DCS Annual Report 2016 | Page 11

DAY REPORTING CENTERS Day Reporting Centers (DRCs) provide a non-residential prison diversion program targeted at “high risk/high need” offenders with a history of substance abuse and noncompliant behavior. Located in numerous sites throughout Georgia, DRCs address the root problem of substance abuse, rather than the non-violent crimes that result from addiction. Offenders placed in DRCs complete an intensive, highly structured, non-residential addiction recovery program lasting six months or more. In addition to substance abuse treatment, DRCs equip offenders with essential training and education, cognitive behavior classes, and offer opportunities for offenders to build supportive social networks and complete community service requirements. 1,010 PARTICIPANTS GRADUATED FROM A DRC IN FY17 19 PARTICIPANTS OBTAINED THEIR GEDS IN FY17 “I’ve totaled more cars then I can remember. I’ve been thrown through windshields while my car exploded in a ball of fire behind me. I am very lucky to be alive, at the time I didn’t know why... I had to make a change. It was at that moment I finally got my act together. The Winder DRC was there to fight with me, all of them were there to help me. I never felt judged, or like another inmate number—from the ladies at the front desk, to the counselors, all the way to the head of the program, Mrs. Funkhouser. She has come to my rescue more than once. The compassion that she has, not just for me, but everyone in the program is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in a rehab program. She wants to help every single person. I can’t stress how much these people have changed my life. I am a finance manager now, and to think I would be here after all that I went through amazes me. I lived through all those crashes and wild nights for a reason. I want to help other addicts see the light at the end of the tunnel.” -J.B., Winder DRC graduate SUBSTANCE ABUSE AFTERCARE SERVICES Participation in Substance Abuse Aftercare Services (SAAS) is the final phase of Day Reporting Center programs. Participants also enroll in SAAS immediately after release from Georgia’s Residential Treatment Facilities (secure facilities providing intensive substance abuse and, if needed, mental health treatment). During this high-risk time immediately after offenders’ release from intensive supervision, SAAS provides offenders with a special style of supervision designed to promote continued recovery. 44.4% OFFENDERS WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AFTERCARE SERVICES IN FY17 2017 Annual Report 11