TAMAR Program

The Howard County Department of Corrections was awarded the third and final year of funding from the Governor’s Office on Crime Control and Prevention to implement a program for incarcerated women who have histories of substance abuse, mental illness, and trauma. The program is modeled after the TAMAR (Trauma, Addictions, Mental health And Recovery) Program that is currently operating in nine county detention centers. The program incorporates psycho-educational and psychotherapeutic techniques in a sixteen week, 15-module structure that includes topics such as: What is Trauma, Trauma and Addiction, Symptom Management and Self-Soothing, Relationships, Boundaries, HIV Education and Prevention Skills, and Parenting. The modules combine cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, and expressive therapy principles. TAMAR groups meet twice weekly for ninety minutes each session. Individual treatment is also available as needed, for inmates who are not able to meet with the group. In addition, there are individual sessions held with each inmate to discuss and develop individual release plans, including the actions to be taken by the inmates to plan their success in the community. Prior to release from the Detention Center, the women are referred to community providers for continued treatment, and in many cases the TAMAR Specialist works with the inmate’s attorney (with proper authorization by the inmate) to discuss the inmate’s release plans and any alternative treatment program that may be offered by the attorney and inmate to the Court for consideration. The TAMAR Specialist also coordinates with the program and custody staff on the institutional progress and release of the inmates.