The Atlanta Department of Corrections has been awarded a $600,000 Second Chance Act Reentry Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant will be used to assist medium to high-risk incarcerated male inmates with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders in the Atlanta City Detention Center. The Second Chance Act Reentry program will provide inmates tools for successful reentry into the community through the Detention Center’s new Atlanta Reentry and Treatment initiative.
“As the Atlanta City Detention Center continues to see more inmates with both mental and substance abuse disorders, we felt it was critical that we create an in-house therapeutic community to specifically address their needs,” said Chief Patrick Labat, Atlanta Department of Corrections. “Our goal for the ART initiative is to be a successful example of an institution of opportunity where inmates can be holistically rehabilitated and equipped with the necessary tools and resources to reintegrate themselves back into society as productive, law-abiding citizens.”
The grant will cover costs of establishing a dedicated housing unit at the Detention Center that serves 12 inmates at a time, as well as staffing for the specialized unit. The first six months of the grant will focus on planning and the remaining 18-month period is for implementation of the ART initiative.
About the Author
