Special to the Enquirer 

Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $582,287 grant to the state Department of Corrections for a program aimed at helping inmates overcome drug addictions. 

The grant will enable drug counselors and program specialists to conduct a six-month program at seven prisons to assist inmates in breaking substance abuse habits, according to the governor’s office. The volunteer program combines counseling, education and drug testing. 

“Illegal drugs and illegally-used prescription drugs are often the reason people commit the crimes that put them in prison,” Ivey said. “Breaking that link gives inmates a fighting chance of staying out of prison and turning their lives around once they are released.” 

The grant funds for the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment course come from the U.S. Department of Justice and are administered in Alabama by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.