According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, having a sense of purpose is one of the four major dimensions of recovery. Setting, striving toward and achieving goals can meet that need, and is a critical component of many pretrial monitoring and court compliance programs. Goals give participants a direction to follow and the motivation to work toward something. Given the importance of setting goals, all of Corrisoft’s tools come equipped with electronic monitoring and tracking technology that supports progress, allowing everyone to see where they are and where they’re going. Let’s dive into the ways our products can help with goal tracking.
What Are Proximal and Distal Goals?
There are two main types of goals that work in tandem to drive positive outcomes. Proximal goals are short term – small steps a person takes to achieve their distal goals, which are their larger achievements that take more time. Thinking in terms of sports, if your ultimate ambition (distal goal) is running a marathon, you may set proximal goals of running a 5K, 10K and half-marathon as part of your training. The small wins along the way make progress toward the bigger goal tangible, which ultimately increases the likelihood that a person will cross the 26.2-mile finish line.
For participants in court-ordered monitoring or community supervision programs, the concept is the same. If a person’s distal goal is completing their program with one year of sobriety, tracking proximal goals along the way – like attending recovery meetings, passing drug tests and participating in counseling sessions – creates “wins” in the process. Every effort serves as a stepping stone for the larger goal of completing their program.
How Our Tools Help
Corrisoft has several tools that both participants and administrators can use to meet and track goals. From devices to applications, our tools can be utilized in a variety of ways to meet the specific needs of each person in a pretrial services or court-ordered program. Whether it’s completing court-ordered or elective educational courses, conducting thorough check-ins or keeping track of where participants are, here’s how our tools can help.
Digital Goal Tracking and Reminders
AIR® Mobile and AIR Verify allow case managers to create and assign specific goals – like attending a counseling session or completing a training module – that appear on the participant’s daily dashboard. This provides a physical list of goals participants are tasked with reaching, which can help them find purpose and motivation each day. Additionally, there are programmable automated reminders to help participants stay on track with each task, providing extra support. Completion records are also logged and visible to both the participant and the supervising agency, allowing everyone to see where they started, how they’re progressing and where they’re going.
MaxxLMS Education
This cloud-based learning management system allows participants to take self-paced educational and skills-based courses. It offers classes in everything from anger management and family and community engagement to substance abuse and financial literacy education. Supervisors receive progress reports along the way, and participants can keep track of their progress and receive certificates upon completion. These features support both court-ordered services and elective educational goals.
Questionnaires and Self-Reflection Tools
While video and in-person check-ins are still needed, Corrisoft’s tools come equipped with some additional features to enhance these visits. Through AIR® Mobile and AIR Verify, administrators can craft and send personalized questionnaires to their participants. These are especially useful for participants who might not feel comfortable sharing something over the phone or in person. It gives them more privacy and time to sit and think through their answers and reflect on the progress they have made.
Making time for self-reflection can be a proximal goal on its own, but questionnaires can also help participants recognize wins they may not automatically give themselves credit for. By reflecting on the effort they’ve made to remain in court compliance, participants can take ownership of certain aspects of the process while you draw attention to goal completion – which can build momentum for larger goals.
Location and Attendance Verification
Although it may not be immediately apparent, GPS monitoring is an effective method for tracking goals. Here’s an example. A significant goal for many people in supervision programs is to secure and maintain employment. Location tracking ensures that participants not only make it to their jobs on time but are actually on site when they say they are (also allowing them to practice accountability).
And it’s not just limited to employment. Whether it’s education, treatment or community service, AIR’s GPS electronic monitoring confirms a participant’s presence at required locations and times. It provides everyone with records of compliance, using documented, data-backed proof of meeting their commitments.Secure Messaging and Support Network Integration
The AIR platform enables secure, two-way communication between participants and supervisors. Administrators can send encouragement, updates and next steps directly to the participant’s device – and the participant has the opportunity to engage back. These acts, although seemingly small to some, can serve as a powerful reinforcement for goal progress and completion, ensuring goals remain clear.
Progress Dashboards and Reports
Both participants and supervisors can access easy-to-read progress dashboards that compile completed activities, upcoming tasks and goal milestones in one place. Being able to see visual feedback reinforces achievement and provides an ongoing sense of accomplishment for the participant. Additionally, seeing the progress already made can serve as great encouragement for goal completion.
Pretrial Monitoring Tools That Drive Success
By achieving shorter-term goals, like being in the location they claim, and completing various check-ins and educational courses, participants are on the right track to meet their longer-term goal of completing their supervision program. With Corrisoft’s AIR platform and smartphone monitoring technology, reaching shared goals is possible while staying aligned with pretrial electronic monitoring, court-ordered services, and overall community corrections requirements.