Family Based Prisoner Substance Abuse Treatment Program for Rutherford County Detention Center

The Second Chance Act (Pub. L. 110-199) provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of parents who are incarcerated as well as their families. Research has shown that children may benefit from maintaining healthy relationships with their incarcerated parents. Section 113 of the Second Chance Act authorizes grants to states, units of local government, and Indian tribes to improve the provision of substance abuse treatment within prison and jails and after reentry for inmates who have minor children and also includes outreach to families and provision of treatment and other services to children and other family members of participant inmates. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) will fund eligible applicants to plan, implement, or expand such treatment programs.

The Family-Based Prisoner Substance Abuse Treatment Program enhances the capability of states and tribes to provide substance abuse treatment for incarcerated parents; prepares offenders for their reintegration into the communities from which they came by incorporating reentry planning activities into treatment programs; and assists offenders and their communities through the reentry process through the delivery of community-based treatment and other broad-based aftercare services. Projects will provide prison-based substance abuse treatment and parenting programs for incarcerated parents of minor children, as well as treatment and other services to the participating offenders minor children and family members. Programming must be targeted to inmates with minor children and include services for these inmates, their minor children, and other family members. By law, no less that 5 percent of the funds available for the Family-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Program will be used for grants to Indian Tribes.

Rutherford County, North Carolina, through the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, will use funds to implement a Family-Based Prisoner Substance Abuse Treatment Program. The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office and collaborating partners will create and implement a 6-month continuum of care for inmates that provides 3 months of substance abuse treatment during incarceration and 3 months post-release. Participants will be referred by court personnel, jail administrators, TASC, and the Department of Social Services. Parkway Behavioral Health will serve as the treatment provider. The clinicians will use a Cognitive Behavioral program designed to address the needs of incarcerated populations and used by the North Carolina Department of Corrections. Inmates will participate in gender specific group sessions three days per week. Other evidence-based treatment practices will be used. The inmates' families will be screened, assessed and provided with treatments and services deemed appropriate for their needs. A case manager will be assigned to the inmates and will work closely with their families to help coordinate services and serve as liaison with partner agencies. Partner agencies will work with family members (children and adults) to help stabilize family and increase natural supports. Partners will also begin working with inmates prior to release to ensure a more seamless transition back into the community. Goals of this project are to create and implement a 6 month continuum of care for inmates and their families, reduce recidivism rate of target population, increase accountability of target population by addressing individual and family needs, provide evidence-based treatment, and increase the possibility for target population to obtain and maintain gainful employment and education (completion of GED and/or vocational training). The program will provide a supportive framework to help clients begin their recovery processes and promote long-term recovery.

CA/NCF