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County approves continuing contract for corrections programming; services to be paid from opioid-abatement funds
Summary
The Merrimack County Commissioners approved renewal of work with Alternative Solutions Associates to support corrections programming (SOAR and SUMMIT), with funding drawn from opioid-abatement reimbursement; the meeting included updates on Medicaid-assisted treatment, the Hero Pups program and community reentry services
The Merrimack County Board of Commissioners approved continuing its engagement with Alternative Solutions Associates — the contractor led by Kevin Warwick — to provide program evaluation, fidelity review and curriculum support for the county corrections programs.
County corrections staff described the contractor’s role as including peer reviews, classroom observation, curriculum suggestions and one-on-one interviews with program participants. Staff said the consultant’s involvement supports the SOAR program (the county’s in-house reentry curriculum) and the SUMMIT program (a federal program variant without the one-year aftercare component). The presenter said the contractor typically provides roughly 26–27 days of on-site or remote services annually.
Staff told the board that the cost for continuing those services will be paid from opioid-abatement funds the county recently received reimbursement for — a fund source county staff said can be used for medication-assisted treatment (MAT), program staffing, prescriptions and other substance-use-disorder related expenses. The presenter discussed the county’s MAT program, noting the jail maintains continuity of medication-assisted treatment for people who were receiving it in the community and that roughly 60 percent of the facility population is on MAT while about 90 percent of inmates in the SOAR program are on MAT.
Corrections staff also reported they are resuming the Hero Pups program at the county facility with dogs arriving for training and a planned graduation ceremony. The presenter said the program will house the dogs on-site and that eight to nine inmates applied to be handlers; the program was expected to begin sessions in early March and include media for the graduation.
Commissioners voted to approve continuing the contract with Alternative Solutions Associates and to fund it from opioid-abatement reimbursements; the vote carried and staff said they will finalize contract language and any minor edits before execution.
Staff answered commissioners’ questions about aftercare and transition planning, saying the SOAR program includes a one-year aftercare plan for participants and that corrections staff coordinate community appointments to preserve continuity of care for people on MAT when they leave the facility.
The board also discussed the scope and duration of opioid-abatement trust funding; staff said the county currently has funds available in that account and that the trust’s distribution period varies by settlement and program.
