(GDN) — One year in, and Wayne County is seeing encouraging results from its Detention Center Substance Misuse Program. 

Wayne County Jail Navigator Machelle Bass gave an update on the program at Tuesday’s county board meeting.

There were a total of 110 participants during the first year of the program.

One participant, who is expected to graduate in May, is hoping to become a peer support specialist and return the local jail to help others in the program.

One of the main goals of the program is to reduce recidivism, and Bass says there were three participants who did recidivize during the first year, but none in the last three months.

Bass says one participant, who lived in the homeless community, was in need of a hip replacement but had been unable to provide the necessary negative drug screen.

That participant was able to get scheduled for his first round of surgeries thanks to sobriety through the program.

Bass says one of the biggest challenges is continued engagement when participants are released back into the community without necessary tracking, rapport, or day reporting measures.

Bass reminds this program is 100% voluntary and is not intended to help anyone with their judicial process.

The program celebrates three and six months of sobriety in the community with certificates of recognition.

The Detention Center’s Substance Misuse Program is federally funded.