Improving Reentry for Adults with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Illness

The Improving Reentry for Adults with Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Program is designed to improve access to and delivery of services to offenders with co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness when they leave incarceration to reenter the community. BJA recognizes that a significant number of these adult offenders are in need of treatment in order to successfully complete their supervision, which in turn will reduce recidivism and promote public safety. Coordination among corrections, substance abuse and mental health treatment providers, correctional health, and parole or probation enables the development of collaborative comprehensive case plans that address criminogenic risk, substance abuse, and mental health needs.

The purpose of the program is to increase corrections systems’ ability to address the needs of offenders with co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness in order to reduce recidivism, and improve public safety and public health.

The focus of the Improving Reentry for Adults with Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Program is to provide standardized screening and assessment; collaborative comprehensive case management; and pre-and post-release programming that address criminogenic risk and needs, including mental illness and substance abuse.

The recipient will utilize grant funds for the Kansas City Second Chance Reentry Program. The objective of this program is to reduce recidivism in Regional Correctional Center and to provide services to incarcerated individuals who are ready to re-enter the community who have a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health diagnosis having scored moderate or high on the Ohio Risk Assessment System.

CA/NCF