State of North Carolina FY 2007 RSAT 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 North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety will administer the FY 2007 RSAT funds through the Department of Correction - Division of Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Programs to establish a long-term residential treatment program at the Polk Youth Institution in Butner, North Carolina. The Polk Youth Institution is a medium custody prison specifically housing offenders aged eighteen to twenty-five years of age. This program will establish dedicated housing for a total of sixty to sixty-four treatment beds and will offer effective substance abuse treatment interventions in a prison setting that is committed to the safety and well-being of all staff and offenders involved. The substance abuse curriculum to be used is known as 'A New Direction' and follows a therapeutic community model where participants actively take part in a positive and supportive community setting to learn pro-social norms and values. Housing will be separate and apart from the general prison population and participants will undergo random and routine drug testing throughout the program. The length of the program will follow RSAT guidelines and last from six to twelve months at the end of the offender's sentence. Completion of the program and release from prison will be coordinated to occur simultaneously, whenever possible, to insure offenders do not return to the general prison population. Furthermore, post-release planning and referrals for continuing care services will remain an essential component of this RSAT program.

NCA/NCF