In the past few months, we have introduced our Anti-Drug Teams who have been working vigilantly since responding to the call of the late Mayor Bryan Baptiste in 2003. These teams help in identifying and solving Kaua‘i’s drug problem. The
In the past few months, we have introduced our Anti-Drug Teams who have been working vigilantly since responding to the call of the late Mayor Bryan Baptiste in 2003. These teams help in identifying and solving Kaua‘i’s drug problem.
The final team of our four-pronged approach is Integration. The Integration team is co-chaired by Rebecca Reid of Ke Ala Hoku and Bradley Chiba of the Department of Public Safety Intake Service Center.
Successful integration includes job training, job placement, housing, transportation, medical and mental health assistance, family, individual and group counseling, as well as recovery groups. This is one of the most important components of recovery. Some participating agencies are:
Women in Need’s (WIN) Bridge II Success Transitional House. WIN offers two transitional living houses, one for women with children and one for single women. While living at the WIN house, the women are required to attend an individual counseling session with their case manager, a mandatory house meeting, and strongly encouraged to attend at least four AA/NA meetings weekly.
Helping them to build a clean and sober network of support is a primary goal and a necessity to their well-being. To obtain vital documents, seek and maintain employment, furthering of education, reconcile old debts, apply for assistance with permanent housing and attend classes that would assist them in becoming more productive and self sufficient in their community and daily lives. Women with children are also encouraged to take parenting classes to better equip and ensure quality care for their families. WIN offers a variety of courses for building self worth in a classroom environment which includes parenting and life skills, and an Alternative to Violence Class that is recognized by the 5th Circuit Court for persons mandated to complete such a class. Call 245-1996 for more information.
Ke Ala Hoku provides clean and sober housing for individuals participating in substance abuse treatment and for those who are returning to the community following incarceration or drug rehabilitation programs off island. For more information, call Kelly or Shelia at 634-0414.
Hope, Health, and Healing (HHHK) is a faith-based nonprofit that provides clean and sober living. On Kaua‘i, they offer transitional housing for clients who usually have been incarcerated or homeless due to their addictions. HHHK is expanding services to outpatient counseling, group counseling, and adult and teen assessments. They can be reached at 245-3740.
The Kaua‘i Intake Service Center (KISC) is responsible for bail evaluations for the courts, provide supervision for offenders that the courts release into the community, maintain the Community Service Restitution Program, and prepare the offenders for admission into the Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center. In addition, KISC works closely with the Adult Mental Health Division and the Substance Abuse agencies in an effort to divert offenders to appropriate community based programs. KISC’s work is vital in saving the state pre-trial detention costs, reducing the rate of Contempt of Court, while maintaining safety throughout the community. For more information, call 245-7351.
The Jail Diversion Program (JDP) serves individuals with serious mental illnesses who have been arrested and booked for non-violent, non felony offenses.
Identification of mentally ill individuals who may be eligible for the program takes place after arrest and booking but prior to arraignment. More specifically, the diversion process involves the following steps:
— Potential participants are screened by the police or Intake Service Center (ISC) for the presence of mental illness. An evaluation of eligibility for the program is then conducted by a jail diversion case manager.
— Jail Diversion Program details and benefits are presented to the potential participant. The decision to apply for the program is completely voluntary.
— Consent forms are signed so that information can be shared between agencies involved in the program.
— An initial Recovery Plan is prepared by the jail diversion case manager and a recommendation for diversion is made to the prosecutor and the defense counsel.
— If the prosecution and defense agree with the Recovery Plan, they make a recommendation for jail diversion to the Judge.
— The judge makes the final decision whether to divert the individual away from incarceration and into mental health treatment provided by the jail diversion program.
— The diverted individual is placed on supervised release with conditions under the supervision of the Intake Service Center and the Kaua‘i Jail Diversion Program.
— Further assessments are made of the individual’s needs by the jail diversion team at the Kaua‘i Community Mental Health Center that includes a psychiatrist, a psychiatric nurse, and the jail diversion case manager.
Diverted individuals are then linked to an array of community-based services that may include: substance abuse, support for entitlements, housing and employment, family education, medical monitoring and other services as needed.
The overall goal of the jail diversion program is based on a model of recovery for the diverted individual. The recovery model emphasizes the continuous therapeutic interaction between medications, support services, and skills training that will assist individuals in their recovery and help reduce further criminal behavior. Individuals in the program who agree with the conditions of supervised release and comply with treatment recommendations for six months not only avoid jail time but also have their criminal charges dismissed. Diverted individuals who fail to comply with the conditions of supervised release will be returned to the court and the normal proceedings of the criminal justice system.
Although these are just a few of the agencies involved in the integration process, individuals have a wide array of options. The goal of the Integration committee is to inform the public of these options, and guide each individual to the appropriate agency.
At this time, we would like to thank all of the businesses who have assisted with job opportunities, the landlords who have opened up their homes for our residents in recovery, and for everyone else who has opened up their hearts and gave these individuals hope. I would also like to acknowledge The Garden Island newspaper for allowing us to host this column and thank all of those who have contributed.
• The county anti-drug program can be reached at 241-4925 or tkoki@kauai.gov. Next month, Beyond The Influence will feature an article on the impact of methamphetamine abuse on pregnancy and early development.
