County correctional facility authorized to apply for RSAT grant to offset MAT costs

The Lebanon County Board of Commissioners voted Sept. 18 to authorize the county jail to apply for a 2026 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program (RSAT) grant administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The county’s correctional facility presented data showing growth in its medication‑assisted treatment (MAT) program: 108 participants in 2023, 133 in 2024 and about 150 as of Sept. 5, 2025 — roughly half the facility’s population, according to the presentation. The facility reported MAT program costs of about $106,722 in 2023, $184,854 in 2024 and $194,648 through August 2025. A county official identified as the Warden requested permission to apply. The RSAT program can award up to $200,000 per county; the county was previously awarded PCCD funds in 2021 (about $96,456) and 2024 (County Jail Based Virtual Program funds of $106,612). The RSAT award requires a 25% county match; the Warden said opioid settlement funds can meet the county match requirement. The board approved the motion to apply by unanimous voice vote. Why it matters: commissioners and jail staff said grant funding could substantially offset MAT costs and support continuity of care, including induction, maintenance and community handoff for participants leaving custody. Formal action: the board approved authorization to submit the RSAT application; the motion carried with an affirmative voice vote and no recorded roll‑call tally. Ending: the Warden said the grant, if awarded, would run from Jan. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027, and would help neutralize program costs when combined with opioid settlement funds.