To justify funds for drug testing, we will need better data regarding who is in the program and what their treatment needs are. There is a need to determine what is being done for these clients now, and how much more would be necessary for this program. A key issue area is that efforts must be collaborative to address the fact that there are not enough financial resources to do everything that ought to occur. There are issues regarding assessment, qualifications, and level of service. There is an immediate need for collecting data identifying the number of individuals in the population who will be eligible for Proposition 36 services.
Dual diagnosis makes the situation even more complex.
Fifteen to twenty percent of those on probation have been diagnosed with a mental illness. CDC has received substantial funding and relies on broad discretion for dealing with low-end offenders in seeking an approach that balances both treatment and supervision for approximately 120,000 parolees. There are also models for in-house treatment. It is estimated that 9,500 individuals on probation will be diverted from jail, with another 14,500 diversions from parole. Current and existing CDC programs will continue to be utilized before moving into Proposition 36 programs.