Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts and a range of recidivism reduction programming for justice-involved individuals throughout the country, has once again been awarded a contract from the Massachusetts Department of Correction (MADOC) to provide a wide range of services to male and female inmates across the state. The new contract will employ 141 Spectrum staff and serve more than 5,700 inmates per year.
“We are fortunate to have established a long-standing partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Correction over the past three decades, resulting in significant program expansion and numerous groundbreaking initiatives,” said Earl Warren, Spectrum’s Vice President of Correctional Services. “With the help of Mass. DOC, we have been able to expand and enhance our evidence-based programming to reflect the latest advancements in the field and meet the needs of inmates being served.”
Over the years, Spectrum has adapted to an ever-changing service delivery system, including changes resulting from the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Spectrum’s programming incorporates cognitive behavioral treatment, social learning, skills training, and motivational enhancement techniques to assist inmates in learning pro-social skills, addressing individual risks of relapse and recidivism, and preparing for successful community reintegration. Attesting to the program’s success, Spectrum has met MADOC requirements, averaging 98% in annual program audits for the past twenty years.
Additionally, Spectrum’s programming has consistently demonstrated significant reductions in recidivism. According to the MADOC research report, “One-Year Recidivism Rates of Male Releases 2013 – 2015: A Multi-Year Descriptive Analysis of Correctional Recovery Academy and High School Equivalency Credential,” the recidivism rate for inmates who met their substance use need by completing Spectrum’s Correctional Recovery Academy (CRA) was 12.7%, compared to a rate of 20.6% for those who did not complete the CRA program.
Spectrum’s correctional treatment division was established 29 years ago to address the needs of justice-involved individuals with a history of substance use. Today, Spectrum operates correctional treatment programs in prison and community-based settings throughout Massachusetts, Georgia, and Virginia, serving more than 5,500 offenders/probationers each day.
For more information on Spectrum Health Systems’ Correctional Division, visit our website or call 508.792.5400
