San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed, Supervisor Ahsha Safaí, and Chief Adult Probation Officer Karen Fletcher today celebrated the opening of the Treatment, Recovery, and Prevention (TRP) Academy. Located at 630 Geary Boulevard, the pilot program will serve as an alternative sentencing strategy for justice-involved males seeking a highly structured environment that includes substance use counseling, career and leadership development, and transitional housing for 86 formerly incarcerated individuals.

TRP is a partnership between the Adult Probation Department (APD) and Positive Direction Equals Change, a Bayview-based nonprofit, who will administer this peer-led, therapeutic teaching community and transitional housing program.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have continued to work on innovative, community-led solutions to the mental health and substance use crises we see on our streets, and today is a celebration of that work,” said Mayor Breed. “We know it will take all hands on deck to connect people struggling with these issues to the resources and treatment they need, and it brings me much joy to know that starting today, 86 of those individuals will be receiving immediate care.”

With an emphasis on abstinence-based programming, TRP will serve as an alternative to incarceration by supporting the needs of justice-involved individuals. Participants will take part in a six-month Therapeutic Teaching Community (TTC) program, which will provide life skills, coping mechanisms for abstinence from drugs, leadership development, and vocational and career training. Mayor Breed’s budget for Fiscal Years (FY) 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 allocated $4 million to fund this year’s pilot program.

“We are excited to see a residential therapeutic community open today that will give people with drug addictions alternatives to going to prison,” said Supervisor Ahsha Safaí. “An abstinence drug free environment that is peer led has been missing in San Francisco and what better way than to have former addicts leading current ones to turn their lives around in a true community environment. The failed crime policies of the 80’s and 90’s have shown us that we can’t incarcerate our way out of this drug crisis so this new community can be a viable solution on how to permanently change the lives of the addicted through mentorship and teaching from staff that have transformed their lives themselves.”

Once participants have completed the TTC program, they will be eligible for up to two years of transitional housing at the 630 Geary Boulevard site. Residents will have access to case managers, peer wellness and support, permanent housing and banking/savings programing. Upon completing both the TTC and the transitional housing programs, eligible graduates will work with APD and the City’s Coordinated Entry system to find long-term housing.

“I’m so proud of the work of my Reentry Division and our community partners to continue to advance the needs of justice involved people,” said Chief Adult Probation Officer Karen Fletcher. “The Positive Directions TRP Academy is the culmination of three years of community engagement which led to the development of a program designed to help justice involved adults rebuild their lives. This program marks a milestone in criminal justice reform. I’m grateful for the support of Mayor Breed, Supervisor Safaí, and Supervisor Stefani.”

“It’s clear that we desperately need more recovery options in San Francisco. Our skyrocketing overdose death rate is a humanitarian crisis. Programs like this – that are designed and led by those who have experienced addiction and found a path to recovery – are exactly what we need,” said Supervisor Catherine Stefani.

TRP’s target population are individuals on probation, state parole, federal probation, or pretrial. Still, the program is designed to be easily accessed and low-barrier for any justice-involved males in San Francisco looking to give back to their community. For more information, including the referral form, please visit here.

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