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TASC, Inc. (Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities)
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Fall 2016
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International Policy Experts Visit TASC, Explore Alternatives to Incarceration
Highlighting the value of evidence-based alternatives to incarceration for people with substance use disorders, TASC hosted a three-day visit of representatives from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the U.S. State Department, the Organization of American States, and the judiciary of India, and featuring conversations and site visits with justice and service partners in Cook and Lake counties.
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Sept. 14-16, 2016: TASC and partners welcomed guests from international agencies for a three-day site visit focused on diversion initiatives, jail interventions, and sentencing alternatives in Cook and Lake counties. (Left to right: Antonio Lomba, Organization of American States; Chritharth Palli, India judiciary; Melody M. Heaps, MMH & Associates; Pam Rodriguez, TASC; Charlotte Sisson, U.S. State Dept.; Richard Baum, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
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Fundamentals of Alternatives to Incarceration
As a response to non-violent offenses related to drug use and addiction, there are many alternatives to incarceration that are more effective and less expensive than keeping people behind bars. "Program models are not enough," said TASC President Pam Rodriguez. "What's much harder to sustain--but what's necessary if we want to achieve real impact--are whole systems where justice partners and health services in the community work together by design."
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TASC Joins Partners in West Side Heroin Task Force to Address Chicago's Opiate Epidemic
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George A. H. Williams, TASC vice president of community and government affairs, speaking at the August 31, 2016, press conference.
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TASC Vice President of Community and Government Affairs George Williams joined other members of the new West Side Heroin Task Force assembled on International Overdose Awareness Day to announce findings of a study on the impact of heroin in Chicago's west side neighborhoods. The Roosevelt University study, "Hidden in Plain Sight: Heroin's Impact on Chicago's West Side," reported that the west side for many years has been ground zero of the crisis and its consequences.
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New Law Removes Barrier to Restored Citizenship for Eligible TASC Clients
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner approved a bill aiming to prevent the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction for TASC clients who have successfully completed probation, including alcohol or drug treatment. SB2601, sponsored by Illinois State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-3) and State Rep. Sonya Harper (D-6), extends the time period during which qualified program participants can ask the court to have their sentence "vacated," or cancelled.
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TASC Consulting Supports New White House Data-Driven Justice Initiative
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Left to right: TASC's Jac Charlier, Pam Rodriguez, and Maureen McDonnell participated in the Data-Driven Justice inaugural workshop at the White House on June 13.
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On June 30, the White House launched the Data-Driven Justice Initiative with a bipartisan coalition of 67 city, county, and state governments who have committed to using data-driven strategies to divert low-level offenders with mental illness out of the criminal justice system. To help advance these efforts, TASC will provide telephone and on-site consulting to several jurisdictions within the coalition that are developing data-driven diversion practices.
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Addiction Policy Forum and National Criminal Justice Association Partner to Translate Opioid Research to Practice
The Addiction Policy Forum and the National Criminal Justice Association have announced a new partnership, the Translating Science into Practice Project, which will focus on translating the current research on opioid addiction and treatment into policy and practice in the field. TASC is an active partner with the Addiction Policy Forum.
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TASC in the News
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Peter Palanca |
Addiction Today Radio Interviews TASC's Peter Palanca about Family
Role i
n Ad
diction Recovery
TASC Executive Vice President Peter Palanca was the featured guest on the August 20 Addiction Today radio program, where he offered
information for families of individuals in early recovery
. Hosted by veteran broadcaster Russ Morley, the 30-minute show delved into the hopes, expectations, and experiences of family members after a loved one completes treatment.
Heroin Hogs the Spotlight, but Cocaine Remains a Menace
(Chicago Tribune, July 4, 2016)
Cocaine's decline is evident across a range of measurements. Fewer Chicago arrestees test positive for it, and fewer clients referred to Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, an organization that helps people in the criminal justice system get into recovery, list cocaine as their primary drug of choice. "What we hear from clients is that cocaine is more expensive than heroin, and that how long they stay high is shorter on cocaine than it is on heroin," said Alicia Osborne, the group's director of operations.
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Save the Date:
2016 TASC Leadership Awards Luncheon
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
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11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago
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Copyright © 2016. All Rights Reserved.
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