Cimarron Correctional Facility / Oklahoma Private Prisons [Archive]

freckledgrl

12-19-2004, 01:59 AM

Cimarron Correctional Facility Therapeutic Community

Therapeutic Community is a long-term program lasting from 12 months minimum, and supports the notion that long-term treatment has more impact on program participants than the traditional (28-30 day) programs.

The program is staffed by recovering addicts/ex-offenders as well as other professional treatment staff. The recovering addicts/ex-offenders serve as positive role models and have a powerful effect in inspiring and motivating the inmates participating in the program to overcome their addictions and become productive members of society.

The Therapeutic Community operates from the assumption that drug and alcohol addiction and criminal behavior are manifestations of severe alienation of self and society, and that through living in a community with a variety of intense interventions, an individual can learn to internalize pro-social behavior. Insight into one=s problems is gained through group and individual interaction. But learning through experience, failing and succeeding and experiencing the consequences, is considered to be the most potent influence toward achieving lasting change. A Therapeutic Community is a positive environment where people who have similar problems related to drug and alcohol addiction, learn to work and live together to improve their quality of life by learning to live a clean and sober lifestyle.

We focus on the process of developing pro-social values, honesty, responsibility, and accountability. We developed our philosophy, goals, and objectives to serve as a guiding light in the direction of achieving a new ADesign for Living.@ There are cardinal rules, basic rules, and house rules. Much emphasis is placed on peer pressure, which is often the catalyst that converts criticism and personal insight into positive change. Various strategies are utilized to modify behavior and provide treatment continuity as the resident makes progressive steps toward reintegration into his community.

We strive for personal growth through self-improvement, not to make people well, but for the maturing process. The Therapeutic Community is, in essence, a school for maturity and moral development. People in the Therapeutic Community (T.C.) are members, as in any family setting, not patients, as in an institution. This is a living community, or family, with a style of living that promotes a high level of member interaction and participation that facilitates the unity within the program. Very high expectations are set and the members of the community are encouraged to appreciate the effort and the outcome.

This is a highly structured environment with defined boundaries, both moral and ethical. It employs community-imposed sanctions and penalties as well as earned rewards and incentives. It is set up like a large family, with the program staff representing the Aparent,@ or authority figures. There is a chain of command that must be followed. It is a hierarchy, with all residents striving to earn a more responsible assignment and earned privileges in the Therapeutic Community. Residents move up in the program structure by displaying positive attitudes, exceptional job performance, active participation in group and program activities, and complying with rules. Recognition for continual success and personal improvement can be a vital growth mechanism.

Being a part of something greater than ourselves is an especially important factor that facilitates personal growth. The Therapeutic Community (T.C.) is a model for helping people attain personal growth through the use of positive peer pressure, group sharing, self-help philosophy, role modeling, learning through experience, and setting high standards and expectations.

P.R.I.D.E. Therapeutic Community is a three-phase program consisting of the following phases:

Phase I - Orientation (90-120 days) - 30 Achievement Credits:
Orientation phase residents are required to attend orientation classes where they are taught the program rules and T.C. concepts. They must complete daily homework assignments, pass two orientation phase written tests, and write their life story before being moved into Phase II. In this phase, a formal treatment plan is established by T.C. staff for each resident.

Phase II - Community Class (180 days +) - 30 Achievement Credits:
This is the primary treatment phase. Residents in this phase are taught group dynamics and are assigned to a therapy group. They attend numerous lectures on basic living skills and are exposed to a variety of therapeutic activities. They are required to prepare and present two ten-minute seminars on recovery topics to their peers and must also complete a life map which is their life from birth to present. They must spend a minimum of two hours per week in relating chairs with various T.C. residents. Community class residents must pass a community class written test and be interviewed and approved by the T.C. staff before advancement into Phase III.

Phase III - Senior Phase (90-180 days) - 30 Achievement Credits:
This phase is designed to prepare the resident to re-enter society and/or Aftercare or Internship, and enhance his ability to apply the newly acquired skills in a practical way so that he can continue to live and maintain a drug-free lifestyle.

He will be exposed to a variety of recovery topics, including the 12 steps of AA and NA, relapse prevention, and recovery dynamics. He will be assigned to a primary therapy group which will focus on re-entry issues. He will be required to keep a daily feelings journal and be assigned as a big brother, working closely with new residents, orienting them to the program. He will be provided with various re-entry educational classes including employment skills, budgeting money, positive addictions, and AIDS prevention. During this phase, he will be assisted by treatment staff in developing a comprehensive after-care treatment plan. After completing all the requirements of Phase III, including a written test, completion of graduation papers, a 15-minute clean speech, and approval by T.C. staff, he will be eligible for graduation.

Internship
Resident interns play an important role in assisting the treatment staff in the overall operations of the program. This is a very responsible position of leadership within the T.C. To become an intern in T.C., a resident must be a program graduate and demonstrate a strong commitment to T.C. and the process of recovery. He must have leadership abilities and be viewed as an outstanding role-model in all aspects of the program. To become an intern, a resident can apply in writing after graduation. He must complete a standardized questionnaire which includes a personal evaluation of areas like leadership, decision making, and organizational skills. These are areas that are very important qualities for an intern to possess and it is important for the T.C. staff to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the prospective intern. The final decision is made by the T.C. staff after an intensive personal interview is conducted.

After-Care Phase (In-House):
All residents who graduate from T.C. are placed in after-care status and remain in this phase of treatment until their release from custody. This phase of T.C. includes the following components: Mandatory institutional NA/AA meeting attendance, participation in regularly scheduled support groups, exposure to lectures by treatment staff on recovery dynamics, and relapse prevention. Other activities include reading of daily meditations and Abig book@ studies (the 12 steps).

Self-Help Groups:

**Alcoholics Anonymous - this group coordinates support meetings which provide fellowship for men to share experience, strength, and hope to reach sobriety.

**Narcotics Anonymous - is a group designed to help individuals realize the problems narcotic abuse can lead to and how it affects those around them.

**Marriage & Family Counseling - is a class designed to help married couples and couples wishing to marry deal with parenting issues, stress management, and effective communication between spouses. Length of program is six (6) weeks.

**Thinking for a Change - is a 22-week course which teaches the basic concept that thinking controls behavior. Curriculum examines attitudes, beliefs and thinking patterns for cognitive self-change. Each class is a three-hour period, and students are assigned homework for the following class period. Roll playing is used to teach offenders to implement thought and action.

**Alcohol Chemical Treatment Series (ACTS) - is designed to help the person deal with the problems associated with alcohol and chemical abuse. ACTS stresses the importance of accepting responsibility for a successful recovery and reinforces a positive character development.