changes made to CD 578:

• Enhanced Support Houses will be implemented in all women offender institutions with the exception of Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge for inmates classified as minimum or medium security who require additional staff support and/or greater access to interventions. They may also be used as an alternative to the Structured Intervention Unit. Responsibilities and procedures have been added to this policy, as the Enhanced Support Houses fall under the Intensive Intervention Strategy.
• Requirements to document movement to/from an Enhanced Support House in the Offender Management System have been created: a new Casework Record and a flag.
• The "Reintegration Movement Plan" will replace the movement levels.
• The Checklist – Reintegration Movement Plan off the Secure Unit (CSC/SCC 0005-T) must be completed and reviewed at least every two weeks.
• The Reintegration Movement Plan final decision to assign, maintain, change or end a level must be entered in the "Reintegration Movement Plan for Women’s Secure Units" screen of the Offender Management System, at least every two weeks.
• Criteria for the Reintegration Movement Plan for women inmates residing in the Secure Unit have been modified to reflect the new description, the staff supervision requirements, and the potential use of restraints during movements off the Secure Unit and at destination.
• A new section on Group Movement off the Secure Unit by Reintegration Movement Plan level has been added.
• Reference to the new admission process to the Regional Psychiatric Centre has been added.
• Various definitions have been added and amended to reflect the changes.
• The term "Aboriginal" has been replaced with "Indigenous", as per Bill C-83.

The CD was reviewed and modified by the Women Offender Sector in collaboration with the Strategic Policy Division. The Guidelines were developed by the Women Offender Sector in consultation with the Mental Health Branch and the Strategic Policy Division.

Formal consultations with internal and external stakeholders were held.

The revised CD 578 and the new Guidelines affect all staff who work with inmates in women offender institutions/units.

Roles and responsibilities are detailed in the policy documents.