CBCF Program

Eligibility for the CBCF Program is determined by the Ohio Revised Code as well as by Eligibility Criteria approved by the Franklin County Judicial Advisory Board and Facility Governing Board.  

TThe CBCF utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) curricula for its core programming. Residents are enrolled in one or more of the following CBT programs offered at the CBCF: 

• University of Cincinnati’s Cognitive Behavioral Interventions – A Comprehensive Curriculum (CBI-CC) is 19 weeks, including one week of pre-treatment (60 sessions). CBI-CC is designed to provide a thorough intervention that broadly targets all criminogenic needs.  As the name suggests, this intervention relies on a cognitive behavioral approach to teach participants strategies to manage risk factors.  The program places heavy emphasis on skill building activities to assist with cognitive, social, emotional, and coping skill development.  CBI-CC includes a pre-treatment module as well as modules targeting motivation, cognitive restructuring, emotional regulation, social skills, problem solving, and success planning. The curriculum provides modifications so that offenders with mental illness can participate, though it is not dedicated exclusively to this population. Sessions for CBI-CC are held three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for 90 minutes each.

 

• Aggression Replacement Training® (ART) is 10 weeks (30 sessions). High risk residents with a need or risk factor in the area of violence, anger, or aggression are placed in ART. ART is a cognitive behavioral intervention program to help residents improve social skill competence and moral reasoning, better manage anger, and reduce aggressive behavior,  and ultimately reduce recidivism. Program techniques are designed to teach residents how to control their angry impulses and take perspectives other than their own. ART sessions are held three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for 90 minutes each.

 

• Anger Management is 10 weeks (20 sessions). Moderate risk residents with a need or risk factor in the area of violence, anger, or aggression are placed in Anger Management. Anger Management includes anger control sessions as well as skill streaming sessions, derived from the Aggression Replacement Training® curriculum. Anger Management sessions are held twice per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 90 minutes each.

 

• UC's Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Substance Abuse (CBI-SA) is 11 weeks (22 sessions). Residents that have a moderate to high need in the area of substance abuse are placed in CBI-SA classes. Residents’ need for intervention in this area is assessed using the ORAS, PSI, as well as the TCU-DS assessments. As the name of the curriculum suggests, this intervention relies on a cognitive behavioral approach to teach participants strategies for avoiding substance abuse.  The program places heavy emphasis on skill building activities to assist with cognitive, social, emotional, and coping skill development. CBI-SA sessions are held twice per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 90 minutes each. 

 

• UC's Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Offenders Seeking Employment (CBI-EMP) is 6 weeks (12 sessions). Residents that have a moderate to high need in the area of employment are placed in CBI-EMP. The CBI-EMP curriculum integrates cognitive-behavioral interventions with more traditional employment approaches.  The program teaches individuals how to identify and manage high risk situations related to obtaining and maintaining employment.  Heavy emphasis is placed on skill building activities to assist with cognitive, social, emotional, and coping skill development for the work environment.  The curriculum includes modules targeting motivation, basic job seeking skills, cognitive restructuring, emotional regulation and social skills development, problem solving, and success planning. CBI-EMP sessions are held twice per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 90 minutes each. 

 

• The Epictetus Club is 8 weeks (16 sessions). High risk male residents participate in The Epictetus Club, a course in cognitive skills developed specifically for offenders.  The course draws on the latest research on criminal thinking and addresses the issue of criminal behavior with cognitive-behavioral approach, including “practical philosophy.” Succinct and astonishingly relevant, the Greek philosopher’s words show how to live a responsible life - inside or outside of prison.  “People are upset not by things themselves, but by what they tell themselves about those things.” With the help of Epictetus’ ancient wisdom, residents meet the daily challenges of their lives. Learning to think outside the limits of their own literal walls as they struggle to redeem themselves, the club members learn to think beyond their own self-imposed limitations and comfort zones. The Epictetus Club sessions are held twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays for 90 minutes each. 

 

• Low Risk Skill Streaming is for residents with a low risk for recidivism, as deemed by the ORAS. Low risk residents are placed in an open format Skill Streaming group with other low risk individuals. Residents remain in this group for approximately 60 days, at which time they become eligible for nomination to advance to the Re-entry Phase of the program. Low risk residents can expect to be in the CBCF program for approximately 90 days depending on their engagement, performance and behavior in the program. 

The following services are also offered at the CBCF:
 

• Academic Education/GED Services - Residents that do not have their high school diploma or GED are placed in classes appropriate to their scores on the TABE.  They remain in these classes, working toward their GED, until they are successful in obtaining their GED or complete the CBCF Program. GED classes are held three times per week with the opportunity to receive individualized tutoring once per week. Residents are afforded the opportunity to take practice tests prior to sitting for individual topic exams. Residents must pass all four sections of the GED test in order to earn their GED. Most residents have the opportunity to sit for all four sections while in the program. 

 

• Re-entry Phase Activities - Part of CBCF’s purpose is to gradually reintegrate residents into the community. Once a resident nears completion of the CBCF program, the resident  may be approved to participate in activities outside of the CBCF. These activities include: community service, job seeking, employment, and  12-Step meetings. In certain cases, residents needing mental health or other treatment services that the CBCF does not provide may be approved to receive such services at an outside agency. 

 

• Volunteer Services -  The CBCF has volunteers from Trinity Baptist Church and Rock City Church that offer residents the opportunity to participate in religious services.  Approved volunteers also lead various 12-Step meetings and facilitate other activities at the facility.