Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program

The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Formula Grant Program (RSAT) assists states and local governments in developing and implementing substance abuse treatment programs in state and local correctional and detention facilities. The RSAT Program also assists states and local governments in creating and maintaining community-based aftercare services for offenders who are released from institutionally based substance abuse programs. Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Formula Grant funds may be used to implement three types of programs. At least 10 percent of the total state allocation for FY 2007 shall be made available to local correctional and detention facilities (provided such facilities exist) for either residential substance abuse treatment programs or jail-based substance abuse treatment programs as defined below.

The New Mexico Department of Public Safety (DPS) will use the FY 2007 RSAT grant award to support and improve their Therapeutic Community (TC) services in four new programs at one state facility and three private facilities. These expansions increase the need for quality improvement monitoring, training for new staff, and coordination among programs. The DPS will also increase standardization and consistency in TC programming; implement new TC employee training; increase implementation of evidenced-based practices within the TC programs; integrate culturally sensitive practices and material related to cultural diversity into TC programming; and develop improved programming at a local county jail to assist parolees, sanctioned violators, and jail clients with substance abuse concerns. In addition, the local Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous volunteer community will be actively involved with providing meetings inside the TCs for those offenders with substance abuse issues. The DPS has ongoing quarterly meetings with the Hospital and Institution coordinators, regional coordinators and volunteers. The DPS also will fund a TC Quality Assurance Coordinator who will work at the Central Office. This individual will provide oversight of programs, quality improvement activities, technical assistance, contractual monitoring, and training to RSAT-designated TC programs.

NCA/NCF