2010 N.C. 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.

North Carolina will use the FY 2010 RSAT funds to establish a new long-term treatment program for 60 adult male offenders at the Dan River Prison Work Farm, located in Yanceyville, North Carolina. This program will serve adult males in a therapeutic community program designed to utilize a Cognitive Behavioral Intervention curriculum which will concentrate on: (a) inmate substance use; (b) criminal and addictive thinking; (c) education; (d) relapse prevention; (e) pro-social development; and (f) release and reintegration preparation needs prior to release to their home communities. Under the grant funds, the program will continue with additional services such as GED classes, vocational training, and job readiness preparation. Monitoring of the program participants after release from prison will continue for compliance with post-release recommendations.

The Division will continue to work collaboratively with statewide Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC)to support the program participants as they return to their home communities. TASC will provide case management referrals to address continuing care needs of the offenders within the community. The screening of offenders will be accomplished by the SASSI screening instrument which currently is in place throughout all Division of Prison diagnostic intake centers. Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities (TASC) will continue to be the post-release case managers for offenders returning to their home communities. The Division utilizes the Correctional Programs Assessment Instrument (CPAI) to determine effectiveness and integrity of the program model. Treatment plan goals and objectives will be monitored and revised as needed to ensure that progress on identified goals is accomplished.

NCA/NCF