Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Programs (ACDP) plans, administers, and coordinates chemical dependency screening, and substance use disorder treatment services within the Department of Public Safety.

ACDP treats substance use disorders as a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestation. The disease is often progressive and fatal. Until and unless the problem of addiction is dealt with, no other life concern can be addressed.

In 1985, a North Carolina Legislative Research Commission reported:

1. More than 67% of criminal offenses are directly connected to alcohol and drug use
2. Treating addiction is imperative since most offenders will eventually leave prison, and
3. Punishment alone does not work.

The commission proposed an act to establish a substance abuse program for inmates and in 1987, G.S. 143B-262 was amended to create a substance abuse program which later became Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Programs.

ACDP programs are designed around "best practices and evidenced based principles" for intervention and treatment, as established by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), to include:

• Understanding addiction as a brain disease that affects behavior
• Comprehensive assessment and treatment planning with participant involvement
• Exploration of both Criminal and Addiction Thinking Patterns
• Use of Cognitive-Behavior interventions... Change Thinking to Change Behavior
• Effort to instill change through repetition, skill practice, and role-play
• Use of a gender-specific, standardized curriculum
• Adequate treatment duration
• Discharge planning and community coordination
• Provision of regular and consistent clinical staff supervision and training

All ACDP clinical staff are registered or credentialed through the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board as required by G.S. 90-113.40. Counselors embrace the twelve core functions of substance use disorder counseling: screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, reports and recordkeeping, and consultation with other professionals.

ACD Programs encompass three major service levels.

1. Community-Based Residential Treatment
2. Prison-Based Intensive Outpatient Intermediate Treatment
3. Prison-Based Intensive Outpatient Long-Term Treatment

Annual Legislative Reports

• Fiscal Year 2017-2018
• Fiscal Year 2016-2017
• Fiscal Year 2015-2016

​ACDP Administration Section Chief
840 W. Morgan Street, MSC 4211
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-4211
Phone: (919) 716-3860
Fax Number: (984) 204-2897