The department of the attorney general will subcontract with the department of corrections and rehabilitation (DCR) to provide substance abuse-specific reentry services for male and female offenders…

The Department of the Attorney General in Hawaii received a $174,485 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Formula Grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (CFDA 16.593). The grant will be used to provide substance abuse-specific reentry services for male and female offenders at two correctional facilities in Hawaii - the Laumaka Work Furlough Center (LWFC) and the Women's Community Correction Center (WCCC). The grant will fund a 1.0 FTE substance abuse counselor position and potentially 2.0 FTE office services assistants, as well as general operating costs, to support the Bridge Program, which offers inmates with a history of drug and alcohol abuse the opportunity to continue their recovery in a structured treatment and work-release setting. The goal is to decrease recidivism and reduce relapse into drug or alcohol use among participants. The grant period runs from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2028.

The department of the attorney general will subcontract with the department of corrections and rehabilitation (DCR) to provide substance abuse-specific reentry services for male and female offenders who are eligible for release within 6 to 12 months. Grant funds will supplement operational costs for dcrs bridge program, a substance abuse, work-release, and reentry program for males at laumaka work furlough center (LWFC) and for females at the womens community correction center (WCCC). The bridge program offers inmates with a history of drug and alcohol abuse the opportunity to continue their recovery in a structured treatment and work-release setting. The project will serve as a transitional program for male and female offenders who have either graduated from one of the departments therapeutic programs, completed an intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment program, or completed an outpatient substance abuse treatment program while incarcerated. The training and development of dcrs substance abuse treatment services follow a statewide strategic plan. The plan aims to implement a system-wide, standardized assessment protocol to match offenders to appropriate levels of supervision and services by identifying level of service inventory-revised (LSI-R) risk factor severity and aligning IT with evidence-based practices in services. Programming will include individual and group counseling, relapse prevention, job development, life skills, family counseling and reunification, among other services. The program also works with participants to address their criminogenic needs. The project goals are to decrease the rate of recidivism and reduce the rate of relapse into drug or alcohol use. The project objectives are as follows: 90% of participants will have negative urinalysis test results while in the program; 85% of participants will successfully complete the program within one year of placement; 75% of participants will experience an increase in their overall post-test scores compared to their pre-test scores; 75% of graduates will develop an aftercare or transition plan; 75% of graduates will have a negative urinalysis test result during their first year on parole; and 75% of program graduates will not be convicted of a new crime during their first year on parole. Funds will be used to sustain a 1.0 FTE substance abuse counselor position for the mens program. If funding permits, funds will also be used to sustain 2.0 FTE office services assistants, one for each program site, and to support general operating costs, including but not limited to miscellaneous equipment, supplies/inmate education materials, and staff training. Approximately 158 inmates are anticipated to benefit from the grant funds.