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.

Funds will be used to implement the New Beginnings Improving Reentry for Adults with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Illness program. The goal of the program is to implement a systems integration approach to the pre- and post-release phases comprising of evidence-based treatment and services based upon individual risk, needs and responsivity to treatment that will break the cycle of criminal behavior, substance abuse, mental illness, and ultimately recidivism. This program will serve approximately 200 incarcerated offenders with co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness.

CA/NCF