SUBSTANCE ABUSE/ BEHAVIORAL PROGRAMS

Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT)

The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) program is offered to the male and female incarcerated individuals. The RSAT program consists of either a three or six month curriculum designed and delivered by a team of treatment professionals from a contractual vendor. The use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, self-change, and behavioral strategies leads incarcerated individuals into the right direction in regards to better decision making, versus decisions that lead to substance abuse and criminal behavior. Incarcerated individuals learn to understand the connections among thinking, behavior, and consequences. They practice techniques designed to promote pro-social thought processes through writing journals and objectively identifying thoughts and feelings associated with high-risk behaviors and complete an individualized relapse prevention plan. Participants document personal thinking processes, behaviors, and motivations by journaling and completing assignments. Treatment staff and incarcerated individuals review assignments and journals to measure treatment progress. The objective of the evidence based RSAT program is to reduce the likelihood of recidivism of participants by treating their substance abusive behavior through the development of cognitive, behavioral, social, educational, and vocational skills. The program addresses, criminal thinking, substance abuse and social aspects such as education, vocational, employment, housing, healthy, and unhealthy relationships, family issues, domestic violence, anger management and successful reentry. By embracing these topics, the RSAT program goals are to eliminate drug use and criminal activity; and improve individuals’ quality of life by enhancing self-esteem, communication skills, familial and peer relationships. Evidence Based Program facilitated by contractual vendor.

Sex Offender Treatment Program

The sex offender program is designed for incarcerated individuals who have engaged in sexually abusive and/or inappropriate behaviors. These inmates must participate in a specialized programming to address their behaviors and to reduce the chances of repeating the same behaviors in the future. The program uses Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and other therapeutic modalities. CBT is a widely use d evidence based approach that focused on the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It aims to help individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors. The program uses approaches that have been found to be successful in helping people to change patterns of sexual offending or abusive behavior as well as inappropriate behavior towards others. The program is guided by evidence based principles of effective sex offender treatment. Evidence-based program facilitated by vendor.

Compulsive Behavior / Behavior Modification

In the Compulsive Behavior Program/Behavior Modification program, participants learn the cognitive therapy component for compulsive behaviors. This focuses on the catastrophic thoughts and exaggerated sense of responsibility one feels causing compulsive behaviors. A big part of cognitive therapy for compulsive behaviors, is teaching healthy and effective ways of responding to obsessive thoughts without resorting to compulsive behavior.

Psychological Education Program (PEP)

The PEP is group programming for Special Housing Unit (SHU) male inmates who have been diagnosed with a major mental illness and / or present with significant functional impairment. Many of these inmates receive Department of Mental Health (DMH) services and are intermittently compliant with their psychotropic medication. These factors can make it difficult for them to function in general population, requiring additional support from mental health. Through participation in medication compliance, as well as adjustment related and sleep hygiene groups, many symptoms of anxiety and sleep disturbance can be diminished through the sharing of similar experiences and learning from others.  Program facilitated by Correctional Psychiatric Services (CPS)

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) / Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Program

The MAT/ MOUD program is the use of medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, which is effective in the treatment of opioid use disorders (OUD) and can help some people to sustain recovery. The program offers psychosocial treatment by assessing the patient’s specific needs, use of FDA approved medications, individual counseling, support groups and referrals for continued support upon release to the community. The benefits and risks of inmates participating in the MOUD treatment program include: a) Stabilizing brain functions; b) long term treatment can reverse some of the damage; c) allows people to function normally-they can continue to work, go to school, etc. ; d) relieves withdrawal symptoms and reduces cravings; e) may cause withdrawal if stopped abruptly; f) medications are controlled substance with abuse potential; g) medication side effects and interactions; h) risk of overdose or fatality especially if taking benzodiazepines.

Anger Management

Participants are taught strategies and problem-solving skills that enable them to control their anger in the face of a conflict. Inmates develop their ability to understand the perspective of others and increase awareness of their emotional and physical states when they are angry. Participants will learn self-control by understanding the triggers of their anger and how to use specific strategies (e.g., .Stop! Think! What should I do?) To control their responses to potential conflicts. Problem-solving skills, include identifying the problem, generating alternative solutions, considering the consequences of each solution, selecting an effective response, and evaluating outcomes of that response.

Domestic Violence

The Domestic violence curriculum explores steps of emotional abuse and behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other. Group members discuss personal experiences and learn types of abuse and violence, including criminal and physical assault (hitting, pushing, shoving), sexual abuse (unwanted or forced sexual activity), and stalking. They will also explore how emotional, psychological, and financial abuses are forms of abuse that can lead to criminal violence. The group work includes exploration of the language used to describe and understand intimate partner violence. Examples being how the ways in which race, class, and culture inform our understanding of and response to domestic violence, the impact of domestic violence on adults and children, legal issues of concern to survivors, secondary trauma and self-care, as well as strength-based and trauma-informed responses to partner violence. Evidence Based Program.

Substance Abuse and Addiction Education

The Substance Abuse & Addiction Education program provides information on substance abuse tolerance, dependence, addiction and its consequences. In addition, it covers the various drugs of abuse and their effects, as well as insights into the scope of the substance abuse problem among individuals, families, and society. The program explores the implications for each of the most commonly abused drugs, and recent information on national trends regarding specific alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among adults, children and adolescents. The program also explores the consequences of illicit substance abuse pertaining to health problems, productivity losses, psychological problems, crime, and other social problems.

Trauma Informed Group

The goal of this group is to introduce specific trauma interventions, information and education tools, and healthy coping skills to the female population. Inmates will have the opportunity to under­stand the impact of trauma in their lives, heal, and learn to thrive despite past wounds. An increasing body of evidence tells us that the overwhelming majority of women in jails and prisons have experienced trauma that has scarred their minds and hearts. They may have survived rape, assault, or childhood sexual abuse, or they may have witnessed violence done to others. Trauma can result in physiological changes in the way our brains respond to danger, especially when the trauma is repeated. It has also been linked to depression, suicidal tendencies, chronic anxiety, hostility, impaired ability to relate to others socially, and many other serious consequences in personal life. Women involved in the justice system are more likely to have experienced physical and sexual abuse than male offenders or women in the general population. Evidence Based Program.

Thinking for a Change

Thinking for Change is a cognitive–behavioral curriculum developed by the National Institute of Corrections that concentrates on changing the criminogenic thinking of persons convicted of an offense. The program is a cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) program that includes cognitive restructuring, social skills development, and the development of problem-solving skills. The program combines cognitive restructuring theory and cognitive skills theory to help individuals take control of their lives by taking control of their thinking. The foundation of the program uses CBT principles throughout the group sessions. There is an extensive body of research that shows cognitive–behavioral programming significantly reduces recidivism. The program stresses interpersonal communication skills development and confronts thought patterns that can lead to problematic behaviors. The program has three components: cognitive self-change, social skills, and problem-solving skills. Lessons on cognitive self-change provide participants with a thorough process for self-reflection concentrated on uncovering antisocial thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and beliefs. Social skills lessons prepare participants to engage in prosocial interactions based on self-understanding and awareness of the impact that their actions may have on others. Examples of some of the lessons are Active Listening Skill; Thinking Controls Our Behavior; Paying Attention to Our Thinking; Recognize Risk; Use New Thinking; Understanding the Feelings of Others; Apologizing; Responding to Anger; Introduction to Problem Solving; Stop and Think; and State the Problem.

12 Step Recovery Group

TheTwelve-Step Program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems. Originally proposed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a method of recovery from alcoholism, the Twelve Steps were first published in the book, Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism in 1939. The method was then adapted and became the foundation of other twelve-step programs.

12-Step programs at the BCSO typically begin with the group leader explaining the history, beliefs, and rules for membership in 12 Step groups. Group participants are asked to share their experiences and personal struggles with addition. Strategies for maintaining sobriety are discussed using the Alcoholics, Narcotics Anonymous textbooks, and other 12 Step literature.

Relapse Prevention

The Relapse Prevention curriculum is designed to act as a road map for bringing about lasting change in behavior and was developed based on psychological research, which indicates that unhealthy or destructive patterns run in cycles. The curriculum is structured to assist participants in identifying the beliefs and thinking patterns that support the behavior (often called the "target behavior"), the environmental and mental states that are immediate precursors to the behavior and the psychological processes that occur immediately after the behavior.

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