Coordination of substance abuse treatment activities in delaware is easier in comparison to other states because of delawares unified corrections system

The Executive Office of the Governor of Delaware, operating as the Criminal Justice Council (CJC), received a $243,862 Formula Grant award under the U.S. Department of Justice's Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program (CFDA 16.593). The grant funding supports three key initiatives in Delaware's Department of Correction and Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families:

1. Providing a portion of maternal residential secure housing for qualified incarcerated mothers, which allows them to keep their newborn infants while serving their sentence and receive integrated treatment for co-occurring substance use and mental health issues.

2. Supporting an RSAT case manager to provide intensive pre-release, in-custody, and post-release clinical services and coordination for inmates with substance use and mental health needs.

3. Contracting with a community provider to offer an additional certified alcohol and drug counselor or licensed mental health professional to assist with transition planning and provide ongoing treatment services for justice-involved youth at the Ferris School for Boys detention facility.

The CJC serves as Delaware's designated State Administering Agency and oversees the implementation of these RSAT grant-funded programs and services across the state's correctional and juvenile justice systems.

There are no local jails. Placement in treatment programs in delaware is either court ordered, voluntary, or through classification by the agencies involved. Inmates attend groups, seminars, and maintain treatment plans. Treatment plans are designed for each individual and address needs such as mental health, education, and work skills. The 2023 rsat grant intends to fund three important programs in delawares department of correction and youth rehabilitative services:(1)the rsat 2023 funding intends to provide a portion of maternal residential secure housing for qualified mothers that are involved in the department of correction. Maternal residential secure housing is considered an alternative to the traditional placement plan, allowing mothers a supportive environment during their pregnancy, and enabling mothers to keep their newborns while serving their sentence. Grant funds will integrate clinical work with CO-occurring substance abuse and mental health issues for mothers and their infants in the program. A secure residential house is used to provide a protective environment for the newborn and enable the mother and child time to bond. (2)rsat funding intends to support an rsat case manager in the department of correction. Grant funds will integrate clinical work with CO-occurring substance abuse and mental health issues for inmates prior to, during, and post-release. The rsat case manager will be responsible for maintaining a caseload for intensive follow-up and coordination with their clients to facilitate successful outcomes. (3)rsat funding also allows DSCYF to contract with an existing community provider to offer an additional certified alcohol and drug counselor or a licensed mental health professional with substance abuse experience. This staff person assists in the rsat transition planning for youth in ferris school for boys, a level V detention facility. The program, seven challenges, provides a continuum of intervention for justice-involved youth needing ongoing treatment services or relapse intervention. Local training for DSCYF staff may also be made available as needed. Specifically, when new staff who will work directly with ferris residents are brought in, they must undergo a 3-hour orientation training about the seven challenges program. The delaware criminal justice council (CJC) is the applicant/fiscal agent for rsat and subgrants to the department of correction (DOC) and department of services for children, youth and their families (DSCYF). The CJC is the state administrative agency (SAA) in delaware and approves plans developed for the rsat program, as well as most criminal justice grant programs in the state. Council membership includes the commissioner of correction, chief of the bureau of prisons, director of dyrs and secretary of health and social services to represent the needs of adult and youth offenders.