Understanding Quehanna's Boot Camp and State Drug Treatment Program (SDTP): Who Qualifies and What to Expect
Quehanna runs two major Pennsylvania DOC programs that families ask about constantly: the Boot Camp Program and the State Drug Treatment Program (SDTP). Here's what each one involves, how long it lasts, and the eligibility rules you need to know.
Quehanna is a program-focused facility. It's the only site running the Boot Camp Program and serves as the primary location for SDTP. If your loved one is being considered for either program, this is the facility you'll hear about. Both men and women are housed here, which matters because eligibility and placement decisions apply across both populations.
The Boot Camp Program has been running since June 1992.
Boot Camp at Quehanna is a six-month, military-style program. Beyond the structured, discipline-heavy environment, it includes drug and alcohol treatment, cognitive therapy, work ethic development, and reentry services. This isn't drill for the sake of drill. If your loved one mentions Boot Camp, expect a tight schedule focused on behavior change, treatment, and release preparation.
Automatic parole after completion: If someone successfully completes Boot Camp, they’re granted automatic parole and serve the rest of their sentence on parole.
- Start with time in a state correctional institution (SCI) - SDTP includes a period in an SCI of not less than seven months.
- Complete an institutional therapeutic community - at least four months of the program is spent in an institutional therapeutic community.
- Move into a community-based therapeutic community (CBTC) - the program includes at least two months in a CBTC.
- Continue with outpatient addiction treatment - SDTP also includes at least six months of treatment through an outpatient addiction treatment facility.
- Finish with supervised reintegration - for the balance of the program, participants go through a period of supervised reintegration into the community.
SDTP has minimum requirements for each stage, but the full program runs 24 months. In some cases, it can extend up to 30 months total.
Eligibility Limits Assessment
- ✓ Boot Camp: the minimum sentence can’t be over three (3) years.
- ✓ SDTP: the minimum sentence can’t be over five (5) years.
- ✓ For either program: the candidate must be within two (2) years of their minimum to start.
Sentence length isn't the only factor. Certain offenses restrict eligibility for Boot Camp and SDTP - the DOC references Act 115 of 2019 for specific offense-based limits.
Sentencing paperwork can also block participation. A court may specifically state in the sentencing order that someone is ineligible for Boot Camp or SDTP.
Even when someone looks eligible on paper, the Department of Corrections still reviews the case. The DOC assesses each inmate and determines both eligibility and appropriateness for each program.
If you're trying to help from the outside, start by confirming whether your loved one can actually participate. The DOC makes eligibility determinations, but a sentencing order can block someone from Boot Camp or SDTP entirely. Have a direct conversation with your loved one about what their paperwork says and what they've been told about programming.
- ✓ Confirm where your loved one is in their sentence, since they must be within two (2) years of their minimum to start.
- ✓ Check the minimum sentence length: Boot Camp requires a minimum of three (3) years or less; SDTP requires a minimum of five (5) years or less.
- ✓ Ask what the DOC assessment process shows for them (eligibility and appropriateness) and what the next step is for program consideration.
Note: This overview draws from public program summaries. Details like enrollment timelines, nomination processes, appeal paths, and day-to-day operations weren't covered in available sources.
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