Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center
News
December 2, 1999
- Behavioral Medicine Center hosts Redlands drug court graduation
- Quarterly CSAM meeting held at Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center
Behavioral Medicine Center hosts Redlands drug court graduation
At the 1999 Redlands drug court graduation, held November 17 at Loma
Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center, Nick Resendez, a 20-year-old
program graduate, realized exactly how close he had been to going to jail.
After becoming involved with drugs as a sophomore in high school, he began
hanging around with the wrong crowd. His drug use started to increase,
and he soon felt school wasn't that important to him so he dropped out.
Shortly, Mr. Resendez was arrested for being under the influence and for
possession. It was his third arrest, and, according to California's "three
strikes you're out" law, he was headed for jail.
That's one of the reasons why he is especially thankful for the drug court
program.
"At first I had my doubts about the program, but I wanted to get
clean, and I knew I couldn't do it on my own," he offers.
Mr. Resendez was a high school dropout, unemployed, and had a girlfriend
who was pregnant with his child. Going to jail would have been the worst
possible option for him. It was then that he heard about the program.
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| Judge Tara Reilly (left) looks on as Patricia Hurd receives her graduation medallion from Michael Johnson, bailiff for Redlands drug court and sheriff deputy, San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, as other graduates watch. Ten graduates were recognized for their dedication to drug rehabilitation at the Redlands drug court graduation, held November 17 at the Behavioral Medicine Center. |
The Redlands drug court program was started in April, 1997, by the Honorable Tara Reilly, a San Bernardino County Superior Court Redlands District judge, who also spoke at the 1999 graduation.
"I'd like to thank Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center for hosting the drug court because this couldn't happen without them," said Judge Reilly during her graduation speech. The Behavioral Medicine Center currently hosts the Redlands drug court in the Redlands area.
Drug courts have increased in number since 1989 when then Florida attorney Janet Reno helped establish the first drug court in Miami. Her goal was simple: to keep nonviolent drug-involved offenders out of jail and to offer them a chance to become clean through sanctions, treatment, and close supervision.
It is this program that was able to keep Mr. Resendez out of jail and offered him the chance to clean up his life.
"I wanted to stop, but there's no way I could have done it on my own," remarks Mr. Resendez. "But it made it so easy with jail hanging over my head."
Instead of jail, Mr. Resendez was given the opportunity to enter the drug court program in April of 1998.
"I decided to change my life, and I thought this was the best way," responds Mr. Resendez.
Knowing he would soon be a father, Mr. Resendez was determined to stop using drugs.
At this point, Susanne Pastuschek, a San Bernardino County probation officer, began to work with him.
"In the beginning it was a real struggle working with Nick," she says. "But as time passed, he made fantastic progress. He became very pleasant, and it was a real pleasure to deal with him."
In San Bernardino County alone, there are currently five drug courts with approximately 450 clients.
With drug courts in San Bernardino, Redlands, Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville, and Big Bear, Ms. Pastuschek says the program is only experiencing a 12 percent recidivism rateřa rate which is lower than the national average.
"I think we have a fine program, and it's mainly because of the community interaction," notes Ms. Pastuschek.
The drug court program is an 18-month program consisting of five days of counseling a week, three days of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week, a court appointment every Monday, and frequent random drug testing.
Although it seems like a lot, to Nick Resendez and the other drug court clients it's not as bad as it sounds.
"I think they are doing a pretty good job here, and it's a lot better than jail," he emphasizes.
After being in the program for almost a year together, the clients develop a bond with each other. Some drug court clients even show up in court when they don't have to be there, just to support others in the program.
"Ten years ago there wasn't something like this to help people such as myself who were trapped by addiction," offers Neil Warren, another drug court graduate.
Nick Resendez currently is employed in Rialto, and is working toward a better life for himself and his new son.
A bigger apartment, a better car, and a high school diploma all top the list of his future goals.
Since he graduated from the drug court program, Mr. Resendez is much more cognizant of his surroundings and situations.
"I'm more aware of the people I hang around with now because I have more to lose," he says.
For more information regarding the drug court program, please write: Redlands Drug Court Treatment Center, 802 West Colton Avenue, Suite C, Redlands, California 92374.
Quarterly CSAM meeting held at Loma
Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center
The quarterly California Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) regional
meeting was held Tuesday, November 16, at Loma Linda University Behavioral
Medicine Center in Redlands.
The regional meeting concerned the Board of Registered Nursing's nurse
diversion program. The highlighted speaker for the event was Usrah Claar-Rice,
MSN, RN, nursing education consultant, State of California Board of Registered
Nursing.
"Meetings like this," comments Ms. Claar-Rice, "are important
to form a better working knowledge for the nurse diversion program."
According to Ms. Claar-Rice, registered nurses are not immune from the
diseases of chemical dependency or mental illness. Experts estimate that
at least 10 percent of the general population will have a problem with
alcohol or drugs at some point in their lives.
Health-care professionals, including registered nurses, may be particularly
susceptible to substance abuse problems due to the stress of working in
a health-care environment, and due to an increased opportunity to obtain
controlled substances.
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| Héctor D. Barreto, MD (left), fellow, addiction medicine, Behavioral Medicine Center; Usrah Claar-Rice, MSN, RN, nursing education consultant, State of California Board of Registered Nursing; and Donald J. Kurth, MD, medical director of recovery services, LLUBMC, look over the notes prior to the quarterly CSAM regional meeting. Ms. Claar-Rice, the featured speaker for the meeting, spoke on diversion therapy for nurses. |
The diversion program is only for registered nurses, a point of concern for Ms. Claar-Rice.
"We would like for all the [health-care professional] programs to have a similar diversion program," adds Ms. Claar-Rice.
The regional meeting was available for continuing medical education credit. It was attended by more than 20 physicians from Loma Linda University Medical Center and other hospitals in the surrounding area.
Donald J. Kurth, MD, medical director of recovery services, LLUBMC, and organizer of the regional CSAM meeting, was pleased with the outcome. "The program was well received," he says.
"Everybody was very interested in what Ms. Claar-Rice had to say. And some that I talked to are very anxious to take this information back to their own hospitals," adds Dr. Kurth.
The same presentation will be shown at the state-wide symposium regarding nurse diversion.
"We thought it was worthwhile for the entire membership to hear," says Dr. Kurth.
The diversion program is voluntary and confidential, and was developed for RNs whose practice is impaired by chemical dependency and mental illness.
"Through this presentation, [Ms. Claar-Rice] teaches people what is available around the state in regard to diversion," says Dr. Kurth.
The purpose of the meeting was to protect the public and attain help for health-care professionals who have problems.
"When these things are viewed as moral issues, they are very difficult to treat," articulates Dr. Kurth. "It's when they are treated as diseases that we can actually cure the person."
As of October, 1999, more than 750 RNs have successfully completed the program, with an average of 380 to 400 RNs in the program at any one time.
The average nurse spends three-and-a-half to four years in the diversion program.
"We want to help heal the health professional by trying to educate physicians in nurse diversion," says Dr. Kurth.
The quarterly regional CSAM meeting was held as part of the BMC's recovery services program.
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