Commissioner: Gregory C. Dozier

Director of Public Affairs: Joan Heath

FORSYTH, Ga. – On August 30, 2018, the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) received the Organizational Excellence in Treatment Award at the 12th Annual Georgia School of Addiction Studies conference held at the Hyatt Regency in Savannah, Ga.

“The significance of this award brings attention to the work accomplished throughout the state by employees of the GDC,” said Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier. “It also aligns with our vision of the agency to effectively protect the public, while working to reduce recidivism.”

The Georgia School of Addiction Studies treatment program, begun 45 years ago in a family home, now occupies an 11-acre wooded campus and offers a full continuum of care, from detox to inpatient rehabilitation treatment, long-term treatment outpatient, and family programs.

The GDC received the award in recognition of its accomplishments in the field of treatment in addiction across Georgia. This was achieved through the agency’s Residential Substance Treatment Centers (RSAT) programs across the state. A nine-month residential substance abuse treatment program targeting high-risk, high-needs offenders with a history of substance abuse as a crime-producing behavior leading to correctional supervision, this program is based on the Therapeutic Community Model offering an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral curriculum and has been in existence within the GDC for more than 10 years.

In addition, through the support of a federal grant partnership with the Department of Community Supervision (DCS) and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), the GDC has been able to implement a pilot program utilizing Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs at Lee Arrendale RSAT. Currently, the GDC has 2,428 RSAT beds in 12 programs across the state, as well as 338 Integrated Treatment Facilities (ITF) beds in two programs.

By creating ITF’s focusing on offenders with a history of both substance abuse and mental health disorders, the GDC is the first corrections system in the nation to implement integrated treatment for female offenders who suffer from both mental health disorders and substance abuse.

For more information about the Georgia School of Addiction Studies, visit thegeorgiaschool.com.

About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees. For more information on the GDC, call 478-992-5247 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.