Blog: Reclaiming Futures

Fitness Program Encourages Healthy Lifestyle in Hocking County Juvenile Justice

Preventing drug use before it begins, especially among our youth, is a cost-effective way to reduce substance abuse and its negative consequences. A great way to achieve this is by encouraging an overall healthy lifestyle, which is exactly what the Hocking County Juvenile Court (HCJC) did this summer in Ohio.
HCJC partnered with North’s Fitness Center, a local gym, to invite 14 court-involved young people to exercise in their facility at no cost for the duration of the six-week summer program called “Crush-It Fitness”.
Similar to programs like SPORT and InShape, Hocking County’s Crush-It Fitness was designed to channel the youth’s free time into something positive and guide them toward a healthier lifestyle—a tactic that can be very effective to prevent substance abuse and reduce recidivism.
A celebration ceremony was held on Sept. 12, 2013 to recognize the young people who completed the program. They received t-shirts and positive affirmations. Participants gave mixed reviews on the program—mandating exercise is tough business! But, a combination of logistic and planning feedback came in that will help Hocking County succeed if they continue the “Crush-It Fitness” program in summer 2014.

NC Teens, Police, Community Join Forces to Stop Bullying Epidemic

Our small community has been deeply affected by bullying. Last year, two teenage girls committed suicide after being bullied. This school year, we’ve already had five students bring weapons to school to protect themselves from bullies. And two out of three students referred to our Teen Court program for simple assault, simple affray or disorderly conduct are there because of bullying-related incidents.

Recognizing the need to address bullying in schools, our young people, police officers and community members decided to take a stand by creating a short movie. The movie was written and acted by students, many of whom have been involved in bullying.

Teens' Photovoices Celebrate Recovery Month


It's not too late to add your voice in support of National Recovery Month 2013 and promote the benefits of prevention, treatment and recovery for mental and substance use disorders.
Forsyth County Reclaiming Futures is leading the way this September in Winston-Salem, N.C. with:

I encourage you to visit Facebook to see the powerful images of teens' choices, their motivations for recovery and hopes for the future.

Get Involved in Recovery Month


Recovery Month promotes the societal benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental and substance use disorders, celebrates people in recovery, lauds the contributions of treatment and service providers, and promotes the message that recovery in all its forms is possible.
What are you doing to help spread the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, that prevention works, treatment is effective and people can and do recover?
It's not too late. Add your community's voice to the celebration now at Recoverymonth.gov. You'll find the following helpful resources:

  • Proclamations
  • Press materials
  • Fast facts, glossaries and guides
  • Infographics

Save the Date: National Drug Facts Week 2014

 January 27-February 2, 2014. Register to host an educational event in your community. Get started now with FREE materials!Editor's Update:
Please join us for a free webinar October 29, 2013, 10 am (PDT)/1 pm (EDT):
Deliver the Scientific Facts About Drug Abuse to Teens During National Drug Facts Week, hosted by Reclaiming Futures, presented by the National Institute on Drug Abuse

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) invites you to participate in National Drug Facts Week, a national health observance from January 27 to February 2, 2014, now in its 4th year. NIDA, part of the National Institutes of Health, developed National Drug Facts Week to get the science out to teens about the effects of drug use on the brain and body through community-based events and activities to help shatter their myths about drug abuse and addiction.
Reclaiming Futures supports National Drug Facts Week and encourages you to work with local youth, schools, juvenile justice programs, and prevention coalitions to organize an educational event or activity for teens that delivers real, factual information about drugs and drug abuse.
Here’s how you can get involved:

  • Share this information with your networks and encourage their participation, www.drugfactsweek.drugabuse.gov
  • Beginning September 9, register to organize an educational event or activity for youth during National Drug Facts Week
  • Promote through social media with sample messages, provided by NIDA, about National Drug Facts Week and the scientific facts about drug abuse

To help you plan, NIDA provides a step-by-step toolkit, which includes a list of suggested activities, and a free drug facts booklet, which you can distribute at your event. 
For more information about National Drug Facts Week (January 27 to February 2, 2014), contact Brian Marquis at bmarquis@nida.nih.gov or register for the free webinar on October 29, 2013.

Juvenile Court Awarded $975,000 in Montgomery County, Ohio

Congratulations to Reclaiming Futures Montgomery County!
Under the leadership of Honorable Anthony Capizzi, this Juvenile Drug Court was recently awarded $975,000 from the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The three-year Drug Court Expansion grant supports Montgomery County's efforts to unite juvenile courts, probation, adolescent substance abuse treatment, and the community to reclaim youth. Through this grant, Ohio will be able to serve an additional 45 families per year and 135 over the grant's three-year span.
Together, they are improving drug and alcohol treatment and connecting teens to positive activities and caring adults.
There is statewide interest in Ohio to expand the Reclaiming Futures model beyond the four current sites. If you know community leaders interested in breaking the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime, or philanthropies investing in juvenile justice reform, we'd like to hear from you. 
For more information about bringing Reclaiming Futures to your community, please call Susan Richardson at 503-725-8914 or email susan.richardson@pdx.edu.
Map at right illustrates current (blue) and potential (orange and green) Reclaiming Futures communities in Ohio. 

We Need Mentors: Lucas County, Ohio, in the News

Have you ever wondered how you could make a difference in the lives of young people in your community?
Less than one year into a $1.3 million grant, Lucas County Reclaiming Futures Project Director LaTonya Harris breaks it down for Leading Edge guest host Rob Wiercinski in Toledo, Ohio.
Watch this video to learn how they are decreasing recidivism and increasing drug court graduation rates. They will make even greater strides with more mentors to provide positive activities for teens:

Report from the Field: Hardin County, Ohio

Despite the fact that synthetic marijuana use is soaring around areas like Hardin County, Ohio, we continue to successfully break the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime using our proven six-step model. At a recent site visit, we found that Reclaiming Futures Hardin County has: 

  • Strong, committed teamwork that uses a holistic, seamless, coordinated system of support for teens
  • Effective, solid partnership with Ohio Northern University – good evaluation and site analysis with the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) data, and impressive internship development
  • Cohesion: Probation, Behavioral Health Services and Recovery School all under one roof
  • Superb GAIN rates, particularly upon follow up
  • Many Evidence-Based Treatment options
  • Well-implemented service coordination, with many positive pro-social activities (fishing, scrapbooking, archery, 4-H club, and community service opportunities) 
  • Great local partnerships, for example, teen financial literacy training with the local credit union 
  • Strong sustainability strategy
  • Good representation at Juvenile Treatment Court staffing/team meeting, with input from many partners around the table
  • Good communication with parents, evident by their attendance at the Juvenile Treatment Court hearing and positive interactions during family updates and high school graduation celebration at court
  • Excellent feedback from youth and parents during interviews after court
  • Wonderful community activities and exceptional fundraising events

Kudos to the Reclaiming Futures team in Hardin County, Ohio!

Young People in Recovery: Messaging and Media Training Webinars

We all know how much influence the media wields; let's use that power for the greater good!
Thanks to Faces and Voices of Recovery, young people and their family members can learn how to communicate more effectively with the media, as well as friends and family, about the reality of recovery. 
In two 90-minute webinars, trainers Justin Luke Riley, of Young People in Recovery, and Pat Taylor, of Faces and Voices of Recovery, use communications tools like human interest and media stories to reach policymakers, educate the public and recruit new members to the recovery movement.
I encourage you to take advantage of the free online training tools and watch the online webinars  to create your own strong messages and make a difference in your community.  
 
  
 

Successfully Tackling Generations of Substance Abuse and Crime

Leaders in Hardin County, Ohio, are using the proven Reclaiming Futures six-step model and strong collaboration to break the generational cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime in their community.
In the video below, Wade Melton, program director of Hardin County Juvenile Court and director of Hardin Community School, describes how Reclaiming Futures positively impacts his work:

Stay tuned for an update about my recent site visit to Hardin County, Ohio.

Shout Out From Robert Listenbee, Jr.

Greetings from the road! I've just headed out of National Harbor, Md., where I have spent most of this week with over 4,000 treatment court professionals at the National Association of Drug Court Professionals 19th annual training. 
I've been busy hearing about the most promising practices in our fields of juvenile justice reform, mental health and adolescent substance abuse treatment, and teaching the Reclaiming Futures model to break the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime.
For me, some of the highlights of the world’s largest conference on substance abuse, mental health and the criminal justice system, included:

  • Hearing the Reclaiming Futures "shout out" from OJJDP Administrator, Robert Listenbee, Jr.
  • Meeting the dedicated staff and leaders who are making a difference in the lives of young people every day.
  • Learning how drug courts can help address health disparities, alongside Reclaiming Futures staff and fellows.

In Case You Missed It: A Young Artist in Recovery Tells His Story

Back in April we shared Guy, a young artist in recovery's story. Today we're featuring it again, because it's such a powerful message. In this three-minute video, Guy, a well-known graffiti artist in Snohomish County, Washington, describes his transformation as a Promising Artists in Recovery (PAIR) participant.

Through Reclaiming Futures Snohomish County, Henri Wilson and other generous adults are mentoring young artists in the county's juvenile justice system who have substance abuse issues. By engaging in calligraphy, painting and photography classes, teens are viewing life through a different lens.

Resources From 2013 Leadership Institute

Thank you to the community leaders and experts in juvenile justice reform, adolescent substance abuse treatment and mental health who contributed to a successful 2013 Leadership Institute in Asheville, N.C., May 7-9, 2013.
I'm pleased to share the presentations, plenary sessions and fellowship discussions that made up this working conference to help communities break the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime.
Please take a moment to browse the topics and share the proven approaches and best practices for communities adopting, implementing and sustaining the Reclaiming Futures model as the standard of care in communities across the nation.
Here is a sample of the topics:

  • Behavior Change Drivers by Michael Clark, Center for Strength-Based Strategies
  • Rest Stop: Self-Care and Leadership Survival by Laura Nissen, Special Advisor, Reclaiming Futures National Program Office, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Portland State University
  • One Faith Community at a Time by Michael Dublin, Consultant, Faith Works Together Coordinator
  • Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN): An Introduction & Opportunity to Ask Questions, Michael Dennis and Kate Moritz, Chestnut Health Systems
  • How to Manage Yourself and Others Through the Stress of Change by Kathleen Doyle-White, Founder and President, Pathfinders Coaching

We'd like to hear from you. If you attended the Leadership Institute, what new skills, perspectives or strategies will you use? What insights will reinforce your efforts?
Please share ideas, photos and resources from the 2013 Reclaiming Futures Leadership Institute, using the following hashtag via Twitter: #RFutures13

Pushing Your Juvenile Justice Program to Excellence

Project Director Margaret Soukup, Reclaiming Futures Seattle-King County, discusses how the Reclaiming Futures model has improved their work with young people in King County. Since implementing Reclaiming Futures 10 years ago, they have become more:

  • Collaborative,
  • Supportive, and
  • Inclusive 

To learn more about helping teens overcome drugs, alcohol and crime, please visit www.reclaimingfutures.org

Reclaiming Futures in Anchorage, Alaska

Tom Begich, coach and former project director in Anchorage Alaska, describes how Reclaiming Futures has transcended anything they ever imagined to create a safer, healthier community. 

  • Crime and substance abuse rates are down
  • Graduation rates are up 
  • Evidence-based practices are driving change

More Treatment, Better Treatment and Support Beyond Treatment

Thank you to Sadric Bonner, Great Expectations certified family partner, who talks about how Reclaiming Futures supports her work.
Ms. Bonner has contributed on reclaimingfutures.org as a parent in One Parent's Experience with the Juvenile Justice System, and as a social service partner in Youth Mentoring Has Lifelong Benefits -- for the Mentor, Too.

Road Map for Change: A Report on the 2013 Leadership Institute

The 2013 Leadership Institute, a working conference for Reclaiming Futures leadership teams helping communities break the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime, was held in Ashville, N.C., May 7-9, 2013.
Interactive workshops, plenary sessions and fellowship discussions provided opportunities to share and learn proven approaches and best practices for communities adopting, implementing and sustaining the Reclaiming Futures approach as the standard of care in communities across the nation.
Here is a sample of the topics that were addressed:

  • One Family at a Time by Michael Clark, Center for Strength-Based Strategies
  • Rest Stop: Self-Care and Leadership Survival by Laura Nissen, Special Advisor, Reclaiming Futures National Program Office, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Portland State University
  • One Faith Community at a Time by Michael Dublin, Consultant, Faith Works Together Coordinator
  • Evaluating the Impact of Adding the Reclaiming Futures Approach to Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts by Michael Dennis, Director, GAIN Coordinating Center, Chestnut Health Systems
  • How to Manage Yourself and Others Through the Stress of Change by Kathleen Doyle-White, Founder and President, Pathfinders Coaching

We'd like to hear from you. If you attended the Leadership Institute, What new skills, perspectives or strategies will you use? What insights will reinforce the efforts of your local Reclaiming Futures team?
It’s not too late to share ideas, photos and resources from the 2013 Reclaiming Futures Leadership Institute. Please use the following hashtag via Twitter: #RFutures13

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