Our Community Intervention Programs provide a cost-effective alternative for traditional institutionalized corrections methods. The Community Corrections Program, a key program in this category, was created to divert felony offenders from the Tennessee prison system while providing necessary supervision and service to the offenders. The goal of this program is reducing the probability of continued criminal behavior while maintaining the safety of the community.
The community intervention services offered by the Tennessee HRAs are listed below.
The Homemaker Program is funded through a grant from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Program administered by the Department of Human Services provides funding for Adult Homemaker Services through contracts with an established network of 12 local non-profit agencies and local governments. Services are limited to low-income elderly or disabled adults who meet federal poverty guidelines or are referred by the DHS Adult Protective Service program due to allegations of abuse or neglect. Homemaker Services are limited in-home personal care services designed to allow participants to remain in their own residence and maintain independence.
Chance provides a safe, highly structured, therapeutic environment for girls with around-the-clock care and counseling, academic instruction in a transitional school setting, with return to respective communities in the region, whenever possible.
Indian Mound provides a safe, highly structured, therapeutic environment for boys in a farm setting with around-the-clock care and counseling, academic instruction in a transitional school setting, with return to respective communities in the region, whenever possible.
Cumberland Mountain School provides a safe and secure environment and offers the same level II services as is provided at Indian Mound. The services include family group and individual counseling, alcohol and drug counseling and several independent living skills curriculums. Additionally, we utilize the Tennessee Technology Center and Roane State Community College for educational and vocational opportunities. An industrial area in close proximity to the Center provides employment possibilities. These resources will help prepare the residents for their future and assist them in making a positive change in their lives.
These programs are designed to aid individuals who are experiencing legal and/or employment difficulties due to their use of alcohol and/or other drugs. The program helps participants develop the skills necessary to begin an ongoing program of recovery. This program introduces clients to the 12 Steps of Recovery utilizing, but not limited to educational films and lectures, individual sessions, and group counseling. Participants involved in this program are required to remain totally abstinent from all mood altering chemicals for the duration of the program. Each participant is given a treatment plan indicating specific goals and objectives to be accomplished toward completion of this program. All participants are closely monitored to insure attendance. Random urine drug screens and/or breath tests may be administered to participants at the discretion of the program counselor to confirm chemical abstinence.
This program provides juvenile offenders an opportunity to repay the community for their crime and provides the court with an intensive juvenile probation services at no cost. Specialized counseling for juvenile and parents is provided, as well as random home visits, drug screens and community service.
Assists in diverting felony offenders from the prison system. Monitoring of court costs, fines, and victim restitution; random drug screening; public service work; placement in drug/alcohol treatment programs; house arrest; continuing education services; and values clarification treatments are all components of the program.
A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to represent the best interest of a child in court. Children helped by CASA volunteers include those for whom home placement is being determined in the courts. Most of the children are victims of abuse and/or neglect. A CASA volunteer provides a judge with a carefully researched background investigation of the child and their circumstances to help the court make a sound decision about the child’s future. Each home placement case is as unique as the child involved. The CASA volunteer must determine if it is in the child’s best interest to stay with his/her parents or guardians, be placed in foster care or be freed for permanent adoption. The CASA volunteer then monitors the case until it is permanently resolved.