Substance Abuse Treatment Expands Across Eight Alabama Prisons

Out in Alabama, Governor Kay Ivey has awarded $280,806 to the Alabama Department of Corrections to fund the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program in eight state jails for 12 months. These facilities include Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women and William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility.

The award targets substance use disorders and repeated involvement with the criminal justice system. The two factors feed each other and untreated addiction is a leading reason folks relapse after they get out. These residential programs interrupt that cycle while people are still in custody, when structure and supervision are at their strongest.

Ivey announced the funds as part of a broader state measure to fund addiction care. 

The Residential Program

The program is run by drug treatment staff within the prison system. For 12 months, participants receive a combination of education, counseling and drug testing to break the link between drug addiction and criminal activity.

Drug testing takes place throughout the program and for as long as a participant remains in ADOC custody. Recovery inside prison doesn’t guarantee recovery after release, so continued screening with counseling can keep co-occurring disorders in check.

Treatment Inside Prisons

Many people enter prison with untreated drug abuse disorders and mental health conditions that were never addressed. Without treatment during custody, release day becomes a fast track to the same environment and triggers that led to drug use in the first place.

Residential substance abuse treatment inside prisons gives inmates time to stabilize. It creates a bridge to continuing care after release when the risk of overdose is highest for anyone whose tolerance has dropped. Connecting participants to and before they walk out the gate protects the gains made inside.

The Bigger Picture

If you or someone you love is facing both addiction and legal trouble, address substance use and mental health together.

Folks can act now before their addictions spiral out of control and lead to prison or arrest. Local treatment centers are always standing by.

To get started, browse our directory to find help that fits your needs and circumstances anywhere in the USA. You can also call 800-908-4823 (Sponsored) to chat with an expert.

Author

Courtney Myers, MS

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Courtney Myers has more than 15 years of experience in online writing and editing. Since graduating from N.C. State University with an MS in Technical Communication, she’s helped clients improve their visibility and reach through expert-level content creation. She specializes in addiction recovery and behavioral healthcare topics.

Editor

Peter Lee, PhD

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Peter W.Y. Lee is a writer and historian of American history during the Cold War. His primary focus is the relationship between youth and popular culture and its impact on U.S. society during the twentieth century. He has published widely on how the public has used popular culture as a mechanism to address political and social shifts throughout time