Maine's rsat program objective is to break the cycle of drugs and violence by reducing the demand for, use of, and trafficking of illegal drugs among the state and local prison population

The Maine Department of Public Safety (DPS) was awarded a $185,947 Formula Grant from the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners program. The award will support Maine's RSAT program objectives to reduce demand for and use of illegal drugs among state and local prison populations through October 2026.

Specifically, DPS will provide oversight and coordination for either a residential prison- or jail-based substance abuse treatment program selected through a competitive process. Eligible applicants include the Maine Department of Corrections and county jails offering treatment services. Funded programs must meet Bureau of Justice Assistance requirements for drug and alcohol testing, coordination with state substance abuse agencies, evidence-based practices, opioid abuse reduction services, and community reintegration support for offenders upon release. The goal is to enhance access to treatment and reduce overdose deaths through state and local collaboration.

The rsat project is designed for both incarcerated inmates and jail-based treatment programs. To achieve this objective, maine department of public safety (DPS), through a request for proposal (RFP) process will make an award for either a residential prison or jail-based program. Eligible applicants will be the maine department of corrections (MDOC) and maine county jail facilities that offer substance abuse treatment services. The subgrantee program selected for funding will meet requirements established by the BJS solicitation as follows: description of how the requirements for a urinalysis and/or other proven reliable forms of drug and alcohol testing for program participants will be complied with; explanation of how the applicant will coordinate the design and implementation of treatment programs between state correctional representatives and the state alcohol and drug abuse agency (and, if appropriate, between representatives of local correctional agencies and representatives of either the state alcohol and drug abuse agency or any appropriate local alcohol and drug abuse agency); brief description of the effectiveness and science-based nature of existing treatment service(S)/practice(S); explanation of how funded programs will address the addition of opioid abuse reduction treatment and services; description of how the applicant will ensure that offenders who participate in the rsat program established or implemented with federal funds will be provided with community reintegration services; describe how the applicant will ensure that providers furnishing reintegration services are approved by the appropriate state or local agency, and are licensed, if necessary, to provide medical treatment or other health services; and explanation of how the state will coordinate rsat's design and implementation at the state and local levels and how IT will coordinate federal assistance for substance abuse treatment and reintegration services provided by the OBH. The maine DPS as the state administrative agency (SAA), will provide oversight for programmatic and fiscal grant operations of each subgrantee.