NDOC’s substance abuse policy is to address inmate substance abuse problems and provide treatment. The Department has a variety of programs available. Inmates may volunteer for treatment, be assigned because of drug related crimes or if drug use was a factor in their crime. Those found to be using illegal substances while incarcerated are ordered into mandatory treatment according to need, as determined by clinical assessments. They also suffer the loss of “stat time”( good behavior credits that reduce their sentences) and visiting privileges, which can be redeemed by successful completion of the assigned treatment program.

NDOC “treats substance abuse through the services of state licensed/certified substance abuse counselors, staff psychologists, and mental health counselors. We have three therapeutic communities (TCs) which provide intensive treatment ranging from 6-12 months in duration; DUI programs for men and women; two substance abuse counselors in the Regimental Discipline Program (“Boot Camp”); two substance abuse counselors at Southern Nevada Correctional Center (youthful Offenders) and APE (Addiction Prevention Education) which is a psycho-educational class for inmates in the General Population.

OASIS (which stands for Offenders Acting in Solidarity to Insure Sobriety) was opened in March 2002 to provide a full-time treatment resource to Southern Nevada male inmates. NDOC program staff includes a Program Manager, an Administrative Assistant, a Clinical Supervisor, a Caseworker, six Substance Abuse Counselors and a Correctional Officer. OASIS treats 204 inmates at a time, in Unit 6 at the Southern Desert Correctional Center in Indian Springs. Aftercare is provided every Friday to OASIS graduates who remain at SDCC.

OASIS NORTH was opened January 22, 2007 to provide a fulltime treatment resource for Northern Nevada male inmates. It is patterned after OASIS and treats 171 male inmates, in Unit Five at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center. Aftercare is provided to graduates of this program who remain at NNCC.

The ARCH Program (which stands for Addiction Recovery and Commitment to Healing) is our therapeutic community for women at the Southern Nevada Women’s Correctional Center in North Las Vegas. Two full-time counselors and volunteers conduct the program which can serve 70 women at a time. Aftercare is provided at SNWCC and at Jean Conservation Camp for women who complete ARCH but have not yet paroled or discharged their sentences.

Substance Abuse treatment id provided at Southern Nevada Correctional Center located at Jean. There are plans to open a 50 Program similar to the OASIS and ARCH in the near future.

Nevada law has mandated treatment for inmates convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI). Treatment comes within the last year of an inmate’s sentence and may be followed by Residential Confinement (house arrest), if the inmate qualifies. The men’s 8-week program is at Indian Springs Conservation Camp and is operated by a private provider, CiviGenics. The contract is re-bid every four years. The women’s program is offered by an NDOC Substance Abuse Counselor at Jean Conservation Camp and also runs for eight weeks

Ms. Jay Terrell is NDOC’s Substance Abuse Programs Director and she can be reached at Southern Desert Correctional Center in Indian Springs, or by phone at (702) 879-3800 ext. 262 or by email at jterrell@doc.nv.gov.