Update: As of November 25th, 2020, Choices anticipates we will continue to do check-ins by phone through the end of July 2021.
**As of Monday July 20th, 2020 all monthly monitoring check-ins for diversion and probation clients will take place BY TELEPHONE only, until further notice.
Policy Regarding Missed Appointments and Makeup Appointments
(Updated 4/1/2021)
Consider your scheduled monthly monitoring appointments as pre-standing obligations. Each client is expected to call Choices to check in on the date and time set up during the first orientation meeting at the beginning of the supervision period. This meeting time remains the same throughout the course of supervision.
** Choices will make exceptions on an as-needed basis for documented emergencies **
What is NOT an emergency:
Oversleeping
Forgetting
Unexpected work hours
Broken/missing cell phone
Preferring another date or time
Travel/transportation issues
Other appointments elsewhere (unless relevant to an emergency situation)
If you miss a meeting for a non-emergency:
You will still be expected to call and schedule a makeup meeting according to the monitor’s availability. A makeup meeting does not negate the initial missed appointment that should have taken place. Each client is allowed TWO missed/rescheduled meetings over the course of their supervision period. Missed meetings without a makeup meeting will be noted as a violation of the terms and conditions of supervision, and will be referred on to the Court of jurisdiction. A THIRD missed appointment, regardless of past makeup meetings will be noted as a violation of the terms and conditions of supervision, and will be referred on to the Court of jurisdiction. Each client must return to the normal, scheduled appointment times after a missed appointment, even if the makeup appointment is very close to the regular appointment on the calendar.
**These rules are retro-active- if you already have two missed/rescheduled meetings, you are not allowed further exceptions.**
If you find that the date and time of your monitoring check in no longer works, you will need to work with the Choices team to lock in a new check in timeslot based on the monitor’s current availability. This new date/time will replace the original for the remainder of your supervision period, and will not be changed again without very specific reasoning as to why it must be moved a third time, and it cannot be changed again beyond that point.
Alternate email address monitoring clients are welcome to use;
choices.monitoring@gmail.com
Lawrence office check-ins are on Thursdays, and by appointment only.
General Monitoring Information:
Once the judge has passed sentencing, the terms for diversion or probation are set; successful compliance with these terms is essential for the individual to move forward.
The defendant placed on diversion or probation is instructed by the Court to present to the monitoring agency within a specific time frame. In a first individual meeting with a diversion/probation supervisor, the client will learn exactly how to successfully satisfy Court mandates.
We realize many individuals struggle in their efforts to fully comply with all terms set forth in their diversion contract or probation terms. While the orders of the judge cannot be altered by the monitoring agency, at Choices we believe if the individual is fully aware of not only the requirements but also of the consequences should they fail to abide by the Court's expectations, they tend to be far more successful and leave their monitoring period behind without difficulty.
Generally, an individual on probation or diversion will be required to submit to monthly check-ins with their monitor, comply with requests for random drug and alcohol urine screening (to document maintained abstinence while under Court supervision), remain free from further negative legal interaction, maintain consistent employment or school attendance, and alert their assigned monitor of changes of address, telephone number and employment. Other specific requests of the Court may also be noted in the individual's diversion agreement or probation orders. At Choices we make a deliberate point to spend time with each monitoring client in order to assure the individual's questions are answered thoroughly and that potential areas of difficulty are addressed as soon as possible in order to ensure successful release from supervision.
We realize many individuals struggle in their efforts to fully comply with all terms set forth in their diversion contract or probation terms. While the orders of the judge cannot be altered by the monitoring agency, at Choices we believe if the individual is fully aware of not only the requirements but also of the consequences should they fail to abide by the Court's expectations, they tend to be far more successful and leave their monitoring period behind without difficulty.
Generally, an individual on probation or diversion will be required to submit to monthly check-ins with their monitor, comply with requests for random drug and alcohol urine screening (to document maintained abstinence while under Court supervision), remain free from further negative legal interaction, maintain consistent employment or school attendance, and alert their assigned monitor of changes of address, telephone number and employment. Other specific requests of the Court may also be noted in the individual's diversion agreement or probation orders. At Choices we make a deliberate point to spend time with each monitoring client in order to assure the individual's questions are answered thoroughly and that potential areas of difficulty are addressed as soon as possible in order to ensure successful release from supervision.
