Residential Substance Abuse Treatment For State Prisoners

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 State of Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) will use FY 2010 RSAT funds to continue to support RSAT programs operating across the state. The Arkansas Department of Correction has 226 beds assigned for long-term substance abuse treatment (therapeutic community). These treatment communities are in three different locations across the state and include: (1) the Tucker Unit located in Jefferson County (male unit); (2) the Wrightsville Unit (which replaced the Benton Unit) located in Pulaski County (male unit); and, (3) the McPherson Unit located in Jackson County (female unit). The Department of Community Correction (DCC) has one project site which is the 50-bed Special Needs Unit located at the Southeast Arkansas Community Correction Center in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County (female unit).

The RSAT programs utilize the Modified Therapeutic Community (MTC) as the modality for treatment. The DFA will require all sub-recipients to create a positive peer culture that facilitates overall lifestyle changes by focusing on the substance abuse problems of the offender while developing cognitive, behavioral, social, vocational and other skills. Funds will be used to develop and implement pre-release aftercare programs designed to prepare offenders for reintegration into the community. The DFA will continue to require urinalysis testing for drugs and alcohol for offenders (or former offenders) while they remain in the custody of state/local government. The DCC will provide aftercare services for both DOC and DCC probationers and parolees. Aftercare will be provided as long as the offender is under community supervision. The effectiveness of the program will be determined by post-release aftercare and by evaluating efforts measured against recidivism.

NCA/NCF