MONTGOMERY, AL – Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $280,806 grant to the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) to support substance abuse treatment programs in eight state correctional facilities.
The funding will support a 12-month Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program designed to address drug addiction among incarcerated individuals and reduce the likelihood of repeat offenses following their release.
“Ending drug addictions reduces recidivism and puts inmates on a path toward a more productive life upon release,” Ivey said. “This grant will ensure state prisons get the tools they need to help participants in the program overcome the destructive influence of illegal drug use.”
The program will operate at the following correctional facilities:
- Bibb Correctional Facility
- Bullock Correctional Facility
- William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility
- Easterling Correctional Facility
- Staton Correctional Facility
- Ventress Correctional Facility
- St. Clair Correctional Facility
- Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women
Treatment services will be provided by drug treatment staff and will include substance abuse education, counseling and drug testing. The program is intended to address the relationship between substance use disorders and criminal behavior while preparing participants for eventual reintegration into their communities.
According to state officials, drug testing will take place before, during and after program participation, continuing for as long as participants remain in ADOC custody.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) will administer the grant using funds provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. ADOC will contribute an additional $93,602 in matching funds, bringing the total funding commitment to $374,408.
“Treating addiction before prisoners are reintegrated into the community is crucial, because drug abuse is so closely linked with crime,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in support of this program and its focus on lasting recovery.”
The funding is part of ongoing efforts to provide substance abuse treatment within Alabama’s correctional system. While the program is designed to reduce recidivism and support recovery, the grant announcement did not provide specific enrollment projections or performance measures for evaluating its outcomes.
ADECA administers state and federally funded programs supporting law enforcement, victim services, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.
