Jail Based Behavioral Health Services

The Office of Behavioral Health was allotted $5,671,171 for the Jail Based Behavioral Health Services (JBBS) Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program for FY 21. The JBBS program supports Colorado county Sheriffs in providing screening, assessment and treatment for substance use disorders and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders to people who need such services while they are in jail. The program also creates partnerships for continuity of care in the community for individuals needing services upon release from jail.  The is funded through HB 10-1352, and expanded in October 2012 through SB 12-163.
 
The JBBS program funds provision of evidence-based behavioral health services, with continuity of care extending into the community. Sheriff departments are recipients of these funds, either individually, or as multiple county Sheriff Departments as a catchment. In accordance with state legislation, all funds are used to provide behavioral health services for adults with substance use disorders or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. 
 
Sheriff Departments have partnered with licensed local community providers who are currently licensed by OBH to provide services within the jail and have the capacity to provide free or low-cost services in the community to inmates upon release. Most programs have at least one clinician who administers screenings, assessment and treatment in the jail, along with a case manager position dedicated to transitional care and a seamless re-entry in treatment services in the community. Treatment providers screen all inmates for presence of substance use disorders, mental health disorders, trauma and traumatic brain injury, along with identifying inmates with active duty or veteran military status. 
 

Resources

• Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the Criminal Justice System: Brief Guidance to the States - A brief provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
• Senate Bill 19-008 requires a county jail that receives funding through Jail-Based Behavioral Health Services (JBBS) to have a Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) policy in place on or before Jan. 1, 2020. Here is a sample MAT policy, protocol, and discharge interview. All of these were developed by the Steadman Group. 
  • Sample CO MAT Jail Policy Template
  • Sample CO MAT Jail Protocol Template
  • Sample CO MAT Discharge Interview

Training

Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program

The Rhode Island Department of Corrections and the Opioid Response Network produced a series of instructional videos about their top-notch treatment program for opioid use disorder in correctional facilities.

• RIDOC MAT Program: Full Video- Full length video outlining the RIDOC MAT Expansion program. It is also broken out into chapters for your convenience.  
• Setting Up the RIDOC Program- How RIDOC went about setting up the program and why MAT is important.
• Getting Buy-In- The importance of both getting buy-in from all levels of staff and providing appropriate training.
• Security- Diversion control procedures and additional security specific information.
• The Medline- Shows the medication line for both methadone and suboxone.

The Impact of New Legislation on Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Jails
Presented Oct. 24, 2019

This slide show was used during a live online training covering the requirements and previewing the expected impacts of new legislation and funding on OBH criminal justice initiatives (with an emphasis on opioid use disorder mandated through Senate Bill 19-008). OBH representatives also provided guidance on funding deadlines and next steps.  View the presentation slides.

Introduction to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Correctional Facilities
Presented March 22, 2019

Dr. Lesley Brooks, Chief Medical Officer with Sunrise Community Health and Assistant Medical Director for North Colorado Health Alliance, presents on the unique benefits to providing treatment for substance use disorders (SUD) in correctionalfacilities. The presentation details the medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and describes the basic pharmacology of medications used in MAT. The session also covers the National Commission on Correction Health Care recommendations for treatment of incarcerated people with SUD. View the webinar and download the presentation slides.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD)Treatment in Correctional Facilities: Initial Steps
Presented April 4, 2019

Dr. JK Costello, Senior Health Care Consultant with the Steadman Group, walks correctional facilities considering using MAT through initial planning and implementation steps. These include selecting goals for SUD treatment; determining the appropriate medications to reach the goals; evaluating local resources available to assist with treatment; and identifying considerations for assembling a team of law enforcement professionals and community members to realize the program. View the webinar and download the presentation slides.

In May 2018 the Colorado General Assembly passed Senate Bill 18-250, which allocated $5.1 million in additional funding to the JBBS program to address gaps in services for mental health disorder screening, assessment, diagnosis and treatment. The funds support psychiatric prescription services and the purchase of medications. In accordance with the legislation, all funds are dedicated to providing  behavioral health services for adults (18 years of age and older) with mental health disorders or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.

Per SB 18-250 priority was given to rural and frontier counties for mental health services funds. However, funding has been made available to any county that needed and/or requested it.

• JBBS Database Training
• Contract Monitoring Tool

In order to better serve our stakeholders, OBH's Criminal Justice Team offers virtual Jail-Based Behavioral Health Services (JBBS) “Roundtables” These 50-minute sessions involve program staff who are available to answer questions related to upcoming deadlines and any operational and administrative changes. All sessions will be recorded and slidedecks posted. Click on the following dates to access the files.

• June 18, 2020
• May 20, 2020
• May 7, 2020

Watch the meeting recordings:

• November 17, 2020