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By Dr. Jason Glenn
( Ed. Note: Being released from prison is scary. You are about to face
society with the label of “ex-con” already against you. And if you are a
former substance abuser, the transition is doubly hard. Success rates of reentry
into society are few and far between. The community of Galveston
has come together to change that.)
Galveston is a community in recovery from a long period of
economic depression. Substance abuse disorders are systemic here as
a result. Every month, an average of 50 men are released from the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to the Galveston area.
Around 68% of them have a history of regular drug use. Without reentry
services to assist these men in transition, our communities will
bear the burden of their failed rehabilitation, resulting in higher crime
rates, broken families, and higher taxes. This problem is particularly
salient for minority communities because approximately 75% of the
prison population is minority of either African American or Hispanic
descent. This translates into at least 25 men released from prison to
the Galveston area every month who fit this criteria. We have recently
instigated a program that targets this population because it is the
population of highest unmet need.
Sobriety High, Inc. is a new, local non-profit organization that
will offer community re-entry services in Galveston for men released
from the TDCJ with a history of substance abuse. The new facility
will be located at 801 37th St. and is scheduled to open in February
of 2009. The purpose of the project is to reduce recidivism rates,
substance abuse relapse, and the high-risk behaviors that contribute
to the spread of HIV. The program will provide in-patient treatment
for qualifying pre-screened clients upon release from prison for 90
days; and then will provide out-patient continued community support
for an additional 33 months for a total of three years. This threeyear
timeline for continuity of care is a critical benchmark – research
evidence demonstrates that if we can help clients maintain sobriety
for three years, they have significantly lower relapse rates and will not
resume behaviors that result in their re-incarceration.
Sobriety High is truly a collaborative community effort. The
concept and purpose of the organization was derived from concerned
citizens of Galveston who realized that high rates of substance abuse,
incarceration, relapse and recidivism are systemic problems on the
island taking a generational toll on the community. Its board of
directors includes members of the Galveston clergy, representatives
from other substance abuse treatment organizations, ex-offenders,
community service providers, concerned citizens, and health science
researchers at UTMB. Local private foundations and businesses have
also contributed energy and resources to bringing this project to life, as
has the Galveston Housing Authority.
Working with the TDCJ, we will identify persons scheduled for
release to Galveston at least four months prior to their release date.
At that time, we will assess clients for compatibility with our program.
Persons with serious mental illnesses, sex offenders and those with
certain violent criminal histories will not be eligible for Sobriety High
because we lack the capacity to meet their special needs. However,
all other offenders who demonstrate a willingness and readiness to
commit to recovery will be welcome. Those clients will be connected
with our trained mentors during their last months of incarceration to
begin preparation for our program.
During three years of programming, we will provide 12-step support
groups as well as Therapeutic Community support groups led by trained
ex-offenders who have at least three years of sobriety and productivity
behind them. Clients will also receive probation and parole services,
HIV rapid screening, counseling and case management services, and
psychological counseling services. Anger management and resolution
training and life skills training will be provided by Holistic C.D.C. of
Galveston. The program will also offer education services and job
training in partnership with Galveston College and The WorkSource.
To complete ex-offenders’ transition, the project will offer job-finding
assistance partnering with local businesses that have helped design the
job training curriculum.
This project will be central not only to the successful reintegration
of these men back into their communities as productive citizens, but
in doing so will also be a major factor in reducing recidivism rates and
crime. The success of Sobriety High thus far is a testament to what
communities can do when they band together to take on the issues
that matter to them most.
(Dr. Jason Glenn is an Asst. Prof. of the History of Medicine in the
Institute for the Medical Humanities at the University of Texas Medical
Branch at Galveston. For more information on Sobriety High, email
jeglenn@utmb.edu)
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