By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
The Kenton County Detention Center is preparing to offer drug and alcohol treatment on a voluntary basis for some inmates.
Kenton County Jailer Terry Carl has hired Jason Merrick, formerly of Transitions Inc., to implement the program. Carl said Merrick has started doing training for the program, writing up the protocols and getting inmates to sign up.
“He’s excellent and very passionate for what he does and that’s what attracted me more than anything else,” Carl said. “We are finally going to get off of our hands and start doing some drug treatment in Kenton County.”
Kenton County Jailer Terry Carl (left) and Jason Merrick present plans for the inmate addiction program to members of the Fiscal Court Aug. 11.
The detention center has dedicated an existing 70-man dorm solely for the purpose of drug and alcohol treatment.
Those arrested for drug offenses are sometimes eligible for treatment programs as an alternative to jail time. Traditionally, those incarcerated do their time and are released into the same environment that lead to their arrest, then often find themselves right back in jail.
The goal of the program is make the most of an unfortunate situation, by providing treatment in a controlled environment that will prepare the inmates for a life that doesn’t include drugs or alcohol, in the hope of reducing recidivism.
Merrick and Carl provided details of the program at the Aug. 11, Kenton County Fiscal Court meeting.
Merrick said about 80 percent of those booked into the Kenton County Detention Center have a charge either directly or indirectly related to substance abuse disorders, a number that has been fueled by the region’s heroin epidemic.
The silver lining in that very dark cloud is that a significant number would welcome treatment if it was available during incarceration.
“What we are looking at is approximately 33 percent of our citizens being housed at the detention center willing and able to participate in some form of drug and alcohol treatment,” Merrick said.
That information comes from data compiled using a self-reporting questionnaire at the time of booking. The figure suggests as many as 200 inmates would be willing to participate in the program and Merrick anticipates a waiting list initially.
The detention center currently has a program that houses 30 female inmates so the additional beds will bring the number of beds available for treatment to 100.
“What I’d like to implement a three-tiered program that will capture all of the population,” Merrick said. “(That includes) everyone from a county inmate that’s only going to be there for 30-60 days on misdemeanor charges all the way up to a felony state inmate that is going to be there for six months or longer.”
The program would provide one-month, three-month and six-month commitments and intervention. It is based on the program, “A New Direction,” Implemented by the Hazelden addiction treatment center in Minnesota.
“It’s a…curriculum that was designed specifically for corrections and I believe we can attain that for a reasonable licensing fee,” Merrick said. “We are looking at different independent curriculums, evidence based curriculums, with cognitive behavioral therapy.”
Carl has also approved the hiring of two part-time staffers to help facilitate the classes and programming.
The Kenton County Detention Center is planning to implement a voluntary inmate dug and alcohol treatment program Sept 1. (Provided photo)
“This is great news for Kenton County and the other great news is that I don’t need any additional (full-time) employees and I am doing this within my budget,” Carl said.
The dorm structure that will be utilized includes an area where all 70 men can be seated at one time. There is also a classroom and another smaller room, so at any given time three groups can participate simultaneously.
Merrick hope to achieve that with both the men’s and women’s treatment programs. Currently, the women’s curriculum is set up by outside organizations, but Merrick hope to merge the two programs in the coming months.
“As of Sept. 1, we would like to begin with Phase 1, which would be the logistics phase of the program,” Merrick said. (This would include) identifying applicants and moving them through the screening and assessment process and getting into specific dorms for treatment.”
As inmates move through the program, what Merrick refers to as a “living risk assessment,” will be performed
“The pre-release assessment that would address any concerns that they might have about moving back into the community, Merrick said. “(We would) address their living situation, their family life and see what kind of resources we can connect them to on the outside. We also have partnerships with connectors that are coming in and getting the people that are being released signed up for health insurance.”
A part of the curriculum being implementing will also focus on job skills.
“A man will leave the detention center not only with health insurance but with potentially a better understanding of his living situation and a residence,” Merrick said.
Merrick is also seeking approval to provide Vivitrol (naltrexone for extended‐release injectable suspension) for program participants. The long-acting opioid antagonist could be part of an inmate’s treatment plan and would be completely voluntary with no liability to the county or the courts.
“As part of the treatment they could get a free injection of Vivitrol before they leave the facility, Merrick said. “What that does is block the effects of heroin or opiates for 28 days. If an individual decides to go through with this as a treatment plan, I would personally connected with St. Elizabeth for consecutive injections and for possible behavioral therapy outside the jail.”
Essential skills such as budgeting and how to navigate a bank account or a lease agreement, will also be part of the curriculum. Merrick, who has struggled with addiction in the past himself, said skills that a lot of people take for granted are somewhat daunting for someone in recovery.
“I think that through a well-rounded comprehensive approach to drug and alcohol treatment, we can serve our county and serve our citizens better at the detention center and increase their quality of life,” Merrick said.
