Governor Jim Doyle today announced $406,348 in grants to Milwaukee and Washington counties to fund substance abuse prevention and treatment programming as part of the new Treatment and Diversion (TAD) program. These grants bring Governor Doyle’s total investment in TAD programs to more than $1 million in seven Wisconsin counties and one Native American tribe, saving the counties and tribe more than $4 million in future estimated jail housing costs.

“The grants I am announcing today will go a long way toward holding offenders accountable while providing critical resources to help break the recurring chain of addiction, crime, arrest and incarceration,” Governor Doyle said. “When a nonviolent offender with an alcohol or drug addiction decides to take responsibility for their actions and seeks to become a productive, law-abiding citizen, we need to have the tools available to help that offender succeed. It’s a wise use of tax dollars and a smart investment in public safety.”

The TAD program is a new county alcohol and drug abuse alternative program created in the 2005-07 state budget signed by Governor Doyle that seeks to address the overwhelming need for substance abuse treatment in communities and in the state prison system. The Office of Justice Assistance, the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Health and Family Services collaborate to administer the program.

“In the long run, by focusing on prevention and treatment in addition to effective law enforcement, combined with increasing the options we have available to hold offenders accountable, Wisconsin can enhance public safety and reduce future costs for the criminal justice system,” DOC Secretary Matt Frank said. “We must take a comprehensive approach that brings together criminal justice, human services and community-based partners to address this issue as one that deals with public safety as well as public health.”

Last week, Governor Doyle announced $616,500 in TAD grants to Dane, Rock, Wood, Burnett and Washburn counties, as well as the St. Croix tribe, saving the counties an estimated $3.3 million in future jail housing costs.

The following counties will receive TAD grants:

Milwaukee County: The county is receiving $275,398 in Justice Assistant Grant (JAG) dollars to fund its TAD program. The money will fund six new positions, including five drug and alcohol Diversion Specialists who will screen offenders as they are booked and enter jail. The Diversion Specialists will conduct face-to-face interviews to determine if individuals with Alcohol or Other Drug Abuse (AODA) problems are eligible for AODA social services, and recommend whether the individual can be safely monitored in the community and under what conditions. Eligible candidates include non-violent crime offenders who do not suffer from co-occurring substance abuse problems or serious mental illness. They will be enrolled in the jail diversion program, given a comprehensive AODA screening for treatment needs, and referred to appropriate social service providers – such as the Wisconsin Supports Everyone’s Recovery (WIser) Choice program.

Local justice officials estimate that approximately 75% of people booked in jail have a substance abuse problem – totaling 36,400 bookings in 2005 – and based on statistics from similar on-going substance abuse diversion programs, 90% of diversion participants will not have a subsequent re-arrest during their participation in diversion programming. Through alternative sentencing, 135,000 days in prison and up to 27,500 days in the House of Corrections will be saved, and 3,000 days in jail awaiting trial will be saved through pre-trial diversion screening.

Washington County: The $130,950 in TAD grants will find the hiring of two Recovery Support Coordinators who will establish and administer treatment plans and recovery support services to offenders of non-violent alcohol and drug related crimes. The Recovery Support Coordinators will provide intensive case management services, including individual and group counseling sessions and skill-building training courses. In an effort to maximize offender accountability, the client will be involved in all aspects of program and treatment planning, including the establishment of a Recovery Support Team consisting of criminal justice officials, family members, and child welfare, mental health, and other social service providers where needed.

By establishing new programs that divert second time Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) and non-violent AODA offenders to appropriate treatment facilities and services away from long jail-stays, the county will save an estimated $840,000 annually that is spent on jail over-crowding, staffing, and current programs serving offenders who are now eligible for the TAD program. It is estimated that 65% of offenders entered into the TAD program will not relapse and re-enter the criminal justice system within 1 year of enrollment.

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10/02/2006