Project:Achieve Program

The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-199) provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of people who are released from prison and jail and returning to communities, including resources to address the myriad needs of these offenders to achieve a successful return to their communities. Section 201 of the Second Chance Act authorizes the Second Chance Act Reentry Demonstration Program Targeting Offenders with Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders Program, which is designed to provide treatment and recovery support services to offenders during incarceration and after their return to the community. This section specifically addresses the treatment needs of offenders who have substance abuse disorders and authorizes grants to states, units of local government, territories, and Indian tribes to improve the provision of drug treatment to offenders in prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities during the period of incarceration and through the completion of parole or other court supervision after release into the community.

The term co-occurring disorders (COD) refers to co-occurring substance-related and mental disorders. Clients said to have COD have one or more substance-related disorders as well as one or more mental disorders. At the individual level, COD exist when at least one disorder of each type can be established independent of the other and is not simply a cluster of symptoms resulting from a single disorder. Projects will implement or expand offender treatment programs for re-entering offenders with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. Programs should require urinalysis and/or other proven reliable forms of drug and alcohol testing for program participants, including both periodic and random testing, and for former participants while they remain in the custody, or under community supervision, of the state, local, or tribal government.

Orange County Government will use grant funds to contract with Human Services Associates, Inc. to: (1) Utilize evidence-based assessment instruments for juvenile treatment and reentry planning; (2) target the criminogenic needs that affect recidivism; (3) provide evidence-based substance abuse and mental health treatment services; (4) support a comprehensive range of recovery support services; provide sustained aftercare; and (5) case planning/management in the community. Human Services Associates will implement the Juvenile Offender Reentry Program at the Orange County Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC). Program services will include comprehensive screening and assessments for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders and an intensive outpatient day treatment for four months by using the Hazelton Co-occurring Disorders Program (CDP) Model. The components of the Hazelton CDP include five curricula: (1) Screening and Assessment; (2) Integrating Combined Therapies; (3) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; (4) Medication Management; and (5) the Family Program.

CA/NCF