Attachment C.pdf

South Carolina

Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services

Sex Offender Program Standards

March 2023

Structured, cognitive-behavioral and skills-oriented treatment programs that target specific criminogenic needs appear to be the most effective approach in reducing rates of reoffending in offenders. Treatment is designed to address risk factors (e.g., lifestyle, impulsiveness, dysfunctional coping, lack of concern for others) that can change over time and criminogenic needs. Criminogenic needs may include, but are not limited to, access to potential victims, preference for victim type, insufficient or inappropriate employment, inappropriate living circumstances, inappropriate use of leisure time, substance misuses, intimacy deficits, sexual preoccupation, deviant sexual interests, deviant sexual arousal, attitudes supportive of offending, hostility towards women, antisocial lifestyle, associates, and lack of cooperation with supervision. The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services

(SCDPPPS) recognizes the importance of sex offender programs in the role of:

• Reducing the risk of recidivism by providing quality care to individuals who have engaged in sexual offending behavior by assisting them to manage their risk of sexually reoffending.

• Facilitating treatment that will assist the offender in living a safe, healthy life.

• Providing effective management to assist the offender in preventing sexual assault with a goal of protecting communities.

• Providing responsible and ethical treatment with high standards of professionalism and integrity to individuals who have sexually offended.

The purposes of sex offender programs are to:

• hold offenders accountable;

• confront collusion and victim-blaming by offenders;

• teach new skills that assists offenders with changing their behavior;

• collect data to assist with evaluation of programs and recidivism; and

• report compliance and noncompliance to the SCDPPPS, courts, and other referral sources.

To ensure SCDPPPS staff are making referrals to quality sex offender programs, SCDPPPS has established standards for service providers offering a sex offender program to individuals under

SCDPPPS’ supervision. The purpose of the creating and ensuring adherence to these standards is to:

• promote consistency of services statewide,

• provide a process to evaluate services, and

• establish a minimum level of service, and accountability expected from providers.

SCDPPPS will review providers at least every two years to ensure compliance with the standards.

Approved providers are providers that have met SCDPPPS’ standards and are authorized to provide services to SCDPPPS’ offenders. In order to be authorized as an approved sex offender program, a service provider is required to meet all of the following standards. Conditional providers are providers that have not met all SCDPPPS’ standards and will receive an action plan to rectify insufficient items within the designated timeframe.

Program Structure

• Utilizes a program structure that:

o Is at least 18 months in length o Has weekly sessions that are at least 60 minutes in length

▪ Does not include breaks, check in, and discussions on fee payments as part of the 60-minute session

▪ Does not devote more than 15 minutes per month to viewing videos o Holds groups

▪ That are gender specific

▪ That are limited to not less than two and not more than 10 participants

• Attempts to hold the size of the group to eight to 10 participants, the preferred group size

▪ Web-based groups are limited to not less than two and not more than eight participants

▪ Attempts to use a staggered entry approach (SEA), the preferred approach

▪ Does not utilize individual intervention unless:

• An individual is unable to participate in a group setting because he/she is too disruptive

• No qualified group program is available

• An individual’s safety would be compromised

• An individual has an intellectual or mental health disability that prevents successful group participation o Has a written attendance policy that:

▪ Allows no more than two absences within a three-month period

▪ Terminates clients with excessive absences without documented exigent circumstances

▪ Notifies SCDPPPS staff of instances of exigent circumstances o Focuses on group accountability

▪ Encourages participants to disclose an accurate and detailed history of violent incidents towards victims which led to their referral to the sex offender program

• Must be free from minimization, justification, and/or victim blaming

▪ Encourages participants to hold each other accountable for their abusive behaviors and for instances of denying, minimizing, justifying, and rationalizing

▪ Acknowledges and challenges inappropriate comments and jokes

▪ Incorporates discussion, activities, and exercises that encourage empathy towards victims and others affected by the participant’s abusive behavior

• Maintains compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act

• Utilizes a cognitive behavioral therapy-based curriculum that includes the following:

o Acknowledge any previous traumas o Sexual abuse education o Motives (e.g., sexual interest, emotional closeness, power and control) o Willingness (e.g., cognitive distortions, substance use, stress, psychopathy) o Opportunity (e.g., planned-opportunistic, manipulation-force grooming behaviors) o Victim awareness

• Requires participants who attend web-based sessions to:

o Have access to a reliable internet service o Possess a device (e.g., phone, computer) with a camera capability and the camera remains directed toward him/herself during the entire session o Participate in sessions in a quiet space that is absent of any children or household members o Test their connectivity prior to the first scheduled web-based session

Program Components

• Utilizes a multi-phase approach by developing new patterns of appropriate behavior and implementing new skills to appropriately relate to others in order to affect the client’s behavior

• Utilizes a treatment model that is in compliance with the SCDPPPS’ treatment model and containment approach

• Implements strategies that depends on agency coordination and multi-disciplinary partnerships to hold sex offenders accountable

• Utilizes intake process that addresses substance use, mental health, and recidivism

• Utilizes a method of case management and treatment that emphasizes victim protection and public safety o Develops and implements a written treatment plan for each client outlining clear and specific treatment goals consistent with the results of a recent evaluation o Updates assessments every six months from the initial assessment date if the original evaluation was not comprehensive or if changing circumstances dictate o Identifies and documents specific and observable changes in factors associated with a client’s risk for re-offense, or the lack of such changes, in treatment records and progress reports o Discusses treatment plan with clients and provide regular feedback to clients on their treatment compliance and progress or lack thereof o Prepares clients for treatment discharge which includes a relapse prevention plan o Does not successfully discharge clients who deny their offense(s)

• Has a written fee payment policy that includes a process to address indigent offenders

• Has a written policy addressing failure to pay

• Has a written transfer policy o Any individual in good standing in a South Carolina program who seeks to transfer as a matter of preference to another South Carolina program may do so but the participant must be assessed by the new provider and class credit is not guaranteed

▪ Participants are considered to be in good standing if:

• All homework assignments have been completed

• Group fees are current

• Client is compliant with group attendance policy

• Client is compliant with program rules and regulations o Participants who want to transfer to a different program must sign a release of information so that the two programs may contact each other to establish the status of participant in the new program and share any other relevant information about the participant

• Has a written client grievance policy and procedure o Before filing any complaint against a sex offender program, the participant should try to resolve the complaint in an informal manner by talking with the class facilitator o If unable to come to an agreement with the facilitator, the participant shall contact the program director who shall attempt to resolve the complaint o If the complaint remains unresolved, a formal written complaint may be made to:

SCDPPPS

293 Greystone Boulevard

Columbia, SC 29210

Attention: Program Planning and Development or

Service.Providers@ppp.sc.gov

Mandated Reporting and Duty to Warn

Providers must:

• Abide by applicable laws that mandate reporting abuse to appropriate authorities

• Inform clients that disclosure of potentially incriminating information to mandated reporters can lead to future prosecution

• Follow professional and legal obligations regarding a duty to protect or warn that apply to their profession when a client has communicated a credible, specific, and immediate threat of serious bodily injury against a specifically identified, readily identifiable person or themselves

• Warn the intended victim, notifies the police, or takes other steps that would be deemed reasonable and necessary under the circumstances

Communication

• Distribute written copies of the rules and guidelines upon completion of intake

• Provide weekly attendance report to SCDPPPS’ referral source

• Have an established process to communicate program progress monthly with SCDPPPS’ referral source o Contact the referring agent/offender supervision specialist within 24 hours of discovery of any new violation on behalf of the participant such as any new offense, violation of a drug test, or contact with victim when there is a no contact order o Inform client and SCDPPPS if there is an anticipation of disruption or termination of client’s services o Include offender’s treatment plan and participation/progress in treatment monthly progress report

• Have an established process that allows SCDPPPS staff to attend groups

• Discuss completion prior to the client’s discharge with the referring agent/offender supervision specialist

Miscellaneous

• Have general liability insurance

• Have space independent of the SCDPPPS county office where services are provided

• Store files in a secure location and follows a retention schedule mailto:Service.Providers@ppp.sc.gov

Paid Staff and Volunteer Requirements

• Pass a criminal background check

• Remain free from conflicts of interest with the sex offender program by not:

o Receiving gifts, compensation, or other consideration of value from any participant and/or from any other party that might give the appearance of being designed to influence assessment of a participant o Being employed by another entity in manner that is deemed to be conflict of interest by these sex offender treatment program standards o Being employed by another entity where disclosure by the sex offender program participant of his/her action might create confidentiality breaches o Recruiting potential clients who are or have been in the sex offender program for one’s own private counseling or therapy practice

• Maintain compliance with group facilitator minimum qualification and education requirements:

o Requires group facilitators to meet the following minimum qualifications:

▪ Hold a bachelor’s, master’s or doctor’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or marriage and family therapy from an accredited university with unrestricted licensure through the South

Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation or a degree of Doctor of Medicine from an accredited institution with licensure through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental

Control (SCDHEC)

▪ Have two years of experience working with individuals who sexually offend

▪ If facilitator’s highest level of education is bachelor’s level, three years of experience is required and they must have direct access to a mental health professional who has an unrestricted license through the South

Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation or a degree of Doctor of Medicine from an accredited institution with licensure through the SCDHEC o Refrain from diagnosing, using assessment methods, treating, or consulting on clinical problems that are outside of their scope of practice

• Maintain compliance with professional development requirements o Requires group facilitators complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of continuing education annually. Areas include:

▪ Assessment and diagnosis

▪ Cognitive therapy

▪ Counseling and psychotherapy

▪ Cultural/ethnic issues

▪ Ethics as applies to working with a forensic population

▪ Human development with special attention to sexual development

▪ Interviewing skills

▪ Knowledge of family dynamics as related to sex offending

▪ Psychometric and psychophysiological testing

▪ Psychopathology

▪ Relapse prevention

▪ Relationship and social skills training

▪ Risk assessment

▪ Sexual arousal control

▪ Social support networks

▪ Victim awareness and empathy o Obtain continuing education credits in the following approved methods:

▪ Seminars and workshops

▪ Webinars

▪ Online training programs

▪ Relevant academic coursework

Preferred providers are providers that have met SCDPPPS’ standards as well as met additional preferred standards. Agents/offender supervision specialists are instructed to utilize preferred providers over approved providers. In order to be authorized as a preferred sex offender program, a service provider is required to meet two of the following standards:

• Uses a baseline and maintenance polygraph to support treatment and containment supervision o Must be administered by a licensed polygraph examiner and should be administered at the discretion of the provider or agent o Has process where all polygraph fees are collected by the polygraph provider

• Participates regularly in community events focused on sexual violence

• Meets monthly with SCDPPPS’ designated sex offender agent(s)

• Has a membership with Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) or possess a sex offender treatment credential

At least every two years, SCDPPPS will review a provider to ensure compliance with standards.

However, SCDPPPS will conduct a review prior to two years if a complaint is received or upon the request of the provider. If a provider is not compliant with all standards and depending on the severity of noncompliance, one of the following may occur:

• The provider will receive a corrective action plan and a follow-up review will be scheduled.

• The provider will not be approved to provide sex offender programming.

• If previously approved, the provider will be removed from the service provider directory and services will be terminated immediately.

A denied/removed program can submit a new application for review six months after the denial date.

For questions regarding the approval process, please contact:

Robert Cottingham

Outreach and Service Provider Coordinator

(803) 413-4325

Robert.Cottingham@ppp.sc.gov or

Saskia Santos

Director of Program Planning and Development

(803) 231-9186

Saskia.Santos@ppp.sc.gov

SCDPPPS’ Sex Offender Program Checklist

A provider is required to meet all standards to be approved to render sex offender treatment services.

Required Standards

Category Standard Standard Met

Program Structure At least 18 months in length Yes No

Holds weekly sessions that are at least 60 minutes in length Yes No

Holds gender specific groups Yes No

Observes size limitation Yes No

Compliant with SCDPPPS’ treatment model and containment approach Yes No

Has written attendance policy Yes No

Focuses on group accountability Yes No

Compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act Yes No

Has curriculum that meets all required program components Yes No

Compliant with web-based standards (if applicable) Yes No

Program

Components

Utilizes intake process that addresses substance use, mental health, and recidivism Yes No

Has a written fee payment policy Yes No

Has a written policy addressing failure to pay Yes No

Has a written transfer policy Yes No

Has a written client grievance policy and procedure Yes No

Utilizes intake paperwork that contains disclosure on mandated reporting and duty to warn Yes No

Communication Distributes written copies of the rules and guidelines Yes No

Communicates the offender’s program progress with agents/offender supervision specialists Yes No

Allows SCDPPPS staff to attend groups Yes No

Provider Has general liability insurance Yes No

Has a space independent of the SCDPPPS county office where services are provided Yes No

Holds files a secure location Yes No

Required Standards

Category Standard Standard Met

Staff Conducts criminal background checks Yes No

Compliant with conflicts of interests’ standards Yes No

Compliant with education requirements Yes No

Compliant with professional development requirements Yes No

Preferred Standards

Standard Standard Met

Utilizes baseline and maintenance polygraph to support treatment and containment supervision Yes No

Participates regularly in community events focused on sexual violence Yes No

Meets monthly with designated sex offender agent(s) Yes No

Has a membership with Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers or possess a sex offender treatment credential Yes No

Comments

Check applicable designation.

Preferred: Approved: Conditional: Not Approved:

If Applicable, Corrective Action Plan:

Corrective Action Plan Competition Date:

SCDPPPS’ Staff Signature:

Date: