Pubdate: 18 August 97 Source: The Santa Rosa Press Democrat Contact: to the editor should be 250 or fewer words. The Press Democrat P.O. Box 569, Santa Rosa, CA 95402 Give true name street address and phone number (only name will be published) Budget woes may end County's drug program for women Jail addition negates cost effectiveness By Tom Chorneau Staff Writer Sonoma County's longstanding commitment to drug abuse diversion programs will be tested this week when county supervisors try to balance the benefits of a large addiction program for women against the need to balance their troublesome budget. Since January 1996, 67 women have gone through a substance abuse program, paid for in part with money earmarked for the jail, as part of an attempt to halt the destructive cycle of addiction and crime. The program was cost effective, largely because jail crowding had forced supervisors to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to sent women offenders to outofcounty jails. When officials discovered that treatment programs in Santa Rosa actually cost less than sending inmates to Yuba, Lake or Sutter counties, it provided further incentive to divert convicts who were good candidates for rehabilitation. But now that the county has opened its 279bed addition to the county jail, which includes spaces for about 78 more women, the financial incentive to continue the rehabilitation program has disappeared. And that is a powerful consideration for supervisors confronted by another difficult budget year. "This is an extremely valuable program," said Jim Harberson, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. "One of our goals for many years was to establish a substance treatment facility right there at the jail and we've never had the money to do that. This program is a piece of that and I'd hate to see it cut. But then again, I don't know where we will get the money." If the supervisors are unable to find the $120,000 annual cost of the program during budget hearings beginning Monday, they will lose nearly onethird of all treatment beds available for incarcerated women with addiction problems. In the last 10 years, supervisors have spent more than $50 million to build a new jail, then expand it, as well as millions more each year to staff and maintain the facility. Repeatedly, board members have expressed their desire to be able to spend even a fraction of that money on programs that might keep people out of jail, especially repeat offenders. Supervisors' attraction to diversion programs were fueled by studies like a 1991 report by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, which said more than twothirds of the women in prison were recidivists, having previously been sentenced to probation or jail as a juvenile or as an adult. Studies also show substance abuse is driving much of the crime that sends repeat offenders back to jail. In 1995, about onethird of the 2,261 women booked into the county jail were arrested for drug offenses. In 1991, about onequarter of women were arrested on drug charges. The program aimed at women offenders, so far, appears to be working. An initial review of graduates shows that fewer than 5 percent of those who completed the program have been rearrested. In comparison, during the same 18month study period, police rearrested nearly 60 percent of women who were released from jail but who did not go through any substance abuse program. Current clients can attest to the program's success. April Powell, 31, of Petaluma is set to graduate later this month from the program. After an addiction to methamphetamine landed her in jail five times in the last two years, she said she had to find a solution. "This program is giving me another chance at life," she said. "You can never say that you absolutely will not fall back into using, but for the first time in a long, long time I feel good about myself." Stacey Babbini, 34, of Santa Rosa, who also will graduate later this month, said she will leave the program with a better understanding of her responsibilities, both to herself and to the community. "Without this program, I know I'd just be back in the same cycle," she said. Capt. Sean McDermott, in charge of the county jail, said his department supports the program. "Anything we can do that will help solve the problems caused by drugs and alcohol, we've got to do," he said.