Transforming Care in Jails and Prisons: Leveraging Policy Innovation to Enhance Continuity of Care and Health Outcomes
For the first time, the federal government has begun allowing states to provide targeted Medicaid services in jails and prisons up to 90 days prior to an individual’s release. Funds are being allocated for correctional facilities to support investments in personnel, capacity, and information technology to ensure successful planning and implementation. Let us help you take advantage of these funding opportunities to improve public safety and health outcomes as individuals reenter their communities.
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) has worked with hundreds of jails and prisons as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance training and technical assistance (TTA) provider for the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program and the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) since 2010, helping a diverse group of jurisdictions meet prerelease and reentry objectives.
For more than 35 years, AHP has been improving health and human services systems of care to help organizations and individuals reach their full potential. AHP has extensive experience in criminal justice and working with justice-involved populations, and our consulting, technical assistance, research and evaluation, and administrative services are tailored to support our clients’ vision.
AHP Can Assist With Capacity Building and Training:
- Internal assessments and strategic planning
- Stakeholder engagement and building community partnerships
- Medicaid policies and procedures
- Behavioral health clinical consultation
- Withdrawal management guidelines
- Medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders and medications for mental health
- Reentry case management
- Peer reentry navigators and certified peer recovery specialists
- Linkages to care, housing, and other health-related social needs
- Telehealth services
- Overdose and suicide prevention
- Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)
- Aftercare and recovery centers
Combine Your Expertise With Ours
AHP works to improve access to innovative behavioral health care programs. We have driven and continue to pioneer positive change in correctional health care, with a deep understanding of medical/clinical and safety/security standards. We provide TTA through onsite and virtual trainings, webinars, publications, videos, and more.
Expanding Access to FDA-Approved Medications for Substance Use Disorders (SUDs)
AHP is a leading provider of TTA to initiate or expand access to medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders, including for withdrawal management. We have facilitated onsite peer correctional training across the country and have worked with urban and rural jurisdictions of all sizes and with varying resources to create strategic plans for program implementation.
Supporting Reentry Case Management, Certified Peer Recovery Coaches, and Community Aftercare Supports
AHP facilitates pre- and post-release reentry case management via webinars, manuals, and TTA. We
support Certified Peer Recovery Specialist programs, including certification programs for people who are incarcerated. AHP also facilitates local community programs to improve connections to resources to meet health-related social needs—including community linkages to care, employment readiness
and occupational training, and family contact/reunification.
Implementing Fidelity Assessments
AHP developed the first fidelity assessment in the nation to help jails implement SUD treatment, including MOUD, and to support continuous quality improvement and sustainability in their treatment programs. As of March 2024, we have conducted fidelity assessments in 39 states and 1 U.S. territory.
AHP Is at the Practice Forefront
We facilitated the development and dissemination of critical publications and practice transformation initiatives, including:
- Guidelines for Managing Substance Withdrawal in Jails: A tool for local government officials, jail administrators, correctional officers, and healthcare professionals
- Jail-Based Medication-Assisted Treatment: Promising Practices, Guidelines, and Resources for the Field
- The Correctional MAT Research Compendium, developed specifically for prisons
- COSSUP Jail-Based MAT Mentor Site Initiative, leading peer-to peer practice transformation to lift up best practices in jails across the country.
Our staff also served as key informants for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s:
- Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Jails and Prisons: A Planning and Implementation Toolkit (updated 2023)
AHP Supports Innovative Practice and Executive Coaching
Your responsibilities as criminal justice professionals are always increasing and evolving, and we are committed to evolving with you. Unparalleled experience coupled with a determined spirit of innovation make AHP a powerful ally as we, collectively, work to improve our criminal justice systems.
“We’re counting on AHP to provide us with new ideas and innovative solutions we might not have considered on our own. With challenges like the opioid crisis and chronic homelessness to contend with, we couldn’t afford to do less. Our programs must be successful, which is why we have invested in such a competent partner.”
—Marlies Perez, Chief, Community Services Division, California Department of Health Care Services
About Us
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) creates powerful solutions to improve health and human services systems. By partnering with the federal government, states, municipalities, healthcare systems, and nonprofits, we help people experiencing the greatest disadvantages lead full and productive lives. We are national leaders in training and technical assistance, research and evaluation, publishing, and dedicated consulting. On issues from workforce development to mental health, substance use disorders to housing and homelessness, we help our clients enhance behavioral health care through systems change. AHP was founded nearly 40 years ago to develop solutions for some of the biggest social infrastructure challenges across the nation. Our company has offices in metro Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Find out more at www.ahpnet.com.
For press inquiries, please contact newsroom@ahpnet.com.