Program Types

The Florida Department of Corrections has developed Correctional Substance Abuse Programs at Institutional and Community-Based sites throughout the state. These programs serve offenders with substance involvement, abuse, dependence or related problems. The Department of Children and Families in accordance with Chapter 397 Florida Statutes and Chapter 65D-30 Florida Administrative Code license all in-prison substance abuse programs. The programs' principle objectives are to identify substance abusers, assess the severity of their drug problems, and provide the appropriate substance abuse program services.

All inmates are screened at reception, and those inmates identified as being in need of services become Mandated Program Participants (MPP’s) and are placed on the department's centralized Statewide Automated Priority List for placement in a substance abuse program. Inmates screened as being in need of services are either referred to a substance abuse program or placed on a waiting list pending availability of such programming. The Bureau of Substance Abuse Program Services is responsible for the coordination and delivery of substance abuse program services for offenders under community supervision and in prison.

• Prevention (Tier 1) services are offered on a limited basis and do not meet the requirements of a mandatory substance abuse program participation. Prevention services include activities and strategies that would increase awareness and knowledge of the risks of substance abuse, improve life skills, and responsible behavior. Generally, a substance abuse counselor provides these services in a group setting.
  
  
• Intensive Outpatient (Modality 1) services have a variable length of stay based on the individual's progress. The typical length of stay is four (4) months and may be extended up to six (6) months. A minimum of twelve (12) counselor-supervised hours of program activities occurs per week per inmate, a minimum of four (4) days per week.
  
  
• Residential Therapeutic Community (TC) (Modality 2) services provide inmates participating in the program with housing together in an existing dormitory at the respective institution and separated from the general inmate population to the fullest extent possible. The length of stay will vary based on the individual's progress in the program. The typical length of stay is nine (9) months and may be extended up to twelve (12) months.
  
  MODALITY 2 encompasses a diverse curriculum that encourages participants who have similar problems of chemical abuse or dependency to live and work together to change their lives. The TC model emphasizes structure, responsibility, credibility, accountability, discipline, consistency, peer-to-peer interaction, and consequences/limit setting. MODALITY 2 services are dedicated to facilitating change, growth, and improved self-worth for each member of the community.
  
  Clinical staff are available to provide and supervise activities a minimum of six (6) days per week, for a minimum of sixty (60) structured program hours per week. Program services attempt to instill educational, vocational and other work and social skills necessary for the inmates' successful re-entry into society.
  
  
• Comprehensive Outpatient, Relapse Prevention and Transitional Services (Modality 3) offers three (3) tracks of service. This MODALITY is designed primarily to be provided after completion of MODALITY 1 or MODALITY 2 and to offer a continuum of care for inmates who are not released from incarceration after completion of MODALITY 1 or MODALITY 2.
  
  Track One is a continuing outpatient program focusing on relapse issues. It is up to four (4) months in length and designed for inmates who have a minimum of two (2) or more months remaining on their sentence and who have completed a department in-prison intensive outpatient, residential or co-occurring disorders program. Track One is also available for inmates who have completed Track Two of MODALITY 3 and who have two (2) months or more remaining on their sentence.
  
  Track Two is an outpatient program for inmates with no prior history of participation in substance abuse services, who have a minimum of three (3) months to serve until their release, and who will have no opportunity to participate in MODALITY 1 or MODALITY 2 services before their release. It is up to four (4) months in length.
  
  Track Three is a weekly continuing care program for inmates who have completed Track One and/or Track Two. Track Three is also available for inmates who have no prior history of participation in substance abuse services, who have less than three (3) months until release, and who have an identified substance abuse problem. The inmates in Track Three are scheduled for release or transfer to a work release center, work camp, and road prison or forestry camp.
  
  
• Substance Abuse Program Center (Continuum of Services) (MODTRP) offers a continuum of substance abuse services including prevention, outpatient, intensive outpatient, and aftercare services as well as education/vocational services. The focus is on teaching, developing and practicing re-entry/transitional skills necessary for a successful drug-free re-entry into the community upon release from prison. Inmates residing in a program center will receive the appropriate level of substance abuse services in addition to groups focusing on criminal thinking, family development, anger management, domestic violence, victim awareness as well as other appropriate topics. The following services are available to inmates at the Program Center:
  
  
  • Prevention services include family development, anger management, domestic violence, victim awareness, criminal conduct and other appropriate modules. Inmates in this course are not substance abuse MPP's.
    
    
  • Outpatient services provide all the prevention modules in addition to substance abuse specific groups/modules. Inmates generally need to spend at least 4 months in the outpatient track (this is considered intensive outpatient). Inmates in this course are substance abuse MPP's who have not completed a Modality 1 or 2 program prior to entering the program. These inmates will also have a ranking score.
    
    
  • Aftercare services are focused on relapse prevention-modules. Inmates in this track receive or have received all the prevention modules in addition to intensive substance abuse services.
    
    
• Alternative Programs are non-deity based Modality 1 or 2 substance abuse programs for inmates who object to traditional programming.
  
  
• Pre-Program Motivation/Readiness Classes (TierRRD) are didactic in nature and focus on denial, addiction, recovery principles, program motivation, self and mutual help concepts and other related substance abuse topics. These groups are open-ended, with no completion requirements and no clinical documentation required. Generally, they are held on a weekly basis. Inmates are directly admitted from these groups to either MODALITY 1 or MODALITY 2 at the earliest available date.
  
  
• Alumni Groups (IALUM) are held weekly for inmates who have completed MODALITY 1 or MODALITY 2. Inmates who complete MODALITY 1 or 2 are required to participate in the on-going Alumni groups, as long as they are at a facility offering them. Alumni groups may lead by peers, although a counselor is to be present when the group is conducted. Alumni groups serve as a support group. They are openended with no completion requirements.
  
  
• Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous (AA/NA) Recovery and Support Groups are available for both substance abuse program participants and for designated inmates in the institution's/facility's general population, and are coordinated by substance abuse staff at facilities that have substance abuse programs. Traditional twelve-step, specialized and alternative support groups are utilized as adjuncts to primary substance abuse programming.
  
  
• Faith-Based Substance Abuse Transitional Housing Programs (FBTH) assist released offenders by providing substance abuse re-entry and relapse prevention services, transitional housing, and other support services. The program provides housing, three meals a day, electricity, access to local phone service, job placement assistance, and other transitional services. The target population for this program is recently released inmates with histories of substance use/abuse problems, particularly those who have completed a Department in-prison or community-based drug treatment program, and are in need of transitional housing and services upon their release from incarceration. Program participants do not have to be under Department supervision to participate. Enrollment in the program is strictly voluntary, however, all enrolled program participants are required to participate in program activities and abide by program rules. Program participants may not be discharged for failure to participate in faith-based components of the program.