Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program FY 2010 Formula Grant

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 Mexico Department of Public Safety (DPS) will use FY 2010 RSAT funding to support and improve the continuation of five therapeutic communities in the New Mexico prison system, and to expand a sixth therapeutic community from 24 beds to 48 beds at the Springer Correctional Facility. The DPS will also use funding to create a Native American Therapeutic Community program to be located at the Western Correctional Facility in Grants, NM. DPS will sub-grant an award to the New Mexico Corrections Department to implement the therapeutic communities program and use up to 10 percent of the award for management and administrative support for the RSAT program.

The overall Bureau strategy involves developing a viable network of TC programs, and significant networking with the Behavioral Health collaborative, community agencies, providers, and volunteer 12-step associations to assist in successful reentry and recidivism reduction. Therapeutic Community programs are well established and operate in all but one of NMCD institutions, both public and private. The RSAT programs operate within this overall network and are administered by the Addiction Services Bureau. NMCD RSAT supported programs follow guidelines for program length, substance abuse screening (Urinalysis or Saliva testing), and housing. Staff continues to receive training and implement curriculum in evidenced-based practices such as motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral approaches.

NCA/NCF