Page 8 - CLH Foundation - Connected - Winter 2021

Pillars

of Justice

BRINGING INNOVATION AND SPECIALIZED
SUPPORT TO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

When CLH Developmental Support Services (CLH DSS) would otherwise find themselves alone in the court system.
took its new name, it reflected the wide breadth of services Says Vicky, “We work really well together – I bring ABA
CLH DSS provides, and their geographic reach across the and developmental sector knowledge where Courtney is
province. experienced and knowledgeable in justice and the court.”

The Community Networks of Specialized Care - Central East Vicky is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA)
(CNSC-CE) may not be as well known to our North Simcoe with extensive experience working with individuals with
community as other CLH adult services, but its impact is Developmental Disabilities and Dual Diagnosis, including 14
significant. The CNSC-CE provides support to adults who years’ experience working at both the Centre for Behaviour
have developmental disabilities with high support and Health Sciences (Mackenzie Health) and Surrey Place. ABA is
complex care needs. One focus is Dual Diagnosis Justice a scientific problem-solving approach that aims to produce
Coordination, which supports individuals who have come socially significant behavior changes –in this case, to help
in contact with the justice system to ensure they receive the individuals participate in court, whether they’re there as
supports they require. witnesses, victims of a crime or the accused. Vicky is also the
Coordinator of the Justice Clinic in partnership with Centre
The Clinical Justice Program was established in 2018 for Behaviour Health Sciences (Mackenzie Health)
as a collaboration between the Community Networks
of Specialized Care-Central East (CLH Developmental Courtney is the DDJC for Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge
Support Services) and Centre for Behaviour Health Sciences and Durham. In addition to her BA in Forensic Psychology
(Mackenzie Health) beginning with a dual role between and Masters in Criminology, she worked at Central East
the Dual Diagnosis Justice Coordinator and a Board Correctional Centre in the Psychology Dept., and the
Certificated Behaviour Analyst (BCBA). It has transformed Canadian Mental Health Association in Justice Services
into a larger clinical model of justice support for persons before joining the CNSC-CE in 2018, a few months before
with developmental disabilities who need comprehensive Vicky.
support to access the justice system.
The Justice Clinic (the first pillar) uses Applied Behaviour
The CNSC-CE Program Manager Marnie McDermott refers Analysis (ABA) as a tool to construct and implement
to the three parts of the Clinical Justice Program as the three individualized Justice Plans and Court Support Plans. The
pillars: The Justice Clinic, Adapted-Dialectical Behaviour goal of a Justice Plan is to build skills and behavior for the
Therapy (A-DBT) Justice Group and a CNSC-CE Justice App. individual to participate successfully. Court Support Plans
This synergistic model of support provides new pathways involve every person who has a court role during a trial with
for individuals to develop skills that lead them to successful recommendations and accommodations to ensure the
participation and equitable experiences in the courtroom. individuals can provide their evidence. Courtney and Vicky
have hosted workshops, seminars, and “lunch & learns” to
Wanting to learn more, we met with Dual Diagnosis Justice reach local agencies, community health practitioners and
Coordinators (DDJCs) Vicky Simos and Courtney Hutson courthouse professionals. Courtney says, “The real light
to get an even bigger picture. In their roles, they assist bulb moments come when you have an agency that has
individuals to prepare for all aspects of their court matters exhausted every option for support, and then they see the
using a variety of approaches, including Applied Behaviour positive benefit/change, and they come back with more and
Analysis (ABA). more referrals”.

Vicky and Courtney bring complementary skillsets and The second pillar, Adapted-Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
experience to their working partnership. They share a (A-DBT) is a form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which
commitment to finding ways of supporting individuals who is proven to work really well for adults with a developmental

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