The program is taking place at the Bowie Red River Recovery Center. This is a six to nine month program that offers an alternative to women who face incarceration over drug or mental health issues.Glad to see that money is starting to get out into the field. I'll see if I can find out where else new treatment dollars approved last year are being spent and what the timeline is for them to open.
For the ladies, here this is their last chance to avoid jail and turn lives around. In some cases it may be saving lives.
The women who come here initially stay in a dorm type setting sharing a large room with as many as nine other women. Each step of the program completed means graduating toward a private room in the facility.
The Recovery Center is a joint project between judges, prosecutors and the probation department, but is funded by the state at a cost of $2.5 - $3 million dollars. Probation Officer Jack Pappas says its a good thing for the women and the state.
Right now there are only nine women in the facility but eventually it will house as many as 100 women.
Women from across the state of Texas will be referred to the Bowie County facility.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
New treatment facility for probationers opens in Texarkana
It looks like some of the new treatment options and incarceration alternatives funded by the Texas Legislature last year are starting to come online. A TV news station in Texarkana reports on a new women's facility:
This is great news! As a medical professional who has worked in the mental health field, I know it takes more than two weeks to rehab someone on drugs. I am so pleased to see the 6-9 month treatment option for women. Now, do the same for men.
ReplyDeleteMost people who use drugs have underlying depression and no self worth. With help, there are many who could and would become productive citizens and stop sending then to prison. There is no help there what so ever.
Even the education is horrible unless you need a GED, but if you have a high school or college degree, forget it, you already know more than anyone who works there and professes to teach.
Bring on the rehab!!
Damn, I wish that had been available when my friend was first arrested. Instead, she got probation. After several early missteps, she got herself straightened out and was doing well. Then she missed a meeting due to a dead cell phone during a change of address, and they hauled her in. No leeway, because of the earlier problems. No allowance for the fact that she'd been two years straight. Then she got a crappy public defender whose primary strategy was to plead guilty and do the time, because his fee was the same whether he did any actual work or not. Just a couple more months and she'll be out and clear, but it's been a farce of justice the whole time. All the usual problems you talk about, overcrowding, poor medical care, judges being "tuff" rather than practical, problems keeping competent staff, all have effected her at one point or another during her time.
ReplyDeleteOur Women's Center in Beaumont has had great success in turning lives around. People wouldn't believe the challenges some of these female offenders face day to day. While some deserve what they got, many have dysfunctional lives that need much more attention than punishment. Congratulations to Jack and his staff for addressing the needs of the community.
ReplyDeleteHmmm......Speaking of Guards that don't know much and don't get paid much. Seems to me it would be very cost effective for Texas to send the Guards to State supported colleges and pay their tuitiion. They could be required to take classes in things like psychology, medicine, sociology --- anything related to being a good Guard.
ReplyDeleteSure some would get themselves educated and find a real job. That would be good for everyone, others would make better Guards and be in a better position to do a good job.
Most important, the "free" education would be a great incentive to attract motivated employees and still pay them a pittance.
That's an interesting idea, Anonymous at 9:59:00 AM.
ReplyDeleteIt's miles and miles better than what is going on right now.
Yeah my bestfriend in there now i m so proud of her
ReplyDeleteMy sister is there an she is doing better then ever an i am very proud of her
ReplyDelete