Oklahoma added some requirements for the Department of Corrections in 2017 to ensure inmates receive the treatment they need. These include a risk and needs assessment and an individualized case plan.
Risk and Needs Assessment
The Department of Corrections expanded examinations of new prisoners to include a risk and needs assessment and physical and psychological examinations. This is in addition to the previously required inventory of vocational skills and assessment of educational and training needs. A risk and needs assessment is not required for any inmate who had a risk and needs assessment administered by personnel certified by the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services within six months of being sentenced to the custody of the Department of Corrections.
Individualized Case Plan
The Department of Corrections must administer a risk and needs assessment on each inmate and develop an individualized case plan based on the results of the assessment to guide an inmate’s rehabilitation while in the Department’s custody in order to reduce the likelihood of
recidivism.
The case plan must be completed within 60 days, and must include:
- Programming and treatment requirements based on the results of a validated risk and needs assessment administered;
- Programming or treatment requirements mandated by the sentencing order; and
- Requirements in accordance with the rules and policies of the Department.
The Department must make every effort to ensure that the case plan is achievable prior to the inmate’s parole eligibility date, if applicable. The Department has to provide each inmate with a written copy of the case plan and the inmate’s caseworker will explain the conditions set forth in the case plan. For any parole-eligible inmate, the Department must electronically submit a progress report on each parole-eligible inmate’s case plan to the Parole Board.
SB 603 modified 57 O.S. §§ 530 & 530.1. It added 57 O.S. § 530.5. It went into effect November 1, 2017.
Sources: SB 603, 57 O.S. § 530, 21 O.S. § 530.1, & 57 O.S. § 530.5