Commissioner : Homer Bryson

Director of Public Affairs : Joan Heath

Paulding and Bleckley Counties

FORSYTH, Ga. — Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Homer Bryson announced the conversion of Paulding and Bleckley Probation Detention Centers into Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) facilities effective August 1, 2015. Paulding RSAT will house a maximum of 200 male probation detainees and Bleckley RSAT will house a maximum of 200 female probation detainees, both providing substance abuse treatment for probationers.

The newly converted RSAT facilities, whose funding was included in the FY 2016 appropriates bill, will provide treatment for both male and female offenders who have a need for intensive substance abuse programming. The program is designed as a nine-month program, contingent upon the offender completing all phases successfully. It requires a court order by a Judge, which orders the offender to successfully complete the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program. The program incorporates process and psychoeducational groups, individual counseling, work details inside the facility, and vocational education.

“It is important that we continue with Governor Nathan Deal’s criminal justice reform efforts and add alternative sentencing options for the treatment of our offenders,” said Commissioner Bryson. “The addition of these two facilities will provide the state with a total of seven facilities which allows for the treatment of approximately 1,500 probationers.”

Other locations that provides this treatment include Bainbridge Probation Substance Abuse Treatment Center (male), Coastal State Prison (male), Lee Arrendale PSATC (female), Northwest PSATC (male), and Turner RSAT (male).

For more information on the GDC call 478-992-5247 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.

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