Washington State - RSAT Jail and Prison Based Programming

The Washington State Health Care Authority Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) proposes to continue efforts under the Washington State Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (WA-RSAT) program, where we support jail and prison-based residential services at Jefferson County Jail, Island County Jail, the Washington State Corrections Center for Women, and the Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women. The purpose of the project is to provide evidence-based treatment and aftercare supports for incarcerated individuals who present with a moderate to severe diagnosis for substance use disorder.

Project activities include focusing on the individual’s substance use disorder and other behavioral health-related needs while developing the individual’s cognitive, behavioral, social, vocational, and other skills. All four WA-RSAT sites will create a therapeutic environment and provide evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment services for substance use disorder. This includes, but not limited to: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical-Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Seeking Safety, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Written Exposure Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, group therapy, and skill-building sessions.  Enhanced RSAT programming such as Art and Yoga and educational opportunities to support obtaining a high school diploma or GED are also to be provided at some, but not all, of the RSAT sites. 

Participants will be monitored for substance use through urinalysis, which provides a basis for assessing the individuals’ treatment progress or providing an opportunity to intervene, change or modify treatment plans. To support existing efforts to address opioid use disorder (OUD) in Washington State, HCA will contract with sites that have the capabilities to provide medications for OUD (MOUD) to individuals who have an OUD diagnosis. To ensure that individuals who participate in the RSAT program have access to SUD treatment, along with the full continuum of recovery support services upon release, all sites have robust connections to behavioral health agencies in their community to help ensure a warm and safe hand off to aftercare services, including the continuation of MOUD and case management services.

Access to immediate and ongoing care is critical in reducing repeat offenses and decreasing the costs of relapse, deteriorating health, and acute crisis care.  Providing better transition services to criminal legal system-involved individuals is an important first step in improving their lives. Some of the expected, long-term outcomes include reduced criminal recidivism, rates of reincarceration, relapses and overdoses.