Treatment Planning Updates: Updating Our Treatment Plans for Success in DV Treatment and Success in Future Relationships

  The big question at this point is: "How likely am I to re-offend?"  

  Secondly: "How am I gonna prevent that?"

  The Domestic Violence Offender Management Board of Colorado requires that DV Offenders complete a Treatment Plan or a Treatment Planning Review approximately every 3 months.    
  There are different requirements for different levels of Treatment (such as, A, B, or C).

  Regarding construction of the DV Treatment Plan, the The DVOMB writes: 

  "A Treatment Plan shall be implemented after the completion of the intake evaluation process. The individualized plan shall promote victim and community safety while identifying treatment goals for the offender. The written Treatment Plan shall include goals that specifically address all clinical issues identified in the intake evaluation. The treatment goals shall be based on offender criminogenic needs, offender competencies, and identified risk factors."  (DVOMB Standards). 
  Below are a number of things to think about when you are Treatment Planning for Success:

Pre-Treatment-Planning Questions:
  Before you try to work on your Treatment Plan, please try and answer these questions:


1. What are some of your Strengths that are helping you get through this DV Treatment Successfully?  Everyone has strengths.  What are some of your strengths?
  (Examples: Loyal, Respectful, Trustworthy, Faithful, Hard Worker, Sensitive, Good Parent, Great Partner......


2. What are your Criminogenic Needs?  Do any of the items on this list seem to relate to you:  (If I have one of these, these are things to work on in my Treatment Plan.)

“Criminogenic Needs are factors in a [justice-involved individual's] life that are directly related to recidivism. Research has identified six factors that are directly related to crime: low self-control, anti-social personality, anti-social values, criminal peers, substance abuse and dysfunctional family” (Source).

• Criminal History; History of Low Self Control:
• Education (truancy, Low IQ, Learning Disorders, Suspensions/Expulsions) – Poor Grades.  Dropped out.
• Employment Issues: Typically does not have a job.
• Financial Issues / Irresponsibility:
• Dysfunctional Family / Marital: Family of Origin History.
• Accommodation: Are you lacking a place to live?  (For an Alternative View: Do you tend to just go along with the crowd no matter what they do?)
• Leisure /Recreation: Not enough vacation time or rest time. 
• Anti-Social Companions:
• Alcohol / Drug Problems:
• Emotional / Personal / Psychological Challenges:
• Anti-Social Attitude / Orientation:
• Anti-Social Personality Pattern:

3. What are your DV Risk Factors?  Which ones of the Risk Factors below apply to you and/or your Offense?  (From the DVRNA)   (If I have any one of these, I might be more likely to Re-Offend; unless I make some changes to the way I think and behave.)

 -- Domain A: Prior domestic violence related incidents

• 1.            Prior to the current DV Offense, have you ever had a Domestic Violence conviction or deferred sentence?   (Critical Risk Factor—Level C)
• 2.            Have you ever had a Violation of an order of protection (documented violation)?  (Level B minimum)
• 3.            Have you ever had, or do you have a Civil Domestic Violence related protection order against you?  (Level B minimum)
• 4.            Have you ever been arrested for domestic violence?  (Level B minimum)  
• 5.            Have you had prior domestic violence incidents that were not reported to criminal justice system?  (Level B minimum)

-- Domain B: Drug or alcohol abuse

• 1.            Have you had any substance abuse/dependence within the past 12 months?  (Level B minimum)
• 2.            Do you have a history of substance abuse treatment within the past 12 months or 2 or more prior drug or alcohol treatment episodes during lifetime?  (Level B minimum)
• 3.            Do you use illegal drugs?  (Level B minimum)

 -- Domain C: Mental health issue

• 1.            Do you have an Existing Axis I or II Mental Health diagnosis (excluding V codes)?  Have you ever been told by a professional that you have this?  (Level B minimum)  
• 2.            Do you have a personality disorder with anger, impulsivity, or behavioral instability?  Have you ever been told by a professional that you have this?  (Level B minimum)
• 3.            Do you have severe psychopathology?  Have you ever been told by a professional that you have this?  (Level B minimum)
• 4.            Recent psychotic and/or manic symptoms?  Have you been told by a professional that you have this?    (Level B minimum)
• 5.            Psychological/psychiatric condition currently unmanaged?  Have you been told by a professional that you have this?  (Level B minimum)
• 6.            Noncompliance with prescribed medications and mental health treatment?  If you have been prescribed Psychiatric Medications, have you taken them as directed? (Level B minimum)
• 7.            Are you exhibiting symptoms that indicate the need for a Mental Health evaluation?  Do you feel that you need a Mental Health Evaluation?  (Level B minimum) 

 -- Domain D: Suicide/homicidal 

• 1.            Have you had serious homicidal or suicidal ideation/intent within the past year?  Have you thought seriously about killing your self or anyone else within the past year? (Level C)
• 2.            Have you thought about Suicide in the past 12 months?
• 3.            Have you made threats to kill anyone within the past 12 months?
• 4.            Has the Victim accused you of making threats of harming or killing her / him?

 -- Domain E: Use and/or threatened use of weapons in current or past offense or access to firearms

• 1.            Is there a Gun in your home that is in violation of a civil or criminal court order? (Level C)
• 2.            Have you used or threatened to use weapons (of any kind) in current or past offense? (Level C)
• 3.            Do you currently have access to firearms?

 -- Domain F. Criminal history-non-domestic violence (both reported and unreported to criminal justice system). This domain applies only to adult criminal history.

• 1.            Were you on community supervision (Probation or Parole) at the time of the offense? (Level C)
• 2.            Have you ever before been arrested for assault, harassment, or menacing.
• 3.            If so, how many times?
• (Level B minimum if 2 or more.)
• 4.            Do you have any prior non-domestic violence convictions?
• 5.            Have you ever had a violation of conditional release or community supervision (i.e., violated probation or parole)?
• 6.            Have you ever in the past assaulted strangers or acquaintances?
• 7.            Have you ever been accused of animal cruelty or animal abuse?

 -- Domain G: Obsession with the victim? 

• 1.            Have you been accused of stalking or monitoring the victim in this DV offense?
• 2.            Do you have a tendency to obsess over the victim?  Or Have you been jealous over the victim in the past?  Or Would you describe yourself as having a  potential for violence toward the victim?  Or Do you find that you are consistently jealous of the victim?

 -- Domain H: Safety concerns

• 1.            Has the victim indicated that she/he is concerned for her/his own safety?
• 2.            Does your victim indicate that she/he believes that you are capable of killing her?
• 3.            Do you or did you tend to control most of the victim’s daily activities?
• 4.            Did you try to “choke” victim?  Did the victim accuse you of trying to choke her/him?
• 5.            Do you feel that the physical violence between you and the victim is increasing in severity?
• 6.            Have you ever forced the victim to have sex when not wanted?  Did the victim accuse you of doing this?
• 7.            Was the victim pregnant at the time of the offense?  If so, were you aware of this?
• 8.            Have you been accused of abusing the victim  previously during Pregnancy?

 -- Domain I. Violence and/or threatened violence toward family members, including child abuse (does not include intimate partners) 

• 1.            Have you any Current or past Social Services or DHS case(s)?
• 2.            Have you assaulted family members in the past?
• 3.            Were children present during the offense – Were they on the property?

 -- Domain J: Attitudes that support or condone spousal assault.                                    

• 1.            Would you say that you explicitly endorse attitudes that support or condone intimate partner Assault?  Do you talk about your violence toward the victim in an approving or justifying way?
• 2.            Would you say that you endorse attitudes that support or condone intimate partner assault?

 -- Domain K: Prior completed or noncompleted domestic violence treatment            

• 1.            Have you begun or completed DV Treatment in the past – prior to this offense?

 -- Domain L: Victim separated from offender within the previous six months   

• 1.            Were you and the victim separated within the past 6 months?

 -- Domain M: Unemployed

• 1.            Are you currently Unemployed – but not retired, on public assistance, a student, or supported as the homemaker by your partner?

 -- Domain N: Involvement with people who have pro-criminal influence 

• 1.            Would you say that you have some criminal acquaintances in your life?
• 2.            Would you say that you have some criminal friends in your life?

4. Core Competency Areas in need of Improvement:  Below is a basic list of the DVOMB Core Competencies for DV Offender Treatment.  Can you think of any of these that you have not yet mastered?

• A. Abusive behavior elimination               
• B. Empathy                        
• C. Offense & Abusive history                      
• D. Power & Control behaviors                
• E. Accountability                              
• F. Consequence acceptance                       
• G. Participation & cooperation in treatment                       
• H. Defines types of domestic violence                    
• I. Personal pattern of violence                   
• J. Intergenerational violence effects                       
• K. Communication skills                
• L. Time-out use                
• M. Financial responsibility                           
• N. Eliminates all forms of violence and abuse                      
• O. Weapons prohibitions                             
• P. Cognitive distortion identification & challenge                              
• Q. Parenting skills                            
• R. DBT (Dialectic Behavioral) skills                            
• S. Healthy Sexuality

  *** Please Click Here to Complete Your Treatment Planning WorkSheet. ***

(Previously published on 9/11/2020)

 (c. 2020, William T. Beverly, Ph.D., LCSW, All information on the Blog (Except where otherwise noted); are the intellectual and/or photographic and/or digital property of Dr. William T. Beverly, L.C.S.W., DVOMB Approved Offender Treatment Provider.).