JASA
In-Jail Substance Abuse Treatment Program
Polk County Central Jail
Bartow, Florida

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Tri-County Human Services, Inc. manages the State Award Winning JASA program in cooperation with the Polk County Sheriff's Department. We are extremely pleased to have provided treatment for four years to the inmates in the Polk County Jail system. The Polk County Sheriff’s Department and the Board of County Commissioners recognized the increasing costs in drug related criminal behaviors and became proactive in establishing the program to lower the crime rate in Polk County and positively alter the lifestyles of addicts.

The taxpayers of Polk County expect something in return for the dollars spent to provide this program. The JASA Program is highly cost effective. It has saved County and taxpayer funds and has freed space in the existing jails, limiting the need for new facilities. Highlights of the accomplishments of the JASA program include:

• JASA is an award-winning program. In August 2002, the Department of Children and Families and the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association presented JASA with a Best Practices Award. Recently, during the Florida Correctional Accreditation Commission’s review of the Polk County Jail, JASA was identified as an exemplary program.

• The JASA Program Saves Polk County money.

• The Polk County Sheriff Department reported that the “economic benefit of inmates successfully completing drug treatment is $68,000 per inmate in reduced crime, arrest, prosecution, incarceration, and health care costs.” From January 2002 through March 2003 105 inmates successfully completed the program.

• Independent auditors projected savings to taxpayers of $1,000,000 for every 50 graduates of the program.

• Closing the JASA will cost Polk County and its Taxpayers 1600% more than it would cost to continue to fund the JASA program.

• Independent auditors identified that 67.1% of those individuals that completed the JASA program have remained out of jail compared to only 52.3% of those individual who did not receive JASA services.

• JASA has continued to improve its performance. At this time, 81% of JASA graduates have not been re-jailed.

• According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Department, it costs less to maintain security for JASA program participants.

• Positive benefits have also been noted for those participants that enter the JASA program but do not complete treatment. They have a lower recidivism rate than inmates that did not participate in the program. This underscores the effectiveness of treatment as a positive force in lowering recidivism rates

• The continued effectiveness of the JASA Program in the men’s jail was positive factor in the Sheriff’s Department’s award of a Federal grant to begin a JASA program in the women’s jail.

• Participants learn new skills while in treatment that improve their lives and the lives of their families; allowing them become contributing members of society and assets to the community..

• An average of 18 participants work towards acquiring a High School Diploma each week they are in treatment.

• An average of 7 participants complete a parenting program each month while in treatment.

• Participants receive anger management classes to help control aggression and improve their ability to appropriately deal with others in the community.
   

Crimes related to the use of substances continue to be a burden on local law enforcement agencies. These crimes increase law enforcement costs that must be shouldered by the citizens of Polk County. Additionally, this results in property loss, higher insurance rates, personal injury and, possibly, death. Research has demonstrated that programs targeting substance abuse offenders lower recidivism rates, thereby lowering the cost of crime to the community.

The JASA program focuses on helping the participant gain an understanding of the disease of addiction; the phases and physiology of addiction; gain increased personal insight and develop an improved self-concept; learn anger management and communication skills; and development of a positive and socially acceptable system of values and beliefs.

In August 2002, the Department of Children and Families and FADAA (Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association) presented JASA with a Best Practices Award. JASA was chosen from “an outstanding field of applicants that represent substance abuse treatment services.” The application process began in February 2002 and culminated when a select panel of reviewers determined the recipients based on specific criteria established in the Awards application. JASA was awarded 2nd Place in Treatment Programs. During a recent review of the Polk County Jail by Florida Correctional Accreditation Commission, JASA was identified as an exemplary program.

The goal of the JASA program was to reduce the recidivism rate as well as the illegal use of substances by program graduates by 25%. Our program was audited at the end of our third year by an independent agency, Bolduc & Associates. The JASA Program has far surpassed this goal.

In the final report Ms. Bolduc, Ed.D. identified:

“Re-arrest rates measured one year after release are significantly different for JASA graduates and the control group. The graduates have a 67.1% success rate (did not recidivate) compared to 52.3% success rate for the control group. Almost one-half of the control group was re-arrested (47.7%) compared to approximately one-third of the JASA graduates (32.9%). One can conclude from these findings that those who graduate from JASA are more likely to remain out of jail than those who are not program graduates.”

What this meant to the taxpayers of Polk County was also identified in the report:

Cost Savings @ current per diem of $42.36

“Given the cycle of arrest, release and re-arrest for drug addicts it is likely that those JASA clients who spent time in jail prior to their participation in JASA would continue to be re-arrested and spend time in jail in the future without treatment intervention. Adding to the approximate prior jail costs of $19,364 all other costs to the county such as the cost of arrest and booking, medical, etc., it is likely that each successful graduate of the JASA program could save the county a similar amount in future jail costs. It is quite conceivable that for every 50 JASA graduates who do not recidivate $1,000,000 is saved in future jail costs at the current per diem rate. These amounts do not include the costs of building new facilities, which would substantially increase this figure.”

We have now completed another audit of the program, identifying recidivism rates for offenders that completed the program from January 1, 2002 through March 31, 2003. We are extremely pleased to announce that the program has improved in lowering recidivism rates. 81% of those successfully completing the JASA Program have not returned to the Polk County Jail!

Sources within the office of the Polk County Sheriff have indicated 77% of all local jail inmates have either violated drug laws, were intoxicated during the commission of their crimes, stole property to buy drugs, have a history of substance abuse and/or addiction, or have a combination of these characteristics. The Polk County Sheriff’s Department has further indicated that the “economic benefit of inmates successfully completing drug treatment is $68,000 per inmate in reduced crime, arrest, prosecution, incarceration, and health care costs.”

This would indicate that from January 1, 2002 through March 31, 2003, the effectiveness of the JASA Program has benefited the taxpayers of Polk County in the amount of $5,780,000 (105 graduates minus 20 returned = 85 x $68,000).

JASA is a Therapeutic Community, which is eight (8) weeks in length and divided into four (4) phases of treatment:

PHASE I: This phase focuses on self-esteem and self-identity and touches briefly on personal value systems.
PHASE II: During the second phase program participant’s focus on anger management, problem solving, coping skills and improving communication skills.
PHASE III: In the third phase of treatment, the participants work toward building a more positive value and belief system. Program participants learn about core beliefs, values and principles. Participants continue working towards the improvement of communication skills.
PHASE IV: During this final phase of treatment, the participants work toward development of a very detailed and comprehensive written aftercare plan to aid in relapse prevention, utilizing stress management skills and identifying personal signs and symptoms of relapse.

Clients attend 14 hours of counseling each week divided between educational and therapeutic groups. The focus of the JASA program is small-group therapy where participants are able to receive client-centered treatment as well as reality treatment to aid them in identifying problem behaviors, negative thought processes, and aid in the development of socially acceptable values, beliefs and attitudes. This type of treatment is commonly referred to as Cognitive Behavior Modification. This is designed to help the client improve all decision-making skills and improve interpersonal relationships. On Monday and Wednesday evenings, clients attend AA and NA meetings; on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, groups are held with staff members facilitating the large-group activities.

Clients are also able to work towards earning their GED while participating in the program. Clients without high school diplomas or a GED, attend Adult Education Classes held on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Recognizing the effect substance abuse has on the family, clients may also attend Parenting Groups on Wednesday of each week.

We recognize that the average time spent in jail is 28 days; therefore we take a proactive stance and begin case management services on the day the inmate arrives in our dorm. The client is continuously assessed by the clinical team throughout his time in treatment to identify additional needs of the client once he is released from jail. Our program has a full time Case Manager who works with each client to satisfy those needs. At intake, each client is advised of the services offered by TCHS through outpatient programs in Lakeland, Winter Haven, Sebring and Wauchula, as well as residential services offered at the Florida Center. The case manager helps those individuals interested in residential treatment complete the application process. We are able to complete physical exams, urinalysis and blood testing at the jail facility to expedite entry into residential treatment. For those being released from jail, we have made arrangements for case managers from TCHS outpatient programs in Lakeland and Winter Haven to interview the clients at the jail and schedule intake appointments to facilitate continued substance abuse treatment.

The JASA Case Manager also helps clients gain entry into other residential, long-term treatment, or half-way housing throughout Florida to facilitate continued substance abuse treatment and increase the potential for a positive outcome of reintegration back into society. Clients are also assisted in obtaining vocational training to augment the process of reintegration into society and the development of a positive and productive lifestyle.

We have also recognized the challenges being placed on law enforcement by clients with co-occurring disorders. We work in cooperation with the Mental Health Department at the Polk County Jail to provide quality mental health and substance abuse services to those suffering from co-occurring disorders. We have provided our staff with additional training in this area of treatment as well. We also have good working relationships with other providers serving the needs of clients with co-occurring disorders.

We recognized the treatment needs of female inmates, a rapidly growing population. Due to the success of the JASA Program in the Men’s Jail, a similar program was developed by Tri-County in cooperation with the Polk County Sheriff’s Department, for female offenders The Sheriff’s Department submitted the program and was awarded a Federal Law Enforcement Grant based on the highly successful outcomes demonstrated by the JASA Program for Men. Though longer, the women’s program will utilize the same basic treatment format as the men’s program, taking into consideration gender differences and needs

We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with both the male and female inmates at the Polk County Jail. We feel that through cooperative efforts we are providing them the opportunity to become positive, law-abiding and productive members of society.