FORSYTH, Ga. – On August 30, 2018, the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) received the Organizational
Excellence in Treatment Award at the 12th Annual Georgia School of Addiction Studies conference held at the
Hyatt Regency in Savannah, Ga.
“The significance of this award brings attention to the work accomplished throughout the state by employees
of the GDC,” said Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier. “It also aligns with our vision of the agency to effectively
protect the public, while working to reduce recidivism.”
The Georgia School of Addiction Studies treatment program, begun 45 years ago in a family home, now
occupies an 11-acre wooded campus and offers a full continuum of care, from detox to inpatient rehabilitation
treatment, long-term treatment outpatient, and family programs.
The GDC received the award in recognition of its accomplishments in the field of treatment in addiction across
Georgia. This was achieved through the agency’s Residential Substance Treatment Centers (RSAT) programs
across the state. A nine-month residential substance abuse treatment program targeting high-risk, high-needs
offenders with a history of substance abuse as a crime-producing behavior leading to correctional supervision,
this program is based on the Therapeutic Community Model offering an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral
curriculum and has been in existence within the GDC for more than 10 years.
In addition, through the support of a federal grant partnership with the Department of Community
Supervision (DCS) and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), the GDC
has been able to implement a pilot program utilizing Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs at Lee
Arrendale RSAT. Currently, the GDC has 2,428 RSAT beds in 12 programs across the state, as well as 338
Integrated Treatment Facilities (ITF) beds in two programs.
By creating ITF’s focusing on offenders with a history of both substance abuse and mental health disorders,
the GDC is the first corrections system in the nation to implement integrated treatment for female offenders
who suffer from both mental health disorders and substance abuse.
For more information about the Georgia School of Addiction Studies, visit thegeorgiaschool.com.
