FY 2010 New York RSAT Program

The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program assists states and local governments to develop and implement substance abuse treatment programs in state and local correctional and detention facilities and to create and maintain community-based aftercare services for offenders. The goal of the RSAT Program is to break the cycle of drugs and violence by reducing the demand for, use, and trafficking of illegal drugs. RSAT enhances the capability of states and units of local government to provide residential substance abuse treatment for incarcerated inmates; 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. RSAT funds may be used to implement three types of programs: residential, jail-based, and aftercare. At least 10 percent of the total state allocation for FY 2010 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.

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, through the New York State Department of Correctional Services, will apply FY 2010 RSAT funding towards the salary of 17 substance abuse treatment professionals staffed at seven state correctional facilities (Marcy, Greene, Auburn, Clinton Annex, Collins, Groveland, and Mid-State). Staff will be tasked with delivering the state's standard curriculum for residential substance abuse programs, which is based on the therapeutic community model. The model enables otherwise isolated offenders to use the community to understand problems and limitations that lead to negative behavioral patterns and substance abuse. RSAT participants will continue to be housed in dedicated units separated from the general population, and will be subject to random drug testing. A comprehensive reentry strategy coordinated at the state and local levels will ensure a seamless transition from prison to the community, and the provision of ongoing services, to include further substance abuse treatment. Remaining funds will be sub-awarded as a part of the 10% pass-through requirement. To ensure compliance with RSAT reporting requirements, data on all participants, to include the date of program entrance, the date of program exit, and detailed exit reasons, will be captured.

NCA/NCF