https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Subscribe to GovPro
    • Manage GovPro Subscription
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
acc.com

Commentaries


Commentary

The opioid crisis in correctional facilities – How connected treatment can help

The opioid crisis in correctional facilities – How connected treatment can help

Cisco Senior Justice Advisor Daniel Stewart explains how connected treatment technology can help combat the opioid crisis.
  • Written by contributor
  • 3rd January 2018

By Daniel Stewart

Across the country, city and county leaders and law enforcement officials are leading the charge to discuss the opioid crisis and brainstorm how they can deliver appropriate services to inmates with addictions prior to their release to society. While correctional facilities around the country are trying to stem this epidemic by enhancing existing drug treatment services, high costs and remote locations deter all correctional facilities to physically bring a professional face-to-face on the enhanced basis some feel necessary. Yet, with new, advanced technology, inmates can receive treatment via video conferences.

Telehealth solution– Connected treatment technology

While the introduction of technology in the public safety sector has been around for years, the continued advancements allow for more insights than ever before. Specifically, technology gives police officers new analytics and data systems that offer a more in-depth view of where the majority of arrests are coming from based on a specific crime. When focusing on crime stemming from opioids and other drugs, agencies can direct their efforts to those targeted locations. And, as almost 50 percent of federal inmates are serving time for drug offenses, there is a large amount of data on drug-related crimes. This data allows for a better focus on how to create a smooth transition back into society that will better position inmate re-entry into these areas.

Part of creating a successful transition program for inmates leaving a correctional facility is using a telehealth solution known as connected treatment technology. Connected treatment technology can help correctional facilities offer services to inmates battling addiction from afar. By using secure video collaboration tools and video conferencing technology, incarceration facilities can provide inmates a secure connection to health professionals to help them through addiction treatments. As the topics are sensitive in nature, an embedded secure cloud-based call manager (CUCM) ensures private conversations remain secure.

The ease of use, ease of configuration and expected success of connected treatment services supports a more successful re-entry program. In fact, The National Sheriffs’ Association already has implemented their own secure network and made the service available to sheriffs nationwide.

Why connected treatment technology works

Connected treatment technology is changing how addicts receive treatment. While mandated medical services are delivered in correctional facilities, many worry that using another drug to help with addiction control can be harmful if not properly supported through the correct counseling. With connected treatment technology, correctional officers and inmates can be sure those who need support are receiving full treatment with enhanced counseling to provide a better therapeutic impact.

According to the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), 95 percent of incarcerated individuals that used drugs pre-incarceration are projected return to drug abuse after release from a correctional facility. With the offered technology, inmates can receive a more complete addiction treatment and education protocol about the disease, including how to maintain sobriety. The technology gives addiction-impacted inmates the benefit of working directly with professionals to help them understand their disease of addiction. It offers positive programming while cutting overall costs for the correctional facility, giving inmates a better chance to start fresh when released.

A step in the right direction

The introduction of connected treatment technology is a step in the right direction for other issues, such as psychiatric services for inmates. Using the same videoconferencing solutions, correctional facilities are now able to offer counseling for incarcerated individuals prior to re-entry into society to help lower recidivism rates. For example, two counties in upstate New York are already expanding their telehealth technology to include psychiatry and counseling services and re-entry programming, as sheriffs see success with the connected treatment solutions.

Connected treatment opens doors to conversations on how technology can continue to be implemented in additional correctional facilities to help incarcerated individuals nationwide.

 

Daniel Stewart is the senior justice advisor for Cisco.

 

_____________

To get connected and stay up-to-date with similar content from American City & County:
Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
Watch us on YouTube

Tags: Administration Commentaries Commentary

Related


  • How city leaders can develop, manage and maintain strategic partnerships
    Now more than ever, the pandemic and economic crisis have exacerbated the need for municipal leaders to collaborate with other sectors including nonprofit, business, and philanthropy
  • Three ways the public sector can minimize remote workforce PC refresh headaches
    Public sector IT organizations must find ways and tools to automate and streamline processes while minimizing hands-on IT involvement in setting up and migrating PCs
  • Chicago becomes first city to use free COVID-19 vaccine scheduling tool for cities and states
    A new tool that streamlines finding real-time COVID-19 vaccine appointments and booking them is available free of charge for any city, state and large care organization to implement. Chicago is the first city to implement the tool, known as the Zocdoc Vaccine Scheduler, according to a news release. In Chicago, the vaccine scheduler aggregates data […]
  • UPDATED: Mask mandates, water upgrades, new transit part of Tampa’s plan for hosting pandemic-era Super Bowl
    * Updated Feb. 8, 2021 * Now that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won Super Bowl LV, the new question facing Tampa, Fla., is: how does a city safely host a Super Bowl victory parade during a global pandemic? The city’s current answer isn’t clear yet. Castor expects the city to have a plan by […]

Related Content

  • Biden cabinet picks poised to bring municipal experience to national level
  • Biden’s relief plan includes $350 billion for local and state government
  • How Philadelphia is aiming for zero waste
  • How the City of Fullerton navigated adding candidates to ballots remotely

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

American City & County’s 2020 Exemplary Public Servant of the Year Award dlvr.it/RtZbX2

26th February 2021
AmerCityCounty

American City & County’s 2020 Crown Communities Awards dlvr.it/RtZbVz

26th February 2021
AmerCityCounty

2020 Crown Communities Awards winner: Rock Hill, S.C.’s My Ride dlvr.it/RtZSFp

26th February 2021
AmerCityCounty

Three communities hosting Augmented Reality Developer Challenge competitions dlvr.it/RtZ94D

26th February 2021
AmerCityCounty

Using data to improve emergency response resources dlvr.it/RtVSc0

25th February 2021
AmerCityCounty

How small cities are tackling lead service line replacement dlvr.it/RtV9G8

25th February 2021
AmerCityCounty

COVID-19 and pivoting into a new year: It may be 2021, but did we really leave 2020? dlvr.it/RtQRcr

24th February 2021
AmerCityCounty

Six tips for making sure your dispatch is doing all the right moves dlvr.it/RtQBvl

24th February 2021

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X