Balay Trains BJMP Personnel on Psychosocial Processing

Quezon City – Balay Rehabilitation Center conducted a three day training on the topic of psychosocial processing for the therapeutic community (TC) practitioners of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) held at the Imperial Palace Suites, Quezon City last August 3 to 5, 2011.

Thirty two participants from various jails all over Luzon, including Inmate's Welfare and Development (IWD) Officers, Jail Wardens, and BJMP Psychologists, lead by J/SSUPT Amelia "Amy" Talento, Regional Director for Region 4-B, attended the training. J/SSUPT Nida Gacutan Ramos, DIWD National Director, gave the inspirational message for her subordinates and called to everyone to "keep the fire burning".

The primary goal of the activity was to develop a group of trainers among TC practitioners and equip them with skills on doing psychosocial processing. These trained people shall be integrated back to their respective divisions after the training and may re-echo whatever they have learned in the sessions. In the long term, this activity is hoped to provide the impetus for the formulation of an operations manual on the rehabilitation of detainees and prisoners.

The 3-day seminar was a culmination of different ideas, knowledge, point of views and experiences on TC processing and psychosocial intervention shared by each participant. Balay provided the materials to be discussed, from the conceptual framework of psychosocial intervention to the different methods and techniques that could be used. It instilled to them the importance of understanding the techniques of psychosocial intervention that even if they are not professional psychologists, they would be able to handle the cases of their inmates. The activity served as a stepping stone for those who have just started their service as officers and an eye opener to those who have not fully embraced their profession.

The participants are expected to re-echo what they have learned in the training to their fellow officers in their respective jails – training other personnel in the process and thus having a "multiplier effect".

The Balay community congratulates the participants for a successful activity.