Integrated SUD Treatment Program
The Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT) program is a comprehensive approach to treating Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in California prisons. The program sets forth a comprehensive plan to strengthen the Department’s behavioral interventions, and expanded MAT to all 34 adult institutions. The program focuses on the use of evidence-based substance use disorder (SUD) screening and assessments, linkages to care during incarceration (both MAT and behavioral interventions), and seeks to increase care coordination to reduce gaps in services upon release. ISUDT goals include:
- Reducing SUD-related morbidity and mortality;
- Creating a rehabilitative environment which improves safety for inmates and CDCR staff
- Reducing overall recidivism
- Successful reintegration of individuals into their community at time of release; and
- Improving public safety, and promoting healthy families and communities.
CBI Programs
Cognitive Behavior Interventions (CBIs) are based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy. CBIs are based on the premise that how we think impacts our emotions which determines behavior. CBIs focus on changing unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes (cognitive distortions) and behaviors and improving emotional regulation, and developing healthier coping skills. These programs’ general objectives are to:
- Increase each inmate’s level of knowledge and skills associated with their SUD and issues contributing to their addiction.
- Increase each inmate’s level of knowledge and skills associated with their criminal behavior.
- Improve the inmate’s relapse and recidivism prevention strategies and skills.
- Address criminal and distorted thinking in order to eliminate anti-social thinking.
- Address the issues that contribute to the inmate’s SUD and criminal behavior including but not limited to: trauma, coping skills, relationship skills, emotion management and expression of emotions.
- Support inmates receiving MAT.
The goal of CBI programming is to eliminate criminal behavior patterns and substance use, abuse, and dependency.
Individuals in need of CBI-Intensive Outpatient or CBI-Outpatient components will be participating in a two-part program model. The first component/module has been streamlined to allow for both the participants and the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) counselors to deliver the services while improving the CBI program experience.
All participants will be assessed by healthcare staff and referred to one of the CBI classes. The outcome of the healthcare referral for any CBI programs will result in a T-code assignment and placement into the queue for the appropriate level of service. A participant assessed as moderate- to high-risk SUD will be assigned to one of the following SUD CBI classes:
- Intensive Outpatient – 2 hours/day, 5 days/week for approximately 14 weeks
- Outpatient – 2 hours/day, 3 days/week for approximately 14 weeks
All participants who screened negative for substance use or were assessed as low-risk SUD and those completing the SUD CBI will then be assigned to the following CBI class:
- Life Skills – 2 hours/day, 3 days/week for approximately 28 weeks
Eligible Credits
Participants will receive Milestone Completion Credits (MCCs) off their sentence for every 80 hours of participation and one additional week upon successful program completion.
Eligibility Requirement for The Integrated SUD Treatment Program
In order to be eligible, inmates must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- EPRD within 15-24 months
- Board of Parole Hearing (BPH) within 15-24 months
- Currently undergoing MAT
- Identified as High-Risk for SUD:
- History of overdose
- SUD-related hospitalization in the last 12 months
- SUD and on Opioids for Chronic Pain
- Pregnant with SUD
- Identified based upon a clinically assessed need or medical referral
Integrated SUD Treatment program also helps to ensure continuity of care and a safe handoff process into the community for those with a SUD. The Enhanced Pre-Release process starts as early as 210 days prior to release to identify the health care needs of patients and includes face-to-face meetings between CDCR/CCHCS staff and ISUDT patients so patients can be engaged in their discharge plans.
Transition services eliminate immediate barriers and connect patients to appropriate services and support systems in their perspective communities. It involves significant planning with multiple county and community organizations.