From Meridian Behavioral Health Services
For the past six years, Meridian has been providing substance abuse assessment and group therapy services 2X/week in both the Haywood and Jackson County jails. The provision of these services would not possible without the ongoing financial support of the Evergreen Foundation. The jail program has not only positively impacted the individuals served but has proven to be an invaluable treatment resource to the local jails. Most research indicates that 80-90% of incarcerated individuals have significant substance abuse challenges. Incarcerating individuals without assessing and treating their substance abuse does little to break the cycle of re-offending/imprisonment. Meridian staff report that after an individual has been incarcerated for a period of time, his/her brain is no longer awash in poly substances and as a result is much more receptive to treatment interventions. In addition, the Matrix treatment model that is used in the jail program is the same one used in Meridian’s Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program. Once an individual is released from jail, he/she can go directly into an outpatient program that employs the same strategies, language, concepts etc. thus increasing the likelihood of a successful transition and recovery.
The Evergreen Foundation is a local non-profit agency that provides infrastructure support, start-up and service provision grants and scholarships that expand and improve the delivery of high quality prevention, treatment and support services to individuals with mental health, substance abuse and developmental disability challenges who reside in the seven westernmost counties in NC.
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