FY 2009 Oregon Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Grant 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 2009 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.

In June 2008, the Governor transferred the State Administrative Agency responsibilities from the Oregon State Police (OSP) to the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) in an effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state and local criminal justice systems and the change will become permanent when the state legislature has given their final approval.

The two previously funded RSAT programs were successfully completed on June 30, 2008 and they provided residential substance abuse treatment for offenders currently incarcerated in State Department of Corrections prisons and in county and regional correctional facilities. With FY 2009 funds, CJC plans to combine them with the remaining amounts from the FY 2007 and FY 2008 to fund two new programs that will include residential substance abuse or jail based treatment components that identify the transition and post-incarceration treatment needs of adult and juvenile offenders. The programs are also expected to last between three and twelve months and will take part in the development of the offenders cognitive, behavioral, vocational, and social skills by helping them solve their substance abuse and related problems. The projected goals of the new programs are to: 1) enhance the capability of state and local agencies to provide residential substance abuse treatment for incarcerated inmates; 2) prepare offenders for reintegration into the community by incorporating reentry planning activities into treatment programs; 3) assist offenders and their communities through the reentry process through the delivery of both community-based treatment and other broad-based aftercare services; 4) provide aftercare services for the offenders transition back into the community; and 5) include evidence-based, innovative, and model promise practices.

NCA/NCF