8. Only for Meth Users

I believe a lot of good can come from implementing drug re-hab into the prison system. It is not a new idea. Most prisons do have a substance abuse program available to inmates. The idea of having a prison that is specifically for drug abusers seems to be a much needed facility. I have not done any research on this so far, but I do have some questions as to how they screen for qualified inmates. The program that I am aware of is CLIFF. CLIFF stands for Clean Living Is Freedom Forever. This program is in two of Indiana’s prisons. The program states to be used in rehabilitation of methamphetamine abusers. My concern is why only this abuser, why not for any offender who could benefit from an eighteen month substance abuse program.
I am curious to find out how much money tax payers are spending for this program. I would like to compare that figure to monies spent by taxpayers on substance abuse programs available to the public before they become part of the prison system. I do not know how long this program has been implemented, but I plan to find out the success rate of those who have completed the program. I am also curious to find out how many long term substance abuse programs have closed their doors due to non payment of insurance. From what I gather, it seems insurance will not pay for substance abuse programs, but if there is a psychiatric diagnosis, the insurance will pay for a lengthy stay in a mental ward of a hospital. Would there be a possible solution to keep substance abuse programs available to low income, non insured public? Is the only viable solution to wait until a person has spiraled so far out of control that the only help waiting for that individual is behind a razor fence?
Statistics show that a person who has successfully completed a long term substance abuse program has a better chance staying off drugs; however that success rate is one in nine. ONE person will make it while the other NINE fail. I guess the light at the end of the tunnel as far as our government sees it, is for the nine who do fail if they fail badly enough, we have a substance abuse program waiting for you. Hope your substance of choice is methamphetamine, if not you may or may not get into a program in a different prison.