CLINTON - The fatal drug overdose of a Clinton man shortly after his release from the DeWitt County jail last year was a driving force behind a new program to provide counseling to inmates.

Adam Hearon, 22, died April 10, less than 24 hours after he was released from the jail on nondrug-related charges.

"Adam's family came to talk to me after his death and encouraged our office and the jail to look into the possibility of providing a treatment program to the inmates in the hopes of preventing another case like Adam's from happening again," said Assistant State's Attorney Andrew Killian.

The treatment program will be administered by counselors from the DeWitt County Human Resource Center, a community-based mental health agency. A state grant to the agency will pay for the alcohol and substance abuse counseling program.

An increase in the number of people incarcerated for alcohol- and drug-related offenses in the past few years also was a factor in setting up the program, said Killian. Reducing the recidivism rate, especially among 17- to 21-year-olds, is an important goal of the program, according to the prosecutor.

The number of prosecutions in the county for underage drinking increased from 85 in 2003 to 156 in 2006, he said.

Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Walker, jail administrator, said the counseling program is welcome.

"This is going to get people who are in need of counseling services in touch with a professional while they are in jail. We hope they will build a rapport with the counselor and continue once they are released," Walker said.

The voluntary program will be available for local inmates and will not include federal prisoners housed in the jail under a contract with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

"We want to focus on people who will stay within our community," Walker said.

Edith Brady-Lunny can be reached at eblunny@pantagraph.com.