Central Clinic - Court Clinic

909 Sycamore Street, 4th Floor
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-651-9300

Project Title
Alternative Interventions for Women Offenders
Grant Description
To start a program for women offenders with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders
Focus Area
Joint Substance Abuse/Severe Mental Illness\Criminal Justice
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$300,000
Year Awarded
2000
Grant Duration
24 months
Results

Central Clinic - Court Clinic met all of the grant objectives.

  • AIW screened 4,742 women for co-occurring disorders as part of pre-trial assessment.
  • AIW conducted in-depth assessments of 430 women identified during the screening as having co-occurring disorders.
  • AIW provided intensive day treatment and community integration services to 90 women and connected another 270 women to community treatment services.
  • AIW conducted an evaluation of the project.
  • AIW secured ongoing funding for continuation of the program.

AIW staff have made numerous presentations across the country including the National GAINS Conference in October 2002 and the National Institute of Corrections Conference in June 2003. AIW staff published an article about the program in the June/July 2002 issue of Women, Girls & Criminal Justice.   

The AIW program continues to bill Medicaid for services. The Hamilton County Probation Department authorized a third year of funding. Speaking of Women’s Health awarded grants in two consecutive years, 2002 and 2003. AIW staff continue to pursue other grant opportunities and possible funding through the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services and the Hamilton County Community Mental Health Board .

The AIW program was well implemented and is showing good outcomes. The program continues to operate after Foundation funds ended.

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Project Title
Court Clinic Substance Abuse Program Planning
Grant Description
To plan for integrated services that meet the needs of post-incarcerated adults with substance use disorders
Focus Area
Substance Use Disorders
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$27,000
Year Awarded
2008
Grant Duration
9 months

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Project Title
Off the Streets Planning Project
Grant Description
To explore best practices and plan intervention and diversion strategies for women with mental illness and substance use disorders charged with prostitution
Focus Area
Joint Substance Abuse/Severe Mental Illness\Criminal Justice
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$72,500
Year Awarded
2004
Grant Duration
12 months
Results In September of 2004 a team was created for the planning process. The team was an inter-system collaboration comprised of representatives from the city and county criminal justice systems, community treatment and social service providers, community members, neighborhood groups and survivors of prostitution.   During the planning process the team sought to broaden their collaborations and involve more community resources in the project.  The planning team will remain involved in the oversight and continued development of the implementation of the program.

A comprehensive literature review on prostitution and related issues was completed. Various topics related to prostitution were examined and detailed, as follows:

  • A number of the correlates of prostitution including: demographics, use of pimps, relationships between prostitutes, violence against prostitutes, STDs and AIDS, mental health, involvement in other crimes and a specific focus on drugs.
  • Male customers, interventions that targeted Johns, and policies
  • Intervention and treatment programs for women engaged in prostitution, including:
    • an analysis of treatment programs for women in general and for women with co-occurring disorders;
    • involvement of consumers, that is survivors of prostitution, in treatment/diversion programs as staff members and service providers
    • specific programming needs of prostitutes; and
    • a brief description of some intervention/diversion programs for prostitutes

The data from the literature review guided the development of the surveys, questionnaires and interviewing instruments that were used to collect data from women incarcerated, police officers, and women engaged in prostitution.

The planning team completed multiple research projects, including:

  • interviews with over 100 women incarcerated in the Hamilton County Justice Center and the Talbert House.  The goal of the interviews was to more accurately understand the issues that women face prior to, during and after their involvement in the criminal justice systems.
  • surveys with 54 Cincinnati Police Officers to get the beat cop’s perspective on females soliciting for prostitution
  • questionnaires were given to over 60 prostituted women to increase their involvement in the project and gain insight into how to better assist prostituted women in making positive changes, and
  • an examination of prostitution case files from court to learn more about the impact of prostitution on the criminal justice system and the systems response to prostitution.  Data was collected and analyzed on the charges filed, jail days served, jail classification, Talbert House treatment facility, and probation.

These projects revealed information about the women’s involvement in various forms of prostitution, childhood experiences, housing arrangements, education and employment history, substance abuse, mental and physical health, and experiences of physical and sexual assault.

The following intervention/diversion programs were reviewed:

  • SAGE (Standing Against Global Exploitation)
  • Sisters Offering Support
  • VERONICA’S Voice (Victims Exploited Recovering on Needed Individual counseling and Services)
  • PEERS (Prostitutes Empowerment, Education, and Resource Society

The research conducted by the planning team was used to develop an effective comprehensive intervention model to address the issues of prostitution. In addition the planning team received training and consultation from SAGE, the most comprehensive program that provides services specifically for prostituted individuals in San Francisco, CA.  In addition, fifteen members of the planning team conducted a site visit with SAGE.  They were able to meet with program staff as well as members of the San Francisco Police Department Crimes Against Prostitutes Unit and  District Attorney’s office to learn abut their John’s Program.  Some individuals also participated in various program services.  Based on all of the research, the planning team developed a program that addresses the needs of women and men who solicit prostitution.

Central Clinic wrote a business plan to implement a program to provide services for both the prostituted women and men who solicit prostitution.  Women will be engaged in a peer-driven program that provides comprehensive, non-traditional services for trauma recovery, substance, abuse, mental health, housing, healthcare, education, employment, and other identified needs.  Men will participate in an educational program about the risks and harms of prostitution.  The program to be implemented will involve a collaboration of service providers committed to providing effective wrap-around services. Cincinnati Union Bethel was selected as the lead agency for the implementation of the program.  The Anna Louise Inn was selected as the location for the implementation of the project.

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