Governor Lou Leon Guerrero has signed Executive Order 2020-21 relative to addressing the mental health, drug, alcohol, and rehabilitation needs of the Department of Corrections (DOC) through the establishment of the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (GBHWC) Annex.
EO 2020-21 requires that the GBHWC and DOC set up a satellite operation of the GBHWC within DOC facilities to be equipped with necessary personnel and resources to support programs to address mental health, and alcohol and drug concerns of inmates and detainees.
“The ideal community should be a community without the need for a prison. The reality is there is a need. Many of these individuals have mental health and substance abuse challenges. We need a holistic approach to rehabilitation. Knowing this reality, I have asked DOC Acting Director Joe Carbullido to work with GBHWC Director Therese Arriola in creating a GBHWC Annex so that these individuals will have immediate access to treatment and services that will address their overall health and well being,” the governor said.
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“We know that there are many in our prison who are diagnosed with mental health and substance abuse conditions. The sooner we treat them and guide them through recovery and corrections programming, the lower the recidivism will be,” added Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio.
GBHWC will be guided by Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) standards for criminal justice programs and National Commission on Correctional Health Care Standards of Mental Health Services in Correctional Facilities.
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