Delaware has earned recognition as a national model for one specific area of criminal justice reform: the treatment of substance use disorders in correctional settings. The state's Road to Recovery program is a long-standing, evidence-based framework that provides addiction treatment inside Delaware's prisons and coordinates a warm handoff to community-based services upon release. For families with a loved one in Delaware DOC who has a substance use disorder — and research consistently shows that a substantial majority of the incarcerated population does — understanding Road to Recovery is essential.
Delaware's History in Prison Drug Treatment
Delaware began investing in therapeutic community models for prison-based drug treatment in the 1980s, earlier than most states. The state's KEY/CREST (Key Therapeutic Community / Correctional Residential Education, Skills, and Training) model became a widely studied example in the addiction treatment research literature, with studies showing significantly lower recidivism and relapse rates for participants compared to non-participants.
Road to Recovery builds on this foundation, using therapeutic community principles — structured group work, peer accountability, cognitive behavioral approaches, and intensive case management — delivered inside correctional facilities and continuing into the community after release.
What Road to Recovery Provides
The program offers a continuum of care designed to address different stages of recovery:
In-Prison Treatment
Participants in Road to Recovery receive structured substance use disorder treatment during their incarceration. Treatment includes individual counseling, group therapy using therapeutic community methods, education about addiction science and recovery, relapse prevention planning, and family-focused components that help families understand addiction and recovery. Participation is available at Delaware's four state correctional facilities.
Residential Aftercare (Work Release)
For eligible participants approaching release, Road to Recovery coordinates placement in residential work release programs where continuing treatment is available while participants re-establish themselves in the community. This transitional step — between secure incarceration and fully independent community living — has been identified in research as a critical factor in sustained recovery.
Community Aftercare
After full release, Road to Recovery coordinates connection to community-based outpatient treatment, support groups, recovery housing, and other services. The warm handoff — an active introduction to community services rather than simply providing a list of phone numbers — addresses one of the most common failure points in prison-based treatment: the gap between release and the first community appointment.
Who Qualifies
Road to Recovery is generally available to Delaware DOC inmates who have a documented substance use disorder and who have sufficient time remaining on their sentence to complete the in-prison treatment component. Participation requires a voluntary commitment from the inmate — the program is not imposed as a condition of sentence, but rather offered as an opportunity. An assessment is conducted to determine treatment needs and appropriate program intensity.
Ask your loved one's case manager at their specific facility about current program availability, waitlists, and eligibility requirements. Program capacity can vary, and some facilities may have waitlists for program slots.
Why It Matters for Families
The most consistent predictor of successful reentry for someone with a substance use disorder is engagement with treatment — both during incarceration and after release. The research on Delaware's program found that participants in Key/CREST-based treatment were significantly less likely to return to prison and more likely to be drug-free after release than non-participants. These are outcomes that affect the entire family, not just the incarcerated person.
Families can support Road to Recovery participation by:
- Encouraging your loved one to request an assessment from their case manager if they have not already
- Participating in family components of the treatment program if offered at the facility
- Educating yourself about addiction as a chronic condition — the National Institute on Drug Abuse (nida.nih.gov) publishes accessible, evidence-based resources
- Preparing for the reentry transition by researching recovery housing, outpatient services, and employment support in the community where your loved one will be released
Delaware DOC Contact
The Delaware Department of Correction headquarters is at 245 McKee Road, Dover, DE 19904. Phone: (302) 739-5601. Program information is also available at doc.delaware.gov.