UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS
College of Criminal Justice Education
MODULE in CA3 (Therapeutic Community Modality)
Course: CA 3
Course Title: Therapeutic Community Modality
Course Credits: 2 units
Contact Hours/week: 3 hours lecture/week
Prerequisite: Criminology 1/CA1
Course Description:
The course covers the study of therapeutic communities as an approach to rehabilitation of person
deprived of liberty (PDL).
Course Outcomes: At the end of the trimester, the students are expected to have:
1. Explain the therapeutic community model of counseling related to
treatment of PDL’s.
2: Apply the ethical standards and laws related to TC
3: Integrate relapse prevention and recovery programs
4: Explain the overall goals and objectives of the TC and identify the basic
components. Identify contributions made by forerunners of today's TC, describe distinctive
features such as language, "community as method" and rational authority.
5: Explain the role of abstinence in developing positive lifestyle changes. Develop an
understanding of the importance of a self-help group in maintaining abstinence.
6: Identify the importance of integrating social and psychological goals within the treatment
setting.
Module 4:
This module is an adaptation of the Therapeutic Community Curriculum of the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL LEARNING VERSUS DIDACTIC LEARNING
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:
Differentiate between social learning and didactic learning
Describe one way staff members can demonstrate the understanding of social learning
Identify the eight basic concepts that explain how the community-as- method approach
facilitates behavior change
Define self- help and mutual self- help
Describe one way staff members can demonstrate the understanding of self- help and mutual
self- help.
Instructional Materials:
PowerPoint slides
Resource Sheet
Teaching-Learning Activity/Lesson Proper:
Understanding Social Learning Versus Didactic Learning
Social learning: Learning that occurs by identifying with others and through participation,
observation, and interaction with others to change thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns.
Didactic learning: Learning new information through formal instruction (classes, seminars).
Didactic learning generally occurs as a one-way presentation of new information from an
“expert” to a “student.”
Community-as-Method
What distinguishes the TC from other treatment approaches is the use of the community as the
primary method of treatment to bring about positive prosocial and psychological changes in
individuals (the community-as-method approach). Major elements of the community-as- method
approach include the following:
The daily regimen and social milieu of the TC are designed to facilitate emotional
healing, social learning, and changes in behavior patterns and self- identity.
All community members (staff members and residents) create a social
learning environment.
This module is an adaptation of the Therapeutic Community Curriculum of the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment
TC residents experience being in a supportive familylike atmosphere that allows
them to heal emotionally and to change their lifestyles and self- identities.
Recovery occurs through interactions with peers and through the self- help and mutual self-
help learning processes.
See Resource Sheet #4-1 for a detailed list of the eight concepts of community-as- method.
TCA Staff Competency—Understanding and Promoting Self-Help and Mutual Help
Self-help: Each individual assumes primary responsibility for his or recovery. Residents
participate fully and contribute to the TC process to change their own behavior.
Mutual self-help: Residents assume responsibility for helping their peers recover and as a way
to reinforce and maintain their own recovery. Being part of a self- help and mutual self- help
learning community teaches residents to
Understand themselves
Take responsibility for their lives
Adopt the behaviors, attitudes, and values of healthy living.
Enhancement Activity/Outcome:
Recollection of the Past
Recall a situation in which they learned a valuable life lesson from peers, family members,
or classmates.
30 Minutes
What are the lessons you learned and the group of people from whom you
learned them?
Answers will be exchanged with others. Carefully read them.
What did you learn from the experience of the writer?
Journal Entry #4
This module is an adaptation of the Therapeutic Community Curriculum of the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment
1. Students are required to have one journal using excel. The design and format will be
dependent on the student provided it has all the elements required for this course. (Design
30 minutes and format is included in the assessment) Journals shall be shared with the instructor using
google drive to be updated every meeting.
2. Fourth Journal Entry shall answer the following questions:
a. What information from this module did you find most useful?
b. In what ways might you use this information in your role as TC staff member?
c. How are you feeling about your role in this training community?
Further Readings:
De Leon, G. (2000) Therapeutic Communities: Theory, Model and Method. New York: Springer
Publishing Company, Inc., 2000.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Preview on next activity:
Be prepared on topics previously discussed for online discussion
References:
This module is an adaptation of the Therapeutic Community Curriculum of the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment