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Community Parenting Alternative (CPA)

About

The Community Parenting Alternative (CPA) is a partial confinement program where eligible inmate participants reside in the community under electronic monitoring surveillance.

A sponsor is someone with whom the inmate resides at an approved address in the community. A Sponsor Support Guide (pdf) is available to assist the sponsor in understanding their important role. The Community Parenting Alternative Handbook (pdf) provides information for families to understand the Community Parenting Alternative and know what to expect from the inmate's participation. Each inmate participant is expected to follow the guidelines in the handbook (also available in Spanish (documento PDF de Adobe)).

CPA Transfers Can Be Terminated

Inmates under the CPA are bound by the infraction system rules and if there are violations of those rules, DOC Hearings Officers conduct hearings to adjudicate the behavior.

Inmates can be restricted to their home, required to participate in additional programs, or terminated from the program and returned to prison to serve the remainder of their sentence, in addition to any good conduct time lost as a result of the hearing. Good conduct time is afforded to each inmate at the time of incarceration to determine their early release date.

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Eligibility Requirements

The Community Parenting Alternative (CPA) program authorizes the Department to transfer inmates who meet the eligibility requirements to the community under electronic monitoring to serve up to the last 12 months of his/her prison sentence. Eligible inmates are supervised by a Community Corrections Officer. These cases are approved by a multidisciplinary screening committee made up of DOC staff, welfare staff, and other stakeholders.

The eligibility requirements are as follows:

  1. Incarcerated inmates are eligible for the Community Parenting Alternative if they meet all of the following conditions:
    • The incarcerated individual must not have any current convictions for a felony that is Classified as a sex offense or serious violent offense
    • The incarcerated individual has no current conviction for a violent offense, or where the incarcerated individual has a current conviction for a violent offense, they have not been determined to be a high risk to reoffend
    • The incarcerated individual must sign all release of information waivers to allow information regarding current or prior child welfare cases to be shared with the department or the court
    • The incarcerated individual is:
      • An expected parent, a parent with guardianship or legal custody of a minor child, or a biological/adoptive parent or stepparent with a proven, established, ongoing, and substantial relationship with a minor child that existed at the time of the current offense.DOC determines that such a placement is in the best interest of the child.
    • DOC reviews additional consideration factors when considering placement in the program, as listed in the CPA Screening Criteria (pdf).
  2. All 8 forms listed below, must be completed and signed by the CPA incarcerated individual for further consideration. Instructions are available.
  3. Submit your completed forms in one of the following ways:
    • Email completed forms to DOCPSAlternative@doc.wa.gov.
    • Submit completed forms to the inmate's Classification Counselor. (If you do not know who the inmate's Classification Counselor is, you may contact the DOC Headquarters mainline to obtain contact information. Please have the inmate's name and DOC Number readily available.)
    • Mail completed forms and associated documents to the Parent Sentencing Alternative Department at:

      FOSA/CPA Unit
      P.O. Box 41127
      Olympia, WA 98504-1127

      Write the Parenting Program Administrator's full name on the envelope to ensure it is routed properly.
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Sponsor Information

A sponsor is someone with whom the incarcerated individual resides at an approved address in the community. A Sponsor Support Guide (pdf) is available to assist the sponsor in understanding their important role. The Community Parenting Alternative Handbook (pdf) provides information for families to understand CPA and know what to expect from the incarcerated individual’s participation. Each participant is expected to follow the guidelines in the handbook (also available in Spanish (documento PDF de Adobe)).

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