Drug and alcohol abuse can hold an overbearing weight on your life and deal a serious blow to your self-esteem. You may find comfort in knowing that so many people have been right where you are now, and they were able to overcome their substance abuse and reclaim their lives. They may have old wounds that are creating painful thoughts and feelings, and use drugs or alcohol to cope with this. In other cases, they may drink or use drugs socially, thinking it will earn them credit amongst their peers.

Frequently Requested Information and Services

• Embracing a sober lifestyle is a transformative process beyond the initial detoxification phase.
• If you have trouble finding the benefits you need, you can ask your parole agent or the APU to help you.
• “Sober” is defined in the dictionary as “not having one’s mind affected by alcohol.” This is the preferred terminology of AA.
• On September 9, 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1844, also known as the Chelsea King Child Predator Prevention Act of 2010, or Chelsea’s Law.
• Devices like Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitors (SCRAM) bracelets provide continuous alcohol monitoring by measuring transdermal alcohol levels.

The one-size-fits-all attempts didn’t take into account the norms and needs of each region. Corrections there were already built on a model that was not overly punitive, according to a 2017 U.S. If you or a family member needs help getting sober, then call our admissions staff for more information. When sober and recovered from alcoholism or addiction, you cease fighting alcohol. The point however is that life for an addict or alcoholic has a lot more meaning than just being clean, and constantly fighting temptation over and over again.

Local Resources

Additional restrictions, such as avoiding bars or certain individuals, help reduce exposure to triggers or peer pressure. You are considered “clean” if you are free of alcohol, drugs, or mind-altering substances. However, you are not considered “sober” if you are not engaging in your recovery. So, “clean” can mean that while you are not using drugs or alcohol at the moment, you might not have discovered the root of your problem or overcome your addiction.

People in two New Jersey counties who were at risk of abusing opioids while on parole were given extra support services, and an immediate trip to rehab instead of back to prison when they slipped up. The pilot program is New Jersey’s version of Swift, Certain and Fair, a federally funded program to help people succeed while on parole. In some of the 30 states with SCF programs, copying the original https://northiowatoday.com/2025/01/27/sober-house-rules-what-you-should-know-before-moving-in/ and successful Hawaii model didn’t work. But New Jersey’s approach to helping people succeed instead of laying traps to send them back to prison was deemed a success with a small, focused pilot program. Sobriety requirements are imposed to protect public safety and ensure compliance with the law.

What Does Court-Ordered Absolute Sobriety Mean?

Those determined potentially eligible for placement will be reviewed by the Institution Classification Committee (ICC) and, if approved for placement, referred to the Classification Staff Representative for endorsement. All participants are subjected to Living in a Sober House: Fundamental Rules mandatory electronic monitoring and must agree as a condition of placement. If an inmate is requesting placement in an ACP Program, an acceptance letter from the program must be submitted with the CDCR Form 2234. The ACP Program acceptance letter must state acceptance to the ACP Program and guaranteed bed availability through the inmate’s EPRD.

As Vermont tackles heroin addiction, progress is measured in baby steps

“If you did anything substance-abuse-related, we came in with a response.” In New Jersey, the response was always drug treatment, inpatient or outpatient.That has not always been the case with Swift, Certain and Fair. In 2004, a judge, Steven Alm, got fed up with probationers repeatedly returning to prison. In 2009, researchers found that probationers who took part were 55 percent less likely to be arrested in connection with a new crime, 72 percent less likely to use drugs and 53 percent less likely to have their probation revoked. Word spread, and grant proposals for what became known as Swift, Certain and Fair started circulating.

Are you a good fit for an intensive outpatient program?

Grievances are governed by time limits, so this should be done as soon as you see a problem starting. If your parole agent cannot help you with your problem, ask to speak with the unit supervisor. The complete policy on grievances is available from your parole agent or at one of our offices.

Conditions of Parole

SB 384 established three tiers of registration for adult registrants for periods of 10 years, 20 years, and life, and two tiers of registration for juvenile registrants for periods of 5 years and 10 years. Based on criteria listed in SB 384, the court will either grant or deny the petition. Parolees are assessed for job readiness to legally and physically work on transitional work crews that require manual labor. Eligible parolees who have completed most of their Individual Treatment Plan are placed on a work crew for up to 90 working days. The GSW program provides life skills education, employment preparation, transitional employment, permanent job placement, appropriate case management, and employment retention services. Each parolee that completes the first five-day portion of life skills education is also placed into transitional employment on a work crew for up to 90 working days.

Sobriety orders often include regular alcohol and drug testing, which may be random or scheduled. Testing methods such as breathalyzers, urinalysis, or SCRAM bracelets ensure rigorous monitoring. You can request your discharge card from the parole office approximately three months following your discharge date. For transients (homeless), a field contact at a location where the parolee frequents or sleeps shall be conducted in lieu of the required home contact. Registrants who feel they have been designated as the wrong tier as specified in the Act as amended under SB 384 should consult with a public defender’s office or a private attorney.