Boone part of drug treatment pilot program
Boone is one of three counties that will be part of a Missouri Department of Corrections pilot program to treat drug addiction and other mental health issues.
The department unveiled its Justice Re-Investment Treatment Pilot program during an event in Columbia on Wednesday. Other counties in the program are Buchanan in northeast Missouri and Butler in southeast Missouri.
The department said the counties were selected based on factors such as crime rates, sentencing trends and existing correctional and behavioral health treatment resources. The program is meant to reduce crime rates and recidivism among recently released inmates and other community members.
“The governor is focused on workforce development in order for us to get a good work force and we have a lot of people that come to use whether they are in prison, coming out or in the community,” corrections Director Anne Precythe said, “Under supervision, if we can do our part to help make them productive citizens then we are helping meet his goal in improving work force development.”
The program fosters coordination between multiple recovery support organizations, job training centers, courts, law enforcement and others.
