S.T.A.R.T. Program (In-Custody Treatment)

The Substance Treatment and Re-Entry Transition (S.T.A.R.T.) program, a collaboration between the Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (L.A. CADA) and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services/Correctional Health Services (DHS/CHS), has become one of the fastest-growing in-custody programs within the correctional health system. It operates across the Men's Central Jail, Twin Towers Correctional Facility, and Pitchess Detention Center. Since its inception in January 2017, the program has steadily grown over the past seven years.

L.A. CADA's S.T.A.R.T. program offers a comprehensive, evidence-based, client-centered continuum of substance use disorder (SUD) care to inmates in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department jail system. The program is supported by a team of experienced professionals, including clinicians, SUD counselors, and case managers. It prepares individuals for successful community re-entry by providing client-centered care and linking them to SUD treatment and post-release services.

S.T.A.R.T. provides culturally appropriate, evidence-based services, with progressive interventions that effectively assess and treat addiction. The program includes individual counseling, group therapy, and case management, emphasizing cognitive behavioral therapies and motivational interviewing.

Participants who successfully complete the program receive a certificate of completion. Upon release, they are provided transportation to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services and connected to housing, client engagement, and social service resources within Los Angeles County's eight Service Planning Areas (SPAs). This proactive re-entry planning equips individuals with the tools and support necessary to break the cycle of addiction and incarceration.

The S.T.A.R.T. program has expanded services and increased participant enrollment by improving treatment accessibility within custody, aiming to reduce drug use and recidivism post-release.


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