Program targets recidivism in Yuma

Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona has begun a Community Re-Entry Program for adults and juveniles recently released from incarceration.
 
The program is designed to help reduce recidivism by encouraging participation in various behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services.
 
"Our Community Re-Entry Program ensures that inmates receive prompt and professional behavioral health treatment as well as community support for housing and employment immediately upon their release," said Melinda Vasquez, Cenpatico's chief officer of community affairs. "By facilitating this transition, we can help former inmates overcome many of the challenges they encounter when re-entering society.”
 
Cenpatico's Community Re-Entry Program kicked off Sept. 25 and is the first of its type to be used in the rural counties, including Pinal, Gila, La Paz and Yuma.
 
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, an estimated 67.5 percent of prisoners were rearrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within three years of their release, leading to overcrowded facilities and increased corrections costs for state governments.
 
Vasquez said the recidivism rate is often attributed to lack of participation in behavioral health treatment and substance use services after the inmates' release.
 
Cenpatico coordinates a Comprehensive Eligibility Screening and Assessment Evaluation for inmates residing in various correctional settings.
 
Vasquez said Cenpatico works with juvenile detention centers, adult county jails, the Arizona Department of Corrections, as well as probation and parole department representatives to select appropriate candidates to refer to the program.
 
Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona is a subsidiary of Cenpatico Behavioral Health, LLC. Cenpatico facilitates the delivery of mental health and substance abuse services to behavioral health recipients in the Arizona counties of Yuma, La Paz, Pinal and Gila. For more information, visit www.cenpaticoaz.com.


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James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.