Report 2018-113 Recommendation 7 Responses

Report 2018-113: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: Several Poor Administrative Practices Have Hindered Reductions in Recidivism and Denied Inmates Access to In‑Prison Rehabilitation Programs (Release Date: January 2019)

Recommendation #7 To: Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of

To ensure that it can meet the rehabilitation needs of its inmates, Corrections should develop and begin implementing plans to meet its staffing-level goals for rehabilitative programming by January 2020 and should implement a process to continuously update and monitor these goals.

1-Year Agency Response

DRP Performance Metrics:

1. DRP has implemented staffing-level goals in monthly reporting and dashboards sent to the individual institution wardens.

2. These monthly reports/dashboards track performance and goals both point-in-time and over a 13-month period.

To continue focusing on filling vacancies:

3. DRP currently reports on treatment contracts and those with vacancies over 45-days to be taken progressive action on providers not filling vacancies.

4. DRP has begun a systematic review of pay rates for treatment counselors to mitigate vacancy issues.

5. DRP currently tracks academic and career technical vacancies monthly and DRP Headquarters Personnel is engaging in a semi-monthly call identifying those institutions with vacancy issues and troubleshooting and engaging in the hiring process to assist.

6. DRP is continuing work to engage in local hiring forums in an effort to get interest in academic and career technical vacancies filled.

7. DRP has created a comprehensive dataset that is updated and reviewed monthly that requires input from the academic field on progress toward hiring/staffing goals and obstacles.

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

CDCR has implemented a mechanism to track academic and vocational staff vacancies, and has set goals for when those vacancies should be filled. It has also issued a memo requiring staff at CDCR facilities to use and update the tracking spreadsheet on a weekly basis.

6-Month Agency Response

DRP Performance Metrics:

1.DRP has implemented staffing-level goals in monthly reporting and dashboards sent to the individual institution wardens.

2.These monthly reports/dashboards track performance and goals both point-in-time and over a 13-month period.

To continue focusing on filling vacancies:

3.DRP currently reports on treatment contracts and those with vacancies over 45-days to be taken progressive action on providers not filling vacancies.

4.DRP has begun a systematic review of pay rates for treatment counselors to mitigate vacancy issues.

5.DRP currently tracks academic and career technical vacancies monthly and DRP Headquarters Personnel is engaging in a semi-monthly call identifying those institutions with vacancy issues and troubleshooting and engaging in the hiring process to assist.

6.DRP is continuing work to engage in local hiring forums in an effort to get interest in academic and career technical vacancies filled.

7.DRP has created a comprehensive dataset that is updated and reviewed monthly that requires input from the academic field on progress toward hiring/staffing goals and obstacles.

Please see Attachment BB-DRP Vacancy 6 Month Response for process detail. These processes outline the additional oversight and collaboration by Headquarters to contract vendors and correctional educators to both understand the reasons for vacancies and work to address each of them at the individual level on a Monthly basis in an effort to meet staffing level goals both in hiring and having active/operational classrooms. These processes will continue to be monitored and adjusted throughout the fiscal year to achieve the best results. Additionally, a summary vacancy chart will be created beginning in July to measure overall vacancy change.

Referenced in Attachment BB are attachments CC: Position Control Master List, Attachment DD-Position Control Updates in Data Drop Memo, and EE-Monthly Principals Conference Call Meeting Invite.

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

Corrections has made some progress in meeting its staffing-level goals for its rehabilitative program, although it has yet to begin a systematic review of pay rates for treatment counselors to mitigate vacancy issues or engage in local hiring forums in an effort to fill vacancies.

60-Day Agency Response

DRP Performance Metrics:

1. DRP has implemented staffing-level goals in monthly reporting and dashboards sent to the individual institution wardens.

2. These monthly reports/dashboards track performance and goals both point-in-time and over a 13-month period.

To continue focusing on filling vacancies:

3. DRP currently reports on treatment contracts and those with vacancies over 45-days to be taken progressive action on providers not filling vacancies.

4. DRP has begun a systematic review of pay rates for treatment counselors to mitigate vacancy issues.

5. DRP currently tracks academic and career technical vacancies monthly and DRP Headquarters Personnel is engaging in a semi-monthly call identifying those institutions with vacancy issues and troubleshooting and engaging in the hiring process to assist.

6. DRP is continuing work to engage in local hiring forums in an effort to get interest in academic and career technical vacancies filled.

Supporting documentation will be sent via email.

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

Although Corrections has made progress in monitoring staff vacancy rates in some of its rehabilitation programs, it has yet to create and implement a plan to meet its staffing-level goals.

All Recommendations in 2018-113

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.