Recovery Works Indiana

Focus

In the general population, 5.4% of individuals are affected by serious mental illness, while 8.8% struggle with substance use disorder. Among the current prison population, 16% have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness. State prisons see over half of their inmates (53%) dealing with substance use disorder, while federal prisons have just under half (45%) with the same diagnosis. The percentage of individuals with substance use disorder who return to prison peaks at 75%. A vital partnership between the criminal justice system and mental health and addiction service providers is crucial to reducing recidivism rates and promoting recovery.

Purpose

In 2012, the Council of State Government Justice Center created a white paper called "Adults with Behavioral Health Needs under Correctional Supervision." It detailed how corrections, mental health, and substance use systems can collaborate to help individuals with their needs and avoid criminal involvement. In 2015, Indiana approved House Enrolled Act 1006, establishing the Forensic Treatment Grant Program. This program funds services for uninsured or non-Medicaid individuals through a voucher system named Recovery Works. HEA 1006 allocated $10 million for the first year and $20 million for the next to DMHA-certified organizations treating populations with criminogenic factors.

Goals

Recovery Works places its emphasis on pre-incarceration diversion services and post-incarceration re-entry services, with the goal of steering low-level offenders away from incarceration towards community-based support systems. By aiming not only to reduce recidivism by 20% but also to promote recovery through community support and treatment, the program plays a crucial role in decreasing the entry of individuals with mental health and addiction disorders into the criminal justice system.