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Kenton County Detention Center COR-12 Jail Substance Abuse Program

An innovative program in Kentucky that provides in-jail substance use disorder treatment to inmates in its county detention center

Started as a pilot program in 2015, the Kenton County Detention Center's Comprehensive Opioid Response with 12 Steps Jail Substance Abuse Program (COR-12 JSAP) in Kentucky provides substance use disorder treatment to its county inmates. The overall goals of the program are to improve inmates’ substance use treatment before and after release as well as reduce recidivism related to substance use and the number of fatal and nonfatal overdoses. More detail on the program can be found in this presentation. 

After initial success, the program expanded with ongoing funding from the state legislature; the program has the capacity to serve 125 clients and is licensed through the state as a residential treatment facility. It has been recognized in news articles nationally and locally. 

The COR-12 JSAP treatment program provides participants with medications for opioid use disorder (buprenorphine and Vivitrol), cognitive and behavioral therapies, and a therapeutic community living setting. It also facilitates inmates’ transitions into community-based care upon release with a focus on employment and housing. The program self-reports to be effective, replicable, scalable, and low-cost.

More information on the program can be found in the video here and the overview here. 

For every $1 spent on Kentucky corrections-based substance use disorder treatment, there is a $3.90 cost offset to society.

Continuum of Care
Treatment
Type of Evidence
Report with evaluation
Response Approach
Early Intervention
Housing, Education, and Employment
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Peer-reviewed Article
Case Study: County-Level Responses to the Opioid Crisis in Northern Kentucky
Related Resources
Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Jails and Prisons: A Planning and Implementation Toolkit
Partnering with Jails to Improve Reentry: A Guidebook for Community-Based Organizations
Effectiveness of Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use in Prison and Jail Settings: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review
Interventions for Incarcerated Adults with Opioid Use Disorder in the United States: A Systematic Review with a Focus on Social Determinants of Health
Jail-based Medication-assisted Treatment: Promising Practices, Guidelines, and Resources for the Field
Reentry Matters: Strategies and Successes of Second Chance Act Grantees
Choice Matters: Housing Models that May Promote Recovery for Individuals and Families Facing Opioid Use Disorder
The 10 Essential Elements of Opioid Intervention Courts
Adult Drug Courts and Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence
Medication-Assisted Treatment in Drug Courts: Recommended Strategies
Law Enforcement Pre-Arrest Diversion Resource Guide

Evidence of Program Effectiveness

No stand-alone evaluation of this specific program or peer-reviewed article on its effectiveness.  However:

A 2019 study conducted by the Center on Alcohol and Drug Research at University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Department of Corrections reported that among substance abuse program (SAP) participants from Kentucky jails, prisons, and community corrections facilities interviewed 12 months post-release in 2017-2018:

  • 56.7% had not been re-incarcerated  
  • 86.0% were living in stable housing
  • 62.5% were employed
  • 77.9% reported providing financial support to their children
  • 48.0% did not use any illicit substances in the year since release
  • 71.5% attended 12-Step meetings

Of the SAP graduates who returned to DOC custody:

  • 94.6% were re-incarcerated on a technical or probation/parole violation
  • 54.4% were employed, whereas 68.7% of non-recidivists were employed
  • 70% reported using drugs in the year since release and 52% had a positive drug test

Treatment graduates noted positives about SAP participation, including:

  • 88.4% felt better about themselves as a result of treatment
  • 84.3% received services they needed to get better
  • 88.1% considered the treatment program to be successful

Cost offset analysis indicated that for every $1 spent on Kentucky corrections-based substance abuse treatment there is a $3.90 cost offset  in reductions to social and financial costs to society. 

The jail's program specific to providing medications for opioid use disorder has also been recently evaluated.