Carbon County officials are investigating three possible services that would benefit inmates with addiction problems.

During the county prison board meeting on Wednesday, Jamie Drake and Richard Mroczka of the Carbon-Monroe-Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission, approached the board about services that could help cut down on the number of repeat drug and alcohol offenders that come through the prison.The first program would be an extension of the outpatient treatment service programs at the commission.Mroczka said services would be brought into the jail using treatment specialists from the commission.Inmates who meet the criteria for outpatient services would see a treatment specialist in both individual and group sessions during their incarceration to help get them on the right path. Upon release, they would then be able to transfer their services to the commission's Lehighton office."The goal is to have the individual involved in treatment while they are in prison so when they get out, they can continue," Mroczka said, adding that most people choose to extend their treatment following their release.The second program would also benefit inmates in need of inpatient treatment.The Medical Assistance Pilot Program aims to help get people qualified for medical assistance into rehab immediately following their incarceration.Drake said that an agreement is in place with the local Department of Public Welfare office, which would expedite the MA approval process to correspond with the person's release date.The person would be covered under medical assistance upon release from prison and be transferred directly to the rehab facility for treatment.Drake said that the program is ready to start at any time, and the county would just need to provide a secure room to meet with possible clients, as well as a few other necessities.Help for womenThe third program focuses on the women who are incarcerated.Drake said the commission is currently applying for a one-year grant to implement a women's addiction program in the prison.She said of all the blocks in the facility, the women's block had the highest percentage of drug and alcohol offenders with over 60 percent who had been in drug and alcohol services."Research shows that women don't get help as much as men do," Drake said, noting that other factors, such as child care and affordability play a big role.The program would be both individual and group sessions over a 12-week cycle and would use a women's addiction workbook to help women learn why women get addicted, how addiction affects men and women differently, traumas associated with addiction and the healing process."I think this will be an effective thing," Drake said. "Most women aren't here for violent crimes."In addition, there would be a recovery specialist who would help the women build a re-entry plan for after they are released.Drake said that they should know if they will receive the grant for the program on Dec. 10. They hope to start the program on Jan. 5, 2015.Warden Joseph Gross asked what facility requirements would be for the programs.Mroczka said that a secured room with a desk and a few chairs would be needed to complete assessments, do one-on-onesessions and groupsessions.Gross said that the only room available is heavily used at this time, so the board suggested looking at the facility to see if any space could be designated for the programs.The board will also set up a meeting with its adult probation office to look at setting up a plan to identify possible candidates for the programs.No action was taken on whether the programs will be implemented.The board will continue looking into ways to reduce the number of repeat offenders, and cut down on the overcrowding problem at the prison.In other matters, Frank Shubeck, work release director, said that progress is being made on the firing range being constructed behind the prison. The range will be utilized by county corrections officers, probation, sheriff's deputies and the Nesquehoning police for training purposes.Shubeck said that the project is about 90 percent complete and should take only a few more days of work before it is ready.The project was at no cost to the county.