Coordination of substance abuse treatment activities in delaware is easier in comparison to other states because of delawares unified corrections system; there are no local jails

The U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $180,830 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program formula grant (CFDA 16.593) to the Criminal Justice Council (CJC) of Delaware. This four-year grant, effective from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2028, will fund three key initiatives within Delaware's Department of Correction (DOC) and Youth Rehabilitative Services (YRS) to address substance use disorder (SUD) among incarcerated individuals.

Specifically, the grant will support: 1) Maternal residential secure housing for qualified mothers with SUD, enabling them to keep newborns while serving their sentences and receive integrated clinical treatment for co-occurring SUD and mental health issues; 2) An RSAT case manager within DOC to provide intensive follow-up and coordination for inmates before, during, and after release to facilitate successful outcomes; and 3) A certified alcohol and drug counselor or licensed mental health professional to assist with RSAT transition planning for justice-involved youth at the Ferris School for Boys detention facility, incorporating family involvement. The CJC, as the state administrative agency, will oversee the administration of these RSAT-funded initiatives across Delaware's correctional system.

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 2024 rsat grant intends to continue funding three important initiatives in delawares department of correction (DOC) and youth rehabilitative services (YRS) that work within the larger context of services for individuals struggling with substance use disorder (SUD): DOC intends to continue providing a portion of maternal residential secure housing for qualified mothers with SUD 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 with SUD 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. DOC 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. YRS intends to continue the department of services for children, youth, and their families 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 (7C), provides a continuum of intervention for justice-involved youth needing ongoing treatment services or relapse intervention. Local training is made available for new staff who will work directly with ferris residents. They must undergo a 3-hour orientation training about the seven challenges program. 7C also incorporates family involvement to strengthen bonds between incarcerated youth and their familial ties. 90% of the rsat grant goes to DOC and YRS. The remaining 10% is used for administration purposes by the delaware criminal justice council (CJC), who serves as the applicant and fiscal agent for rsat. The CJC is the state administrative agency (SAA) in delaware and approves plans developed for the rsat program, in addition to most other 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.