What are the most effective ways to build MI capacity in criminal justice settings?

1 Assess your needs

Before you invest in any MI training or development program, you need to assess the current level of MI knowledge, skills, and attitudes among your staff. You can use various tools, such as the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) scale, the Motivational Interviewing Knowledge Test (MIKT), or the Motivational Interviewing Self-Efficacy Scale (MISES), to measure how well your staff can apply MI principles and techniques. You can also conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups to understand the barriers and facilitators of MI practice in your setting. Based on the results, you can identify the gaps and priorities for your MI capacity building plan.

2 Choose your training method

There are different ways to provide MI training to your staff, depending on your budget, time, and resources. You can opt for face-to-face workshops, online courses, webinars, or self-study materials. However, research shows that the most effective way to learn MI is through a combination of didactic instruction, practice exercises, feedback, and coaching. Therefore, you should look for training programs that offer not only the theoretical foundation of MI, but also the opportunity to practice MI skills with real or simulated clients, receive constructive feedback from experts or peers, and access ongoing coaching or supervision.

3 Create a learning community

One of the key factors that influence the retention and transfer of MI skills is the organizational culture and climate. If your staff feel supported, valued, and motivated to use MI in their work, they are more likely to sustain and improve their MI practice. Therefore, you should create a learning community that fosters MI values and principles among your staff. You can do this by forming MI learning groups or networks, where your staff can share their experiences, challenges, and successes with MI, and learn from each other. You can also invite external MI experts or mentors to join your learning community and provide guidance and inspiration.