A Butler County Prison counselor says an inmate treatment and case management program needs to continue.

Corrections Officer Jeff Bailey told the county prison board Tuesday that statistics show most inmates need treatment for drug and alcohol abuse.

He said since 2012, 178 out of 185 prisoners he dealt with had a problem with drugs or alcohol.

“It tells you there is a need,” Bailey said.

According to the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center, which works with inmates who have addictions, only a few inmates out of the 37 who participated in the two-year program returned to prison.

Dr. Jeff Geibel of the Gaiser Center agreed that the treatment is essential to keep them from returning to jail.

“Those are clearly obstacles for them,” Geibel told the board.

He said released inmates with abuse problems return to the same life they led if their issues aren’t addressed.

“They fail,” Geibel said.

County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, prison board chairman, said the treatment program appears to be working.

“It sounds like it’s doing well,” Pinkerton said.

However, the treatment program runs out of money in March.

Funding for the treatment, which is part of the county’s overall inmate re-entry program that helps people readjust to society, was lost when a $148,000 Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency grant was not renewed.

Linda Franiewski, executive director of the Gaiser Center, suggested reducing case management expenses to help extend the treatment program’s life.

County Commissioner Jim Eckstein, who is a prison board member, said he didn’t want to prune too much from the program.

“We just don’t want to cut it to the bone and not have it work,” Eckstein said.

He said inmates expressed concerns to him about the possible loss of the program when he recently ate lunch in the prison with some of the work release inmates.

“The number one topic of conversation was this program ... it was pretty moving,” Eckstein said.

Bailey confirmed the inmates he works with are concerned that the program would be discontinued.

Other prison board members expressed support for the treatment program.

“I’m 100 percent behind it,” said District Attorney Richard Goldinger.

Sheriff Mike Slupe agreed, but stressed a new funding source is needed.

“The challenge is where to find the money,” Slupe said.

He recommended the issue be discussed with the county Criminal Justice Advisory Board, which seeks grants for court-related programs.

County Judge William Shaffer, who also is a board member, pointed out treatment costs less than the alternative.

The judge said for every dollar spent on treatment, the court system saves $5.

Goldinger said the matter should come before the county commissioners, who approve county government expenses.

The county also needs funding to extend another program, the inmate drug and alcohol education program, past June.

Although there is insufficient funds for inmate treatment and education programs, prison revenue continues to rise.

County Controller Ben Holland told the board the preliminary 2014 numbers indicate revenue, which is mainly from housing state and federal inmates, will be nearly $2.5 million.

The prison was budgeted to bring in roughly $1.9 million for 2014.

The revenue partially offsets the cost to operate the jail, which was budgeted this year at $10.6 million.