John Howard Society of Ottawa - Kirkpatrick House       CSC Bed Contracted: 18

Executive Director: Don Wadel
House Director: Scott Hole
Address: 591 MacLaren Street, Ottawa, On. KlR 5K8
Telephone: (613)-236-3077 Fax: (613)-594-8874
E-Mail: jhskirk@web.net

History: Operated by the John Howard Society of Ottawa, Kirkpatrick House has been in operation since December 1978. The house was named after Mr. A.M. Kirkpatrick, the former Executive Director of the John Howard Society of Ontario, and the first Executive Director of the John Howard Society of Canada.

Description: Kirkpatrick House was built in l900, a spacious three-story building situated in a residential area of central Ottawa. The area provides easy access to public transportation, and is within walking distance of the Y.M.C.A., Canada Manpower, and the main core area of the city. The house has an 18-bed capacity, with 4 single rooms and 7 double rooms. There is a TV room, a leisure room, a workshop and a kitchen/dining room for use by residents. A part-time cook prepares dinner meals Monday to Friday, with the residents preparing all other meals.

Residents Accepted: Target residents are adult males released from Federal penitentiaries in preparation for full release into the community. This includes Day Parolees and those with Temporary Absence passes and full Parolees who require a period of adjustment in a moderately structured home-like environment. Potential residents must be willing to seek and maintain employment and/or education.

Exclusions: Applicants who require specialized medical, physical, psychiatric or substance abuse treatment.

Admission Procedure: Those wishing to make application with Kirkpatrick House, should write the CRF directly. Once a community assessment has been requested, a recommendation regarding acceptance, will be completed by a Community Assessment Team.

Staff: Kirkpatrick House has a staff compliment of 13, including a House Director, an Office Manager, 3 Case Workers/Night Supervisors, a part-time Employment Counsellor, a part-time cook and 6 part-time Counsellors. All staff take pride, as a working team, in their professionalism and their ability to assist federal offenders released to the House.

Program: Residents must maintain a number of rules, or else withdrawal of support from the House and/or possibly suspension of parole will ensue. Kirkpatrick House emphasizes employment and educational training. An Employment Counsellor is available to assist residents. Ongoing individual counselling is provided from all professional staff at the House. Referrals to other agencies/services will be made on request. Financial training is available for clients, as well as literacy services and bilingual services.

Institutions the Agency visits:

Joyceville     Millhaven         Pittsburgh

Frontenac     Warkworth     Bath Collins Bay

Choices: Substance abuse relapse prevention; four groups are provided per year, serving approximately 60 federal offenders. A supplementary community substance abuse relapse prevention program offers continuous intake and prepares clients for the closed format Choices groups. Funding is from Correctional Service Canada.

Counter-Point: A program for attitude and behaviour change; program elements include overcoming resistance to change, identifying and altering antisocial attitudes and behaviours, and relapse prevention. Four groups are provided each year, serving approximately 25 federal offenders, with funding from Correctional Service Canada.

Crisis Intervention: Finance, accommodation and treatment supports as well as referral brokerage. Approximately 640 voluntary clients are served each year with funding from UnitedWay/Centraide.

Early Intervention and Diversion: Provides an alternative to the formal court process for youth and adults. Counselling modules include anger and emotions management, attitudes awareness, and pro-social problem solving. Approximately 175 youth and adults are served each year, through finding from United Way/Centraide, with over 97% completing counselling requirements, resulting in charges being withdrawn.

Family Reintegration: Healthy relationships counselling and parenting education for non-abusive federally sentenced people and their partners. Funding is from Correctional Service Canada.

Growing Together: Support for women and children (6 to 12 years of age) affected by male violence and criminality. Approximately 20 women and 40 children are served each year with funding from the Department of Justice - National Crime Prevention Centre.

Hire Power: Assists clients to prepare for, find and maintain employment. Over 300 ex-offenders are served each year with binding from Human Resource Development Canada. Over 66% of clients found and maintained employment for at least 3 months.

Kirkpatrick House: A halfway house for federal parolees. Motivational and supportive counselling were provided to 84 parolees in 99/2000 with 98% completing their residency with no new criminal charges. Funding is from Correctional Service Canada.

Literacy: Individual tutoring by trained volunteers is provided to about 60 learners each year through funding by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Positive Steps: Counselling to address all forms of abuse against women. In 99/2000, 37 federal offenders participated in individual counselling with finding from Correctional Service Canada. Partner outreach is extended for women's safety and protection.

Pre-release Planning: A full-time worker assists offenders in the local detention centre to identify and access community resources to prepare for release. Funding is from the Ministry of Correctional Services.

Youth Employment: Information and referrals, employment planning and preparation, and workshops to promote finding and keeping employment for individuals between 16 and 24 years of age. Approximately 2,500 clients are served each year with 92% either gaining employment or returning to school or training. Funding is from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

CSC Liaison Office : Ottawa – (613)-996-7011

Revised June 2003