The presenters focused on standards for adult local detention facilities and how facilities should approach the accreditation process with these standards. Participants discussed outcome measures, auditing techniques, data collection and the benefits of accreditation.
Speakers: Major James J. Donis, Allegheny County Bureau of Corrections, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Captain Mary E. Earley, CJM, Douglas County Department of Corrections, Omaha, Nebraska
Many different commanders in past 10 years. Change in leadership while in thick of accreditation process. Overwhelming for staff.
Allegheny County Jail
How did we start?
Chief said get accredited.
ACA works with agency as long as agency has a game plan.
Staff dedication
Everyone’s support
Willingness to introduce change
Explaining why things are changing
Receiving input from everyone that the changes will effect
Every time we did a new order, we quoted ACA standard so staff understood why the change was being made. Received input from everyone that change would affect – even inmates.
Game Plan
Staff assignments and naming an accreditation manager – probably will not have someone whose sole assignment is accreditation; will have to perform other duties as well.
Schooling your governing body – make sure they understand benefits of accreditation. Also important for union to understand. Their union thought they were going to privatize the institution. Had to reassure them that was not the purpose of accreditation. Important to read and understand the ACA accreditation book. Give copies to everyone that is involved in process.
Many jail staff had never heard of ACA accreditation before. Accreditation Manager took a 30 minute block of time in new employee orientation and introduced it. Also had the standards put on their intranet.
Accrediation Manager was often the most hated person in the facility cause most people don’t like change. We have to adapt to that and look at how our staff adapt to that change. People will make mistakes. Initial accreditation is the easy part.
Set a time line
Train the accreditation team
Key characteristics leaders must consider
- Importance of recognizing need for change, preparing and motivating saff to implement it.
- Inevitable presence of the resistance to change.
- Focus on people as the source of learning and change
- Need to support new behaviors and allowing them to take hold.
Conduct a self audit
- Review all ACA standards
- Review your policy book
- Do your policies match the ACA standards? Your policies should mirror those of ACA. Keep it simple and make sure it is right.
- Are you following your policies?
- Can you provide consistent documentation that you are following your policies? Document everything: how did you do it; why did you do it? Inspections, post orders. Do you have post orders at every post? Do you check them?
- “You can’t expect what you don’t inspect.”
- “Two week Rule” – do something for 2 weeks and then stop doing it because they never did it before. Have to overcome the 2 Week Rule.
Must start thinking “green.” Medical procedures play a large role in accreditation.
Examples of policies handed out. Must be careful as you look through and maintain your policies. Standard language and interpretation of standards stays the same as ACA dictates it.
Secondary documentation given out. Are all elements covered as dictated by the policy? Make sure documentation is clean, straight on the page, legible.
Important to have documentation in the files. ACA auditors will pull random files to check.
Reactions to change:
- denial
- anger
- mourning
- adaption
- Same as the reactions to grief. Everyone went through it.
Reasons for resistance:
- lack of trust
- belief that the change is unnecessary
- belef that the change is not feasible
- relative high costs
- fear of personal failure
- loss of status and power
- threat to values and ideals
- resentment of interference
Unions will say, “It’s not in my contract.” “It’s not my job.” But put Union member on your team. Explain what is being done, and fully involve them in the process. At least offer to have them participate in the process. Status of power issue – Union wants to maintain things as they are because they are in control. Feel threatened by it because you’re holding people accountable and making them follow the standards. Recognize that there are a lot reasons people don’t want to do accreditation. Deal with issues as they come up.
Audience member: We didn’t ask officers to do that much. It was more of an increase of responsibilities on management.
Make unions, officers buy into accreditation.
Solutions
- education and communication
- participation and involvement
- facilitation and support
- negotiation and agreement
- manipulation
- coercion
Put out formal announcements, put up banners, shift briefings, role call, etc. to make sure people know what is happening with accreditation process. Important to recognize who is doing the education about accreditation and make sure they are bought in – not sabotaging the effort.
Director must hold ground – tell nay sayers that the policy has to be following, bottom line, no exceptions.
Involved staff in developing post orders so they all had buy in; they wrote it. Question was, “Does post order reflect what you actually do every day?” Open the door and challenge staff to improve what we are doing. Reduced 3-4 forms down to one. Get people involved so they have buy-in.
You have a lot of untapped knowledge in your facility. Tap people to do jobs that match their skills, talents, and interests. Involve medical dept in disaster plans.
Guidelines for implementation organizational actions”
Determine who can oppose or facilitate change.
Build a broad coalition to support the change.
Fill key positions with competent change agents.
Use task forces to guide implementation.
Make dramatic, symbolic changes that affect the work.
If necessary, implement change initially on a small scale.
Change relevant aspects of the organizational structure.
Monitor the progress of change.
Make sure people helping with accreditation are doing it for the right reasons and are truly on board.
When doing self-audit, look at your agency as if it is not your agency, as if you are an outsider.
Ask yourself who your enemies are when you do accreditation, and who will support you.
During a mock audit, ACA audits did it. Went through facility in 12- hour tour. Went in every unit. As went through a staff member wasn’t on his duty post, so had to find him to get him to the area. Didn’t look professional, has a drink cup, chewing gum. “Yea, what do you want?” when he got there. Slouchy. Auditors asked him questions about post orders. He said he had never read it, didn’t know where it was, had never seen it before, didn’t need it. Obviously, one of the key resisters. As they walked out of room, auditors said, “You’ve got some issues to deal with.” Talked to manager, wrote him up, and suspended him for 10 days. Sent message that was clear and direct that administration was behind accreditation and this type of behavior was not acceptable.
Q: Were you a civilian during accreditation process?
A: Yes, during accreditation process I was a civilian. If you are accreditation manager, you are not officers’ boss. Can be difficult to manage that issue, because you have no control over staff. Sometimes you need someone that can be muscle for you, give you the support you need. Important for it to start at administrative level.
To maintain standards, did regular audits. Keep everyone involved, have meetings, keep it fresh and moving.
Guidelines for Implementation People-Oriented Actions:
- Create a sense of urgency about the need for change.
- Prepare people to adjust to change
- Help people deal with pain of change
- Keep people informed about the progress
- Demonstrate continued commitment.
- Empower people to implement change.
Vision and Credibility
- Importance of vision
- Empowerment and confidence in staff
- Flexibility
- Teamwork and cooperation
- Encouraging the heart
Thank You – how many times do you hear it? How many times do you say it? Culture of organization is important. When she first started there, no one said, “Good morning.” Took two years to change the culture to get people to recognize each other and award each other, thank you, encouragement.
Ask for Help
- Contacts and network with other accredited institutions
- Invite outside accreditation mangers for mock audits
- Call ACA and Ask Questions (they don’t mind)
Let staff and mangers talk to others about what they did. Everyone loves to talk about what they did.
Start to Finish
15 months that resulted in:
- Safer institution
- Cleaner institution
- Better morale
- Pride in our job and agency
- Once you have achieved this goal the real work starts
- Just stay with the game plan.
Started by having auditors do a benchmark audit. Then made changes. Had another technical assistance to look only for fouls. Kept working on improvements and had more audits. Then had final real audit and obtained accreditation.
Questions:
Allegheny County Bureau of Corrections
Pittsburgh, PA
Douglas County Dept of Corrections
Omaha, NE
Blogged by Dr. Cindy Boyles, Administrator of Training and Staff Development, Orange County (FL) Corrections Department
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