Corrections Concepts, Inc.

Habilitation House’s Food Service Program will be unique in concept, implementation and operation.  This program will have a three-fold purpose.

The first of these is to properly prepare meals and maintain health and sanitary conditions in the food service area (ACA 3-4303M, 3-4154, 3-4302M, 3-4153, 3-4306 and 3-4305M). This is maintained by seven (7) Food Service Supervisors operating seven days per week, twenty-four hours per day (ACA 3-4294).  Each one of the Food Supervisors' goal is to provide a balanced calorie diet of 2700 to 3000 calories per day per man for approximately 570 residents and one meal per day for about 113 staff members at 1000 to l200 calories per meal as required by ACA standards (ACA 3-4297M, 3-4298, 3-4309). Also, to provide all food, condiments and eating utensils in an organized fashion allowing for staff
and residents to be fully prepared to eat after one trip to each of the serving islands.  Also, offering choices comprising special diets for religious beliefs and those recommended by doctors (ACA 3-4299 and 3-4300).

The second of these purposes is to train residents during pre-employment phase in all food preparation job skills which can be utilized in the community upon release and important functions will be assigned to workers in the kitchen as cook, meat cutters, bakers, produce preparation, dining room and serving from the steam table, as well as general clean-up (ACA 3-4296 and 3-4295). In addition to maintaining security and cleanliness, Food Supervisors will also be patient, guiding and directing teachers of their accomplished skills. Food Service Supervisors will be expected to perform all services regardless of the availability of resident labor.

The third purpose is to teach and lay a foundation for mature and positive choice-making by the residents in preparation for much greater choices in the community upon release. This will be Offered by the use of the open-dining and group dining concepts (ACA 3-4307 and 3-4308). The Food Service will be implemented by the use of service "islands" consisting of hot buffet, soup and sandwich, salad, desserts, and beverages. The servery and dining room will open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. The menu will change from breakfast to lunch at ll a.m. and from lunch to dinner at 4:00 p.m. By their work, vocational school and counseling schedule, the residents will be permitted to eat what and when they want.  A self-serve soft ice cream machine would be available in the dining room about twice per week.  This concept is designed to teach positive choice-making, reinforce self-discipline, initiate organized scheduling of time, and emulate conditions the resident can expect in the community upon release.

On Saturdays and Sundays, the resident's family and visitors would be allowed to eat with him in the dining room, further preparing for reintegration and strengthening of family ties.

To help lower the barrier between resident and staff, there will be no staff dining room. All personnel would be expected to take their meals with the residents. This policy not only lowers barriers, but also contributes to the development of better social manners, cleaner language and higher levels of courtesy.

The therapeutic community includes vital support services coordination and it is the responsibility of the Unit Manager to serve as Program Team Captain. The total guidance impact team consists of the resident, his counselor (as Captain), his Housing Unit Supervisor, his Vocational Supervisor and the House Chaplain. Blending together in this bonding process, a compartmental success model is established to form an individualized treatment plan designed and aimed in the direction of total regeneration. An aftercare plan is completed prior to re-entry.

(ACA 3-4380, 3-4381, 3-4383, 3-4286, 3-4386, 3-4384, 3-4385, 3-4388, 3-4382)