HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) announced Wednesday that it was awarded $145,143 by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) to provide training and resources to county jails to enhance local medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs that serve individuals with substance use disorder.
“This past year has been a challenge for all Pennsylvanians, so ensuring high-quality services exist for those who may be struggling is of the utmost importance,” said Secretary John Wetzel.
“This grant gives us the opportunity to share best practices and treatment methods with our partners at the county level, helping to identify and bridge any gaps in treatment.”
The DOC’s Division of Treatment Services will work with county grantees to provide greater programming abilities with resources such as trainings, site visits and consultations to develop and implement MAT programs. The bureau and their designees will also provide technical assistance that will bolster programming and the available options.
“In the criminal justice system, the “rubber meets the road” in the county jails. Strengthening our partnership with county providers only benefits those we serve,” Wetzel continued, “and at a time when financial resources are scarce, counties further benefit from this assistance being available at no cost to them. Most importantly, it gives individuals an opportunity to overcome their addiction.”
This grant opportunity was made possible through federal Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) funds and federal State Opioid Response Grant (SOR) funds.
To find more information about treatment provided through the PA DOC, please visit the Web site at: https://www.cor.pa.gov/Inmates/Pages/Treatment-Programs.aspx.