Prevention Works! Minutes 

Clallam County Prevention Works!
Community Coalition Meeting

April 12, 2004, Olympic Medical Center with Telelinking to the West End

Those present: Sue Renes (ESD 114), Karen Meyer (CTC), Jennifer Charles (CCHHS), Jim Borte (Sheriff's Dept.), Gwen Cole (Healthy Families), Stacy Neff (CCHHS), Rachel Anderson (Tobacco), Margaret Maxwell (North Olympic Regional Housing Network), Florence Bucierka (CCHHS), Shaine Schramling (Parenting Matters Foundation), Susan Hillgren (Family Planning of CC), Preston Kayes (Juvenile Services), Pam Arnott (Olympic Medical Center - New Family Services), Angie Graff (OMC), Fiona Hert (Northwest Services Council), Mike Svec (When United Together), Chief Tom Riepe (City of Port Angeles), Mike Doherty (CC Commissioner), Steve Tharinger (CC Commissioner), Ellen Fetcheit (PASD), Barbara Clampett (Peninsula College).

Meeting was called to order by Cynthia Martin, Vice-President.

Florence introduced Preston Kayes - Clallam County Drug Court Czar – In 1997 Clallam county was 1 of 2 Juvenile Drug Courts awarded funding. Preston arrived July 26, 1999. She noted that there are not as many folks that are drug court coordinators that have an extensive background in treatment as Preston does. Clallam County has a very successful youth and adult drug court. It is a model for others.

Preston Kayes

Drug Court is new concept. Began in Dade County Florida in 1989 (Janet Reno). Preston shared a 100 year old photo – treatment not jail. He discussed a joint committee – American Bar Association & AMA – 1958 which talked about it as a medical issue.

We look at Drug Addiction as police problem first.  

$25,000 State prison yearly for an adult male

$50K Juvenile for year

2,000,000+ people in federal prison and state prison – Country with next highest population is China with only 1.5 million.

Drug Court – takes the crisis when addict is arrested – and use as a means to get the person into treatment. Preston's true belief is that forced treatment works. Some people believe that an addict can’t be helped until they want help. What Drug Court (DC) – get them into treatment. It is a chance for the brain to detoxify. It is a much longer process than just the county detox unit that work better for alcohol. The body has a chance to heal and the person is able to get information about what has been happening to their body and life. Do want to have to stay clean!

Clallam County – Methampethamine is huge issue. Since July 1999, over 240 people have been referred to DC. At this point there are 81 graduates. Currently has 60 participants. Retention rate – 60%. Nationally it is good number. Longer you keep someone in treatment better they do. King County 30%. 75% of Clallam County drug court cases – drugs issue is meth. Statewide – 18%. At least ¾ of the 75% with meth issues are late stage chronic addicts. Some signs - absence of teeth in younger people, no job, no suitable place to live, lack education, job skills. Of 60 participants in DC, 2 have a 4-year degrees – nursing in Rx drug addiction. Many times, people in DC have not been able to get clean, stay clean on outpatient basis. DC has had to send to inpatient – Highland Court (locally). If private insurance, that’s great but not normal. Most people do not have resources.

Preston recently attended a CASA/GAL meeting with a Meth expert who claimed we don’t have effective means of treating Drug Addiction. DC works well with meth addicts. Once in DC, many meth users have daily or 3/x week urinalysis (UA's). Marijuana users – don’t have to be UA'd as much because it stays in system longer. DC can have quick response. If there is a dirty UA – walk down and get a warrant. See before drug court appearance on Thursday. Consequences – some time downstairs in custody. Meth folks – don’t get it and need to get them treatable – the only way to do that is county jail. Lack of resources in recovery – nothing to get them treatable. Don’t fit into detox treatment – don’t want to send them into treatment with toxic brain. Uneducated – will say that meth addicts can be treated. Have to get them treatable – keep them sober and away from drugs and transport directly to treatment.

Preston invited anyone to attend Drug Court they are open court proceedings on Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. in Superior Court II – Honorable Ken Williams. He talked about it being an Interesting thing to go – very different from other courts. There are a lot of rewarding positive behaviors – verbal strokes. These are people who are not told what they are doing right. 50 People in adult drug court – a few are every other week.

Juvenile Drug Court – 25 Kids right now – meets every other Wednesday at Juvenile Services at 4:00 p.m. Harder to draw in adolescents. In order to get people in – MIP – not really looking at jail time (lose driver’s license). New trend is Possession of Meth – Preston talked about it being a very short trip between “Wow this is great” to “Oh, no what have I gotten into?” There are no warning sign for problem – they already have problem. Addiction is defined as a compulsion to continue even though it is causing problem in one or more life area.

Reward for participating in Drug Court – it is pre-conviction – charges are put on hold. Once successfully complete program, charges dismissed. Participants sign 4 page contract – can drop out at any time, vice versa (be kicked out) – they will then go in front of a judge – be found guilty, and go for sentencing. No trial. From prosecutors’ standpoint – wrap guilty plea in a bow.

Initial belief – possession of heroin, cocaine, - think you go to prison. Std. Sentencing for meth 1^st conviction – 0-90 days in – 45 days, credit for time served, 30 community served – may be no time in custody. 2^nd and 3^rd offense – same thing.

Selling is very different story. 

Drug Court is not an easier way out – if they aren’t looking at jail time – but they know they are hurting and could use help – aware that felony drug conviction on file will be with them for the rest of their life – it is not something that goes away after 5 years. Being able to keep it off record and get help – some are smart enough to understand that.  

Research – recidivism – not continuing to re-offend. Difficult to do research – labor intensive process – Kathy Jones PT assistant – grads and active, those who washed out voluntarily/involuntarily. Recidivism active and grads 5%. Voluntarity drop out 28%, Involuntarily drop out 40%, Core/control 28% (not in drug court). 

Deb McDonald (Clerk’s office – Master’s Thesis) – Recidivism study.

Program Minimum 1 Year. 81 Graduates in adult program. 43 in Juvenile program. May 20 next graduation for adults. Big graduation expected.

Why would Prevention folks care? (Florence) – Age of use of meth has dropped significantly. Many participants are parents and can not parent. At one time, they had a grandmother in drug court, daughter applying to get in, and a granddaughter in Juvenile.

Gwen – asked if research was adults only on recidivism. Yes it was. 

Preston worked at Lakeside Milam for 12 years – adolescent and adult inpatient program in Highline. With a 15-year-old – parents spend a lot of money and it is only part of a process – kids are very likely to relapse. Keep eye on bigger picture – where will they be a 21 or 25.

Sue R. asked – are adults put through relapse prevention protocol? Meth – come back from inpatient go into intensive outpatient – 3 to 4 days with relapse prevention. 24 Hour residential vs weekly group. 1x/week with relapse prevention – Gorskey model. Biased toward 12 step meetings – Judges read about it and now really encourage AA. Peer environment in Drug Court is strong – after graduation – there is an alumni group – different from other treatment models.  

2nd Presentation

Margaret Maxwell – Coordinator for North Olympic Regional Housing Network. Handed out a fact sheet – and gave information on a homeownership orientation.

3rd Presentation

Tom Riepe – PA Police Chief – new project in community policing – it is best practice. Heroin and cocaine coming into the area. Tom is President of OPNET Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (Jefferson & Clallam Counties).

Will leave business cards. There will be a survey coming out to PA City residents with police department issues. Has volunteer brochures: Truth about Meth, Police Officer Recruiting (Barb McFall is only female officer.)

Background - Born and raised in PA – WSU, police science. Poor family. Dad 9^th grade ed, mom 11^th grade ed. Patrol, detective, sergeant, commander, police chief. Officers understanding how important drug court is – He holds a Masters in Public Admin. Probably will retire in 3 years.

Community policing – forming partnerships with the community. If money and technology don’t solve it – want officers to understand – for 20 years PA has been a traditional police department. Community policing is about slowing down – getting people involved – not just police department issue – community issue – only way to solve these problems is to get everyone together and come up with strategy.

Rycops – Washington, MT, WY, SD – Retired Sheriff out of Spokane County – WSU. Group comes into the community free of charge – assesses department and agency to further community policing. Knew that for the good of the community it’s important – 8 outside people in came last April – spent a week. 160 interviews, rode with officers – questions included: do you know what community policing is, are there women, minorities – what are your strategies? How do you handle budget, make decisions? 3 women, 5 men on assessment team. Report came out late January – here is what they had to say about PAPD and Port Angeles. PAPD provided clippings to them including press and information about Coast Guard incidents last year.

Community Policing - PD professional, hard working, but there is a lot of work to do. Means thinking outside the box – limited with funds, but with those funds, …it is not - when police have time – go talk with neighborhood, business owners, that doesn’t cut it. It needs to be presented that during next 2 weeks you will make x number of contacts. The report contained a lot of good suggestions. April 27, 28 & 29 will be  Community Policing Training. Results of the report were given to City Council, Sequim PD, Coast Guard, PT PD. The PAPD wants others to read it and make sure PAPD is doing it. The more people they share it with, more they are committed to doing it. When it was released to the news media – before they held the press conference – they ran it by Frank Garner Police Chief in Kalispell & the other chief in Kennewick – what do you think about the press release – they noted that it didn’t say anything nice about the community. Closed community, old fashioned, not sure how accepting – assessment not just of PD, but of whole city. PD is respected – but needs to be a leader – government can’t do it all. Government and bureaucracy can be good. Govt. – needs to be out in the open. Time – takes time to do it. Law says people need to be involved. Purpose – not in it to make a buck – in it to make a difference in a person’s life.

Training mandatory for officers, city managers, some city council – out in community – downtown association – there are slots for the community. 2 experts from Bellingham and Olympia – all 8 hours 28^th – 4 hours on 27^th or 4 hours on 29^th. People have to get involved in this community – first employees need to understand. Law Enforcement Advisory Board – what fits and what doesn’t for our community.

Fiona asked – will there by any sort of "train the trainers." Chief Riepe replied that once dept. staff has training – they will determine where to go next. Many strategic recommendations.

END OF Presentations

Business Meeting

Christine Gregoire is coming Thursday – a piece about PW.

Florence – Grantwriting Training – May 18 or May 25- trainer from Seattle whose focus – grants to foundations. Trying to set up a facility with computer terminals. All day training.

DASA – trying to develop a contractor feedback program – money for parent education or home visiting – people who would be interested, let Florence know.

Membership (Gwen Cole) – did a couple of presentations – Kiwanis and Sequim at the college.

Karen Meyer followed up from the annual meeting facilitated by Scott Waller – he was helping us get to the place to get to some more strategic planning – asking for off the cuff opinions – what we have done, areas we need to expand into – moved into point of where it fit into bigger strategic plan. It has been decided to take the May meeting and take his format – good strategic planning model and apply it to community risk and protective factors.

Need to look more at the strategic plan for prevention efforts in Clallam County – so things don’t get dropped.  

Meeting adjourned due to time restraints.

Respectfully submitted,

Shaine Schramling

Secretary
If there are corrections, please e-mail Shaine Schramling (shaines@nwinet.com)