County's New Drug, Alcohol Program Off And Running
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Currently, there are 792 probation cases open at the Kosciusko County Probation Department.
Of those, 382 are substance abuse cases, according to Lori A. Maike, Kosciusko County Alcohol and Drug Program director.
With the Kosciusko County Council's approval June 13, the county's Alcohol and Drug Program officially began to help address the county's substance abuse problems.
"It is basically a substance abuse intervention program," said Maike. She said clients participating in the program are referred to the program from the courts or probation department. It will provide substance abuse referrals and/or education at a low cost to the clients.
The clients will be referred based on any alcohol- or drug-related charges against them, such as public intoxication or driving while intoxicated.
The program will service the adult population, providing a substance abuse assessment. After the assessment, the clients will be referred to the program's educational classes or to an outside agency if it is determined the client needs more intensive counseling. Regardless of where the client is referred, each client's progress will be monitored and reported back to the judges and probation officers.
Maike is not only the program's director, but she also will be providing the education classes. As the program grows, probation officers will be trained and, as needed, incorporated into the program. Anyone working in the program will need to have their bachelor's or master's degree in drug and alcohol counseling and be certified by the state of Indiana as a counselor.
Fifty-four other counties in Indiana already have alcohol and drug programs. Another 13 counties are working on beginning the programs.
Maike said she believes there is a move statewide to have alcohol and drug programs in every county.
Some are free-standing (paid for from user fees only), others are county sponsored and some, like Kosciusko's, are probation based. Maike said probation-based programs are sponsored through the probation department but observe strict confidentiality rules. That confidentiality is advocated by the Indiana Judicial Center, Maike said.
IJC certified Kosciusko County's program in May and will be back in six months to observe the program. If the program meets all of IJC's requirements, IJC will certify Kosciusko County's program for the next three years.
Maike said as for cost of the program, Kosciusko County is ranked fourth in affordability, which is what the county judges wanted. Kosciusko Superior Court II Judge James Jarrette, the program's supervising judge, wanted the program to have the lowest cost, Maike said, so all who need the program can use it. She said they will try not to turn away anyone who needs the services based on ability to pay.
"All the judges have been very supportive in getting the program going," said Maike. Jarrette and Kosciusko Superior Court III Judge Joe Sutton are the judges who will make the most referrals, Maike said.
While this is Maike's first job as a director of such program, she does have many years of experience in such programs. She has 16 years experience in drug and alcohol counseling.
The program offers three levels of education, but Kosciusko County will start with only the first two levels and add the third level later.
Level one is for first-time offenders who aren't necessarily seen as problem cases and doesn't deal with those who abuse drugs. Level two is for clients labeled as moderate risk. Level three will be for those who are multiple offenders who may need intensive counseling but who are not ready for counseling at an outside facility.
Several methods are used as part of the program's education classes. Maike said they may use short movies or videos relating to a specific topic they are discussing. There will be group interaction. At the onset of the classes, each client will be given a pretest to see what they already know about alcohol and drugs. After the classes are completed, they will be given a post-test to see what they have learned.
"We try to present the subject matter in three different forms," said Maike.
As for Spanish-speaking clients, Maike said, they don't have anything in-house for them yet but are developing connections with the proper resources. Any Spanish-speaking clients who use outside sources will be monitored as well.
For clients who have difficulties reading, Maike said, the program will use more videos and verbal interactions.
Of course, as long as a client meets all the requirements set forth by the judge, Maike said, a client can choose an outside counseling center and not the county's alcohol and drug program. The program will help the clients find other counseling if they choose to go elsewhere.
To set up good relationships with local counseling agencies, Maike said, they've met with the agencies, who seemed very receptive to the program. Both sides asked what they could do for each other, Maike said.
With the program involving the probation department, the courts and local counseling agencies as needed, Maike said, "I think that has been one of the positives of having a probation-based (program) like this." [[In-content Ad]]
Currently, there are 792 probation cases open at the Kosciusko County Probation Department.
Of those, 382 are substance abuse cases, according to Lori A. Maike, Kosciusko County Alcohol and Drug Program director.
With the Kosciusko County Council's approval June 13, the county's Alcohol and Drug Program officially began to help address the county's substance abuse problems.
"It is basically a substance abuse intervention program," said Maike. She said clients participating in the program are referred to the program from the courts or probation department. It will provide substance abuse referrals and/or education at a low cost to the clients.
The clients will be referred based on any alcohol- or drug-related charges against them, such as public intoxication or driving while intoxicated.
The program will service the adult population, providing a substance abuse assessment. After the assessment, the clients will be referred to the program's educational classes or to an outside agency if it is determined the client needs more intensive counseling. Regardless of where the client is referred, each client's progress will be monitored and reported back to the judges and probation officers.
Maike is not only the program's director, but she also will be providing the education classes. As the program grows, probation officers will be trained and, as needed, incorporated into the program. Anyone working in the program will need to have their bachelor's or master's degree in drug and alcohol counseling and be certified by the state of Indiana as a counselor.
Fifty-four other counties in Indiana already have alcohol and drug programs. Another 13 counties are working on beginning the programs.
Maike said she believes there is a move statewide to have alcohol and drug programs in every county.
Some are free-standing (paid for from user fees only), others are county sponsored and some, like Kosciusko's, are probation based. Maike said probation-based programs are sponsored through the probation department but observe strict confidentiality rules. That confidentiality is advocated by the Indiana Judicial Center, Maike said.
IJC certified Kosciusko County's program in May and will be back in six months to observe the program. If the program meets all of IJC's requirements, IJC will certify Kosciusko County's program for the next three years.
Maike said as for cost of the program, Kosciusko County is ranked fourth in affordability, which is what the county judges wanted. Kosciusko Superior Court II Judge James Jarrette, the program's supervising judge, wanted the program to have the lowest cost, Maike said, so all who need the program can use it. She said they will try not to turn away anyone who needs the services based on ability to pay.
"All the judges have been very supportive in getting the program going," said Maike. Jarrette and Kosciusko Superior Court III Judge Joe Sutton are the judges who will make the most referrals, Maike said.
While this is Maike's first job as a director of such program, she does have many years of experience in such programs. She has 16 years experience in drug and alcohol counseling.
The program offers three levels of education, but Kosciusko County will start with only the first two levels and add the third level later.
Level one is for first-time offenders who aren't necessarily seen as problem cases and doesn't deal with those who abuse drugs. Level two is for clients labeled as moderate risk. Level three will be for those who are multiple offenders who may need intensive counseling but who are not ready for counseling at an outside facility.
Several methods are used as part of the program's education classes. Maike said they may use short movies or videos relating to a specific topic they are discussing. There will be group interaction. At the onset of the classes, each client will be given a pretest to see what they already know about alcohol and drugs. After the classes are completed, they will be given a post-test to see what they have learned.
"We try to present the subject matter in three different forms," said Maike.
As for Spanish-speaking clients, Maike said, they don't have anything in-house for them yet but are developing connections with the proper resources. Any Spanish-speaking clients who use outside sources will be monitored as well.
For clients who have difficulties reading, Maike said, the program will use more videos and verbal interactions.
Of course, as long as a client meets all the requirements set forth by the judge, Maike said, a client can choose an outside counseling center and not the county's alcohol and drug program. The program will help the clients find other counseling if they choose to go elsewhere.
To set up good relationships with local counseling agencies, Maike said, they've met with the agencies, who seemed very receptive to the program. Both sides asked what they could do for each other, Maike said.
With the program involving the probation department, the courts and local counseling agencies as needed, Maike said, "I think that has been one of the positives of having a probation-based (program) like this." [[In-content Ad]]