DOC Budget Shortfalls Leads to Major Cuts for Addiction Treatment
May 3rd, 2018 by Jake Stofan
The Florida Department of Corrections is making drastic cuts to substance abuse treatment options.
The department is slashing its contracts with 33 substance abuse treatment providers by 40%, some face cuts as high as 90%.
The Legislature allocated $19.2 million for the programs, which benefit more than 50,000 inmates and parolees.
“70% of the people that come to prison have a substance abuse problem. It means 70% less will get treatment,” said Mark Fontaine, Executive Director of the Florida Drug and Alcohol Abuse Association.
The department announced the cuts Tuesday and gave providers an ultimatum: Accept the cuts or lose their contracts entirely.
Shelia Randolph is the CEO of The Unlimited Path of Central Florida, which is facing the most drastic cuts.
“The whole system is devoid of any type of treatment with these cuts,” said Randolph.
Less access to treatment means inmates are more likely to fall victim to the opioid crisis when they get out.
Opioids kill 16 Floridians each day.
“This is an emergency and we need the Governor and the Legislature to recognize the problem,” said Randolph.
The department says it has to make the cuts to make up for other healthcare costs, which it’s constitutionally obligated to provide to inmates.
Providers say cutting the programs only stands to cost the department more in the long run.
“Since we started these programs the number of inmates have come down every year,” said Fontaine.
The DOC says the decision to reduce the contracts wasn’t easy and hopes the cuts will only be temporary.
Providers are calling on lawmakers to step in and encourage the DOC to reconsider the cuts or fix the DOC’s budget deficit.
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