Arizona faces a critical link between substance abuse and recidivism, with approximately 65 percent of the inmate population requiring treatment

The Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission $429,688 on October 1, 2025, under the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners program (CFDA 16.593) to fund the Arizona RSAT Program through September 30, 2029.

The award funds four treatment intervention areas. Pretrial substance use disorder treatment programs incorporate periodic and random urinalysis and other proven drug and alcohol testing. Residential treatment in prisons lasts six to twelve months for inmates with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders using a cognitive-behavioral approach. Residential jail treatment programs run at least three months with early identification, screening, and mandatory periodic and random urinalysis. Post-release programs provide treatment to offenders for up to one year following release from state or local facilities.

The program targets Arizona's documented challenge: approximately 65 percent of the state's inmate population requires substance abuse treatment, with a recidivism rate of 68 percent within three years post-release for offenders with untreated substance use disorders in Maricopa County. Co-occurring mental health disorders affect 75 percent of this population. Work is performed in Phoenix, Arizona. The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, operating as Arizona Corrections Support, administers the award as the state's central administering agency for federal criminal justice funds.

In maricopa county, the recidivism rate for offenders with untreated substance use disorders is at 68 percent within three years post-release. Despite the proven effectiveness of substance use treatment interventions, state resources remain inadequate to meet the demand for integrated treatment that addresses both addiction and the 75 percent rate of CO-occurring mental health disorders among this population. The primary objective of the arizona rsat program is to disrupt the cycle of substance abuse addiction and recidivism by providing treatment strategies that bridge the GAP between incarceration and community reentry. The arizona criminal justice commission (ACJC) rsat program achieves this through four areas: pretrial SUD treatment programs with periodic and random urinalysis and other proven reliable forms of drug and alcohol testing; residential treatment programs in prisons lasting 6 to 12 months for inmates with CO-occurring substance use and mental health disorders utilizing a cognitive-behavioral approach; residential treatment programs in jails of at least three months emphasizing early identification and screening with mandatory periodic and random urinalysis and other testing; and post-release programs providing treatment to offenders for a period not to exceed one year after release from a state or local facility.