New Day

Brief Description

New Day is a referral-based program at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary (HMP) which provides community-based Intensive Case Management (ICM) to persons who are living with significant and/or persistent mental health issues or concurrent disorders. Using a trauma-informed approach, the Intensive Case Manager (ICM) assists participants while in custody begin to develop comprehensive support plans to improve community functioning and quality of life. Through in-reach, the ICM program begins with the development of a therapeutic, trusting relationship with the participants. Assessments of participant needs are completed, and personal goals are established along with the start of a transition plan for release. This can include but is not limited to supportive counselling, systems navigation, planning for basic needs (stable housing, financial security, healthy relationship support, community resource support, etc.).

Goals

The main goal of the New Day program is to:

• Provide participants to the program with supports and guidance to help them reintegrate into the community safely; and
• Reduce their risk of recidivism.

Clientele

To be eligible for the New Day program, participants must be men aged 18 and older in custody at the HMP who:

• Have confirmed or suspected psychiatric history of significant functional impairment;
• Face challenges in daily living due to psychopathology (no less than six months);
• Are currently incarcerated with a minimum of two months remaining in sentence;
• Are willing to meet with ICM weekly, participate voluntarily, and engage in goal setting, and;
• Reside in St. John’s, Mount Pearl, Paradise or Conception Bay South following release.

Remand referrals may be considered.

Core Components

Program Process

1.       Participant consents to referral to the program

2.       Initial Assessment – clinical and social needs identified

3.       Screening and acceptance to the program

4.       ICM provides in-reach with transition planning and mental health support

5.       Participant is released from custody and ICM provides case management in community with need and goal settings reviewed weekly

6.       Program participation for 12-18 months during which participants achieve independence and are released from the program

Program Supports

•       Individualized case plans

•       Mental health brief counselling and referrals

•       Boundary settings

•       Promote self-advocacy

•       Access to health care, education, employment programs and community support

•       Food security, stable housing, and income support

•       Skill building in topics such as, relationships, communication, personal hygiene, emotional regulation, and problem solving

•       Support from both an ICM and well as a Community Support Worker for goal achievement and community interventions

Values

•       Trauma informed participant case management

•       Strengths-based assessment and evaluation

•       Person-centered program delivery

•       Privacy and confidentiality

•       Social justice advocacy

•       Healthy communication and relationship building

•       Healthy boundary setting and independence

•       Participant led goal setting

•       Respect and worth of all people

Implementation Information

Some of the critical elements for the implementation of this program or initiative include the following:

• Organizational requirements: The New Day program consists of one dedicated Manager, one Lead Intensive Case Manager, one intensive case manager and one community support worker. There is a maximum of 30 participants on the program at any given time. New Day is partnered with HMP to go into the prison of assessment, case management and supportive counselling. Once the participant to the program is released from program, the staff use their personal vehicle to provide case management in the community and they have a program room to conduct group programming in life skills.
• Partnerships: New Day is partnered with Department of Justice and Public Safety. Referrals are accepted from: HMP Classification Officers, The Mental Health and Addictions Team, NL Health Services, Community agencies and agents of the legal/court system, as well as through self-referral.
• Training and technical assistance: The intensive case managers have a minimum education requirement of BSW, Bachelor of Psychology or related field. The community support position is a minimum education of a bachelor’s in social sciences or related field. Professional development is offered annually based on the expressed needs of the team and its members.
• Risk assessment tools: No formal risk assessments, New Day completes informal interview intake assessments. Risk assessments completed by DOJ are shared with the team as needed i.e.: Level of Service – Case Management Inventory.
• Materials & resources: New Day depends on the program policy, community resources, and have created several workshop manuals to address life skills acquisition. 

International Endorsements

The most recognized classification systems of evidence-based crime prevention programs have classified this program or initiative as follows:

• Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development: Not applicable.
• Crime Solutions/OJJDP Model Program Guide: Not applicable.
• SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Not applicable.
• Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy: Not applicable.

Gathering Canadian Knowledge

Canadian Implementation Sites

The John Howard Society took over the New Day program in January 13th, 2023, and officially became a John Howard Society program on October 1st, 2023. Previously the program was operated by Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and was called the Justice Program. This program is being offered in St. John’s and surrounding area only. Specifically St. John’s, Mount Pearl, Conception Bay South, Torbay, and Paradise are serviced by the program.

Main Findings from Canadian Outcome Evaluation Studies

No information available.

Cost Information

No information available.

References

There is no Canadian reference available at this time.

For more information on this program, contact:

John Howard Society

342 Pennywell Rd

St. John’s NL

A1E 1V9

Telephone: 709-726-5500

Fax: 709-726-5509

Email: info@jhsnl.ca