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HD 5984

A communication from the Massachusetts Probation Service Office of Community Corrections (see item 0339-1003 of Section 3 of Chapter 9 of the Acts of 2025) submitting its annual report for fiscal year 2026, including a statistical report on the utilization of community corrections centers

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

The bill requires an annual, data-driven report on the Massachusetts Office of Community Corrections’ Community Justice Support Centers’ operations, performance, and expansion for

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Bill Summary · HD 5984

Summary of Bill HD 5984 (194th Massachusetts General Court)

Note: This summary covers a report bill "A Report on Community Justice Support Centers in FY 2026" mandated by the 2025 General Appropriation Act (GAA), Line Item 0339-1003. It is presented as a descriptive, non-policy stance to explain purpose, provisions, and impact.

1) Purpose and Intent

  • Purpose: To submit the Massachusetts Office of Community Corrections (OCC) annual report for fiscal year 2026, including a statistical report on the utilization of Community Justice Support Centers (CJSCs). The report is mandated by Chapter 9 of the Acts of 2025, Line Item 0339-1003.
  • Context: The OCC operates as part of the Massachusetts Probation Service within the Trial Court to provide community-based sanctions and services as alternatives to incarceration. It administers a network of 18 Community Justice Support Centers (Support Centers) and the Massachusetts Trial Court Community Service Program, with pathways designed to address criminogenic needs and support reentry.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

  • Overview of OCC Structure and Pathways:
    • Support Centers deliver cognitive-behavioral therapy, education, career counseling, clinical case management, and community services as intermediate sanctions and/or pre-release supports.
    • Pathways to access services include:
    • Intensive Supervision with Treatment (IST) — in lieu of incarceration; includes risk/needs assessments and tailored treatment plans.
    • Pretrial Treatment — programming before conviction, upon arraignment.
    • Pretrial Services — optional case management for those awaiting trial (voluntary for rehabilitative services; not all programs require consent).
    • Probation Referral — court-ordered program referrals for those on probation.
    • Ralph Gants Project — reentry services for those released from incarceration; voluntary participation for broader criminogenic needs.
  • Reporting and Evaluation (Mandated Reporting Items):
    • Performance standards and evaluation criteria for Support Centers:
    • Fidelity to agreements, participant performance (attendance, drug testing), community/stakeholder considerations, and outcomes of IST participants.
    • Description of performance rating based on utilization data, with centers assessed by:
    • Participant programming attendance, community service participation, drug testing results, HiSET/GED attainment, and CBT hours.
    • Data collection includes detailed participant-level metrics (demographics, risk, programming hours, testing results, discharge reasons, etc.).
    • Notes on evaluation: Recognizes that outcomes depend on both OCC interventions and supervising agency decisions; Regional Program Managers conduct weekly-site visits for oversight.
  • Utilization and Performance Metrics (FY26 Data Pool):
    • Participant data: attendance rates, CBT hours, community service hours, drug testing compliance, HiSET/job placement outcomes, and discharge reasons.
    • Average CBT hours per participant per week across sites: 2.3 hours (range by site from 1.5 to 3.3 hours).
    • IST/Pretrial Treatment participants served per center per week: average 22.1 participants statewide.
    • Total IST/Pretrial Treatment admissions (FY26 year-to-date through January 2026): 380 IST, 81 Treatment, 166 Services, 47 Referrals — total 674 admissions.
    • HiSET and job placement data: 30 HiSET completions and 70 job placements across centers (note: totals reflect active pathways and reporting year).
  • Contracting and Accountability:
    • Standards for terminating contracts with underperforming Support Centers are specified (issues include public safety risk, substantial deviation from agreements, failure to resolve noncompliance, funding reductions, or exigent circumstances).
    • OCC may place a center under administrative control and terminate contracts for nonperformance or safety concerns.
  • Plan to Increase Use of Support Centers:
    • Core plan focuses on internal/external communication, stakeholder engagement, and a results-oriented culture.
    • FY26 progress highlights include:
    • Expansion of Re-entry Services via the Ralph Gants Project: 1,485 voluntary participants with 3,807 connections/referrals (housing, ID, healthcare, employment, etc.).
    • Probation officers initiated 809 referrals for voluntary services through the Gants Project in FY26.
    • Federal appointment: Brockton Gants Project staff member named to the US Sentencing Commission’s Sentence Impact Advisory Group (two-year term).
    • Cultural competency and staff training initiatives (DEIL series; MI and ORAS training programs).
    • UMass Chan Medical School partnership for implementation science, risk/need assessment fidelity, and CBT delivery; Community Advisory Board (CAB) activities; open houses; participant recognition events.
    • Compliance: As of March 3, 2026, all contractors are in compliance with agreements.
  • Appendices:
    • Appendix A: FYTD 26 Mandatory/Supervised Pathway Admissions by site (IST, Treatment, Services, Referral).
    • Appendix B: FYTD 26 Discharges by Center and Reason (Administrative, Criminal Justice, Ineligible, with subcategories for administrative discharges).
    • Appendix C: Supervision Support Services offered to non-CJSC participants (drug testing, DNA testing, probation/parole meetings, transportation, training, etc.).

3) Who or What Would Be Affected

  • Directly Affected:
    • Community Justice Support Centers (18 centers statewide) and their contractors (community-based providers and county sheriff departments).
    • Massachusetts Probation Service and the OCC, via reporting requirements and performance oversight.
    • Courts and probation/parole officers who interact with Support Centers through IST, Pretrial Treatment, Pretrial Services, Probation Referral, and Gants Project pathways.
  • Indirectly Affected:
    • Individuals under probation, parole, pretrial supervision, or reentry status who access Support Center services.
    • Community partners and service providers connected through referrals, training, and collaborative efforts.
    • Stakeholders involved in implementation science partnerships (UMass Chan) and the Community Advisory Board.

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Legal/Statutory Framework:
    • OCC operates under M.G.L. Chapter 211F; role includes development of intermediate sanctions and community-based programs as alternatives to incarceration.
    • 2018 reforms expanded pretrial orders and referrals to Support Centers; the Gants Reentry Services Program gained statutory support.
  • Reporting Mandate:
    • The bill requires annual reporting on FY2026 operations, utilization, and performance metrics, consistent with Line Item 0339-1003.
  • Implementation Timeline:
    • FY26 data through January 2026 are included, with ongoing activities as of March 2026.
    • Contractual compliance status: as of March 3, 2026, all contracts are in compliance.
  • Appendices and Data:
    • Detailed site-by-site performance, admissions, discharges, and cost data are included to support accountability and inform future funding and policy decisions.

Overall, HD 5984 functions as a comprehensive, data-driven reporting bill to ensure transparency, performance accountability, and continued expansion of community-based sanctions and reentry services through the Massachusetts Office of Community Corrections.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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