Nonprofit providers outline treatment, prerelease capacity and outcomes for Montana

A panel from the Montana Community Corrections Association described how contracted nonprofit providers operate prerelease and treatment programs that serve people on DOC commitments or under community supervision.

Amy Tenney, a MCCA member and CEO of Boyd Andrew Community Services, told the council the association's five nonprofits run 18 programs and "serve approximately 1,800 to 2,000 individuals per day" across assessment, prerelease and treatment beds. Tenney said treatment programs have researched-based lengths (90, 180 and 270 days) and include medication-assisted treatment and multidisciplinary teams addressing addiction, mental health and criminogenic needs.

David Armstrong described prerelease centers as transitional, evidence-based reentry facilities that combine supervision with employment, case management and treatment modules. He said prerelease per-diem rates generally run in the $60
0 range and treatment per-diems range roughly $85

60 depending on intensity. Armstrong also said people in prerelease centers commonly earn $16

8 per day, enabling many to leave with several months'worth of savings and improved reentry prospects.

Panelists pointed to favorable recidivism metrics: pre-release center recidivism over five years was about 25% compared with a national average near 55%. They highlighted workforce, mental-health and psychiatric capacity gaps and asked for sustained funding and contract stability so providers can meet demand, especially for women'specific programming.

The council asked about program capacity, treatment outcomes and how to scale services to rural counties; presenters recommended targeted grants and shared screening/placement tools to align local needs and state funding.