What is the ATP program in MDC?
People who are held at MDC are often there because of problems with drugs and alcohol. To many people, being in jail is a wakeup call that they need help for their drug or alcohol use. Other people will hear that the judge orders them to complete “ATP” before they are released, or perhaps even their lawyer has counseled them to enroll. But what is ATP? It is very common for the program to be mentioned, but often no one explains what it is.
The Addictions Treatment Program (ATP) at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) is a 28-day in-patient program that inmates can begin while they are held in jail. Inmates can either apply to get in or be ordered by the Court. There is often a significant waitlist to get in; a Court order will bump the inmate to the top of the line. There are several directors and workers at MDC who run the program, set the line, and take orders from the Court. For purposes of communication, these people are key to the practical workings of the program for inmates and their families.
Getting into the program is an initial barrier. There often is a wait which can be very discouraging. Entering into the program can be an opaque process for inmates and their families; the right orders must be filed and followed up with MDC staff. Another barrier is the inmates themselves being ready to ask for this help or recognize that they have a problem that warrants a program like this.
However, once in the program, inmates can learn valuable lessons and join into a more therapeutic and treatment minded population. In ATP, inmates learn:
- Addiction recovery skills based on the “disease” concept of addiction and abstinence-based treatment.
- Relapse prevention strategies and planning.
- Life skills to aid in maintaining a substance-free life after release
- Safety and DWI education
- Gender-specific issues related to addiction and recovery.
- HIV/AIDS/STD education.
- Coping mechanisms through participation in AA/NA (Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous).
- Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT), a cognitive-behavioral approach to address criminal thinking and behavior (MRT may be available to those inmates who cannot get into MDC for safety reasons.
ATP utilizes a Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) treatment modality, which aims to help individuals find rewarding activities and relationships that support a drug-free lifestyle. Inmates receive a week of structured assessment by licensed clinical providers, followed by three weeks of curriculum designed to provide a solid foundation of knowledge and skills for maintaining sobriety.
The ATP program is structured as a therapeutic community, where participants interact in structured and unstructured ways to influence attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors associated with drug use. This approach, known as “community as method,” leverages peer support and group dynamics to facilitate change. It is positive and useful because a major problem with jails is that they put people with significant problems all together; if there is no structure, they may bring each other down. The community aspect to ATP helps make up for this. Aside from the quality of any programming or its specific suitability to any individual, being housed with people who ostensibly have the same goal of sobriety and recovery is a boost.
In my experience, the most impactful lesson for inmates is about learning to name and recognize their “triggers” for using. For many, they have never thought about a cause-and-effect pathway about what factors lead to their use and abuse of drugs and alcohol. The conscious recognition of what leads them to use is a powerful tool because it gives them a power to plan and avoid those factors. For example, some people may realize that hanging out with a certain group of friends encourages their drug use, they would be encouraged to avoid these friends and find new, healthier relationships.
It is common for a judge to order that the inmate not be released until they complete ATP. There is a difference between being released upon completion or the judge ruling that they will only consider release upon completion. Commonly, the judges do take participation in ATP as a strong consideration when determining whether to release an inmate because they believe it makes recidivism decrease. Even if release is not realistically on the table at the present time, completion of ATP can be a positive factor for potential sentencing hearings.
There is some research to back up the effectiveness of MDC’s ATP program. One study from 2004 showed that persons who completed MDC’s ATP program were less likely to be rearrested than inmates who did not do ATP: Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Addiction Treatment Program (ATP). This study was confirmed by an 2023 study showing similar positive results in reducing recidivism (engaging in another crime). addiction-treatment-program-evaluation.pdf
ATP is only one month long. Additional research shows that longer programs are more effective in creating the community, fully ensuring that the person has worked the substances out of their systems, and further separating them from the problematic patterns. This means that a person who has completed ATP should absolutely consider entering into a 90-day in-patient treatment program or at least an intensive out-patient counseling program to practice and continue the progress and prevent relapse.
To my knowledge there is no barrier to doing this program even if the inmate has done it before. In fact, I think this is recommended. Conquering substance abuse disorder is a difficult and long road. Doing a program like this again can have real benefits. Possibly, the approach will resonate differently this time. There may be different staff that speak and reach the inmate in a way that the previous ones did not. Possibly now, the inmate is more open and ready to hear. And sometimes these lessons are just so difficult that it takes a couple of sessions before they are heard. Never give up hope!
Persons in MDC with substance abuse issues and their families should advocate to help get them into ATP if they are at all open to it. There are substances used in MDC which can terribly hinder a person’s recovery. Moreover, there are also a lot of other negative influences and activities going on there. Being in a community (or “pod”) that is explicitly focused on something positive can have a huge influence on their prospects. Inmates and family can advocate by making sure their names are on a list for ATP. They can ask their lawyers to push for orders and to follow up to make sure those orders are filed and recognized by MDC staff. Time spent in MDC is long and there is no point to simply sitting there in a cell when ATP is available and can help people address the issues that lead them to be incarcerated.
Inmates and family members should work together and with their lawyers to formulate a plan when they get out. As I wrote above, one month of treatment is not enough to kick a real substance dependency problem. If a person is in jail, you can be assured there is a problem that requires more than just a time-limited session. Inmates, families, and lawyers should plan for continued treatment, get buy-in from everyone involved and execute a plan for recovery and maintenance once release is secured.
