A recent meeting scheduled by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission focused on efforts to expand Frederick County’s Project 103 drug treatment program at the county jail. As reported in The Frederick News-Post:

The jail program could expand, but it would need additional grant funding to cover the costs, said David Brooks, clinical treatment supervisor for the program.

The discussion was scheduled by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission — made up of judges, attorneys, social services employees and law enforcement representatives — after a perceived cut in care provided by the state for court-ordered treatment of criminal defendants.

Originally, commission members planned to discuss whether it would be possible to transfer Frederick County criminal defendants from state prison to the county detention center for treatment during their sentences.

However, commission members decided to put that conversation on hold until funding for the state program in the fiscal 2016 state budget becomes clear. The state funding at issue is for “8-507 commitments,” named after the portion of state law that creates the inpatient substance abuse treatment judges impose, often after sentencing in criminal cases.

Early this spring, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ran out of money for the program, but additional funding was identified, said Dr. Brian Hepburn, director of the department’s Behavioral Health Administration.

The cost for the program is expected to reach $7.8 million in fiscal 2015, up from $6,360,306 in 2013.

For more information read the full article in The Frederick News-Post.