Cuyahoga County Reentry for Adults with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders

The Second Chance Act of 2007 provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of people who are released from prison, jail and returning to communities, including resources to address the myriad of needs of these offenders to achieve a successful return to their communities. Section 201 of the Second Chance Act authorizes federal awards to states, units of local government, and Indian tribes to improve the provision of treatment to adult offenders in prisons and jails during the period of incarceration and through the completion of parole or other court supervision after release into the community.

The goal of Section 201 of the Second Chance Act is to provide support to eligible applicants for the development and implementation of comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by reentry to increase public safety and reduce recidivism. The objectives of this program are to provide offenders with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders with appropriate evidence-based services—including addressing individual criminogenic needs—based on a reentry plan that relies on a risk and needs assessment that reflects the risk of recidivism for that offender. Funds may be used for treating co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders in prison and jail programs, providing recovery support services, reentry planning and programming, and post-release treatment and aftercare programming in the community through the completion of parole or court supervision.

This program will identify inmates with co-occurring disorders, refer them to Mental Health Court, and link them to community treatment for mental and substance disorders. The program is a collaboration of three county agencies: MetroHealth Medical System (Psychiatry), public health; the County jail; and Murtis Taylor with a goal to enroll 175 dually diagnosed adults. Pre-release care will include medical management, standardized screening, and linkage to care; post-release services will include immediate mental health and level of care assessment, treatment planning, and mental health and substance abuse treatment. From the point of release, each participant will be connected to a nurse and a case manager who will coordinate their care and provide ongoing supportive services.

CA/NCF