COSSUP Jails/Prisons, Reentry, and Courts Support Center

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that the rate of substance use disorders (SUD) among people who are incarcerated may be as high as 65%. Jails and prisons are constitutionally obligated to provide needed health care for inmates in their custody. However, the provision of healthcare within carceral systems is widely variable. Short lengths of stay and unpredictable release dates create significant challenges as jail staff attempt to screen and assess the health status of individuals and provide treatment with little to no access to their medical history. In 2021, the weekly turnover rate in local jails nationwide was 42%, with individuals spending an estimated 33 days in custody before release. Drug or alcohol intoxication deaths in custody quadrupled from 2000 (37 deaths) to 2019 (184 deaths).  Drug or alcohol intoxication has accounted for an increasing share of deaths in local jails over time. It accounted for 15% of all deaths in 2019 (the latest available data).  Without treatment, individuals are at increased risk of an overdose when they leave incarceration.

Through the COSSUP Jails/Prisons, Reentry, and Courts Support Center, Rulo Strategies LLC will provide comprehensive and individualized training and technical assistance to address the needs of jails/prisons, reentry, and community corrections. Rulo Strategies, in partnership with national partners and internal and external subject matter experts, will support local and regional jails, prisons, and their partners as they seek to establish comprehensive approaches to treating individuals with substance use disorders pre-release. Equally important, Rulo Strategies will work with community corrections and community-based partners to continue treatment services and recovery support services upon release to the community through the provision of universal, targeted, and tailored training and technical assistance. Rulo Strategies’ project partners include the National Sheriffs’ Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, the Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executives’ Association, CNA, the American Probation and Parole Association, and the National Center for State Courts. This network will provide integrated, flexible, and multi-disciplinary technical assistance responsive to the field’s needs. Technical assistance will be provided through in-person support and distance learning strategies, including webinars, podcasts, virtual communities of practice, and e-learning.

The cornerstone of Rulo Strategies’ work is facilitating the development and growth of partnerships to improve public safety and public health outcomes for justice-involved individuals with behavioral health needs. Rulo Strategies provides a full range of consulting, technical assistance, strategic planning, and program evaluation services focused on the intersections between courts, public safety, corrections, behavioral health, and public health.  Rulo Strategies’ work reflects a mix of national-scale projects and state and local work. Rulo Strategies currently supports five national training and technical initiatives.

This application is submitted under COSSUP-TTA-Category 1c (Jails/Prisons, Reentry, and Courts). The total funding requested is $3,495,212 million.