Impacting the lives of incarcerated individuals in King County, WA

Did you know that according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 85% of individuals arrested in the U.S. either struggle with substance use disorders or were arrested for drug-related offenses?

Couple that with incredibly low access to treatment and waiting lists as long as six months, and you can see that the U.S. has a serious drug-crime-corrections problem.

Today, IGNTD announced a significant partnership with King County Jail Health Services’ Release Coordinators and the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) to provide 500 people with free access to our virtual substance use recovery system and community for inmates during reentry.

This partnership is a significant moment for IGNTD and the work we are aiming to do with governments everywhere. It’s also a significant moment for me personally.

As someone who was incarcerated for substance use, I understand firsthand the challenges and shame that come with substance use, as well as navigating the difficulties of reentering society after incarceration.

The whole idea behind IGNTD stemmed from my personal experience. I witnessed just how broken traditional rehabilitation programs can be… and why many substance users relapse. The vision for IGNTD was to make recovery resources and support available in an easy-to-use and affordable way.

IGNTD’s Smart Personalized Adaptive Recovery System (SPARx) accomplishes this while addressing key challenges with traditional recovery support. The customizable program enables individuals to choose a recovery path that works best for them. By focusing on the root cause of addiction and healing misaligned habits, individuals can focus on getting better without the added shame of their past. And because IGNTD is an online platform, people can access the platform anytime, in a way that fits their schedule and addresses transportation, parenting, and employment hurdles that have previously kept millions from getting the help they want and need.

The incarcerated population faces significant challenges upon reentry to society. By making IGNTD’s platform available to those in King County, we are removing a significant barrier to recovery. We are incredibly excited to bring a new era of judgment-free help to King County and the State of Washington and look forward to the positive change that many of the participants in the program will experience.

I should also note that all of this work is made possible by the Second Chance Act. Introduced in 2008, the Second Chance Act aims to reduce recidivism, increase public safety, and improve the outcomes and quality of life of individuals reentering society after incarceration. We are honored to be included as one of the recipients of a Second Chance Act grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

This is just the beginning of the life-changing work IGNTD will have a hand in for the incarcerated community. Our goal is to impact millions of lives, focusing specifically on those who have been left behind. I welcome you to follow us on this journey and reach out if you or someone you know might benefit from our platform.