Governor Kay Ivey announced Monday she has awarded a $598,000 grant to the Alabama Department of Corrections to help prisoners overcome drug addictions that likely contributed to their incarceration, according to the governor’s press release.
The funds will be used to operate Residential Substance Abuse Treatment programs at eight Alabama prisons. These treatment plans include a six-month program focused on ending the addiction followed by at least 12 months of group sessions with the goal of long-term behavioral change.
“Inmates who have overcome their drug dependency are much less likely to commit additional crimes upon release,” Ivey said. “These programs can help inmates take the steps needed to turn their lives around and make our communities safer.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Substance abuse treatment programs benefit both the incarcerated individuals themselves and the communities they will return to when they are released,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “I am pleased to join Gov. Ivey in support of this program to help prisoners become drug-free.”
ADECA said it administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.
