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Welcome to "Connections," the podcast that bridges the gap between addiction and mental health through the prism of policy and practice. Join the hosts, Morgan Coyner and Sara Howe, as they unravel the intricate connections within the world of addiction. In each episode, they dive deep into the intersection of prevention and recovery.
Welcome to Connections, the podcast from addiction professionals of North Carolina, where we explore the nuances of addiction and mental health. Through the lens of policy and practice, we're your hosts, Sarah Howe and Morgan Koiner. And we're here to help you see how it all connects today. We have with us Brooke Keith.
She's the program social worker at Pitt County Detention Center. Hi Brooke. Hey, how's it going? Good, good. Thank you so much for joining us. Um, I want to get started really just jump right in. Pitt County has some really innovative programs going on in your detention center in addressing substance use.
And we'd love for you to just give us an overview of what y'all are doing, uh, over there in Pitt County. Absolutely. Yeah. So our Sheriff, Sheriff Paula Dance, she was elected around 2019 and she implemented these jail based programs here in the detention center. Um, we have our men's program, which is the SHARP program.
So Sheriff's Heroin Addiction Recovery Program and our female program, the Women's Empowerment and Recovery Program. Um, just really aims to use evidence based models and resources and community connections to give these individuals. What they need while they're here and also assistance to bridge that gap.
But when they're out to ultimately promote recovery and reduce recidivism for those with, um, drug related or, um, other non nonviolent charges. So when, remind me again, when did you start these programs? How many years ago now? 2019, so five years, five years, five years. Okay. So give us some, some of the success stories.
What, what have you seen since these programs have been started? It's really amazing. I think, um, what's special about this is our holistic view. So, um, my role, I go in and do the, um, substance use and mental health related treatment interventions, but also we have, um, GED programs coming in, um, furthering education, job skills.
Um, so a lot of the men and women are getting this education, a resume building, things like that, soft skills that people haven't taught them before. So it's really amazing to see the puzzle pieces of recovery, um, just really coming together and then getting phone calls from the community. Hi, Ms. Brooke.
I'm out. Um, I'm. Went to N. A. last night and I have a job interview in the morning and it's just the best feeling to know that the skills that they're getting here are transferable out into the community so they can continue to support themselves and be, um, good model citizens. How has the community responded, um, to these programs or to, um, Like you said, individuals that are in the community that are living in recovery every day.
How has the community responded to this? I think it's been really cool to, um, to see the opportunity for these programs to open up volunteer opportunities for various religious organizations. 12 step people coming from the community who have these testimonies and lived experiences, meeting our clients where they are here in the facility.
Um, so they can go ahead and establish that connection with. Stakeholders in the community, and then when they come out, they have these connections to to fall back on. So our local reentry council has been a really cool resource that we used as well as just some, some facilities and recovery places here in Greenville.
To be able to take these individuals from when they're here and give them the support when they need for when they're out. Greenville has such a strong recovery community. So I love that y'all are able to engage with folks who are outside doing work to be able to connect people to services. Through that, that's really cool.
I'm curious a little bit about. Like on the front end of these programs are, are they mandatory? Is it, do they have to apply to these programs? Like, how does someone who comes into the detention center, how do they? end up in this program receiving, um, treatment or interventions. Yeah. So these programs are all voluntary, which adds another really interesting element because you have a lot of these like minded individuals who are choosing to use their time this way in the facility.
Um, so the SHARP program and the W. A. R. E. programs, it's kind of a, um, At this point, some of it is word of mouth from these individuals. We also try to increase our presence in the blocks just so they know who Ms. Brooke is and who, who programs are really, um, from there, they get an application. And at that point, myself, um, or the rest of the programs team would go and do a bit of an assessment or interview type process just to get a better idea of, you know, their substance use history, mental health, things of that nature.
And then at that point, we would also tell them more about our resources that we have in the facility. So, um, those vocational programs, GED, those type things, um, and from there, we kind of create a treatment plan with them and that way we can understand better what they need. And then ultimately they would be, um, admitted into these group treatment programs or sharpenwear programs.
So what is the intersection of these programs with, uh, medications or MAT or? MOUD, depending on the term that your detention center uses, how, how do they fit in to medication assisted treatment? Yeah, so our, um, our port help here in Greenville, we have two clinicians that are housed here in the facility that actually, um, work for a port, but are here to do those assessments.
For M. A. T. So these people can, um, apply to receive M. A. T. Or, um, it might be a continuity of care situation to where maybe they were already born in the community, um, and they can just continue that in here. But for a lot of people applying for M. A. T., um, you fill out a sheet, a drug history form, and then our clinicians from Port Health will go do an in depth biopsychosocial assessment.
And then, um, and communicate with our provider to put them on, um, a dosage if they see that that is a good fit for the client. And then while they are receiving their MAT, they also do group therapy. So that's what I like about it is there's the medication component, but there's also that psychoeducation component that I think is equally as important.
So you are learning those coping skills. You are creating your recovery plan while you are receiving your MAT. What I think is really interesting is the acceptance and growth of medications as part of treatment planning, of course, in our field has really evolved over time, but we still certainly have communities where medications is still not something that is fully embraced, particularly in the criminal justice system.
So when you talk about, you have a sheriff who five years ago, pre pandemic. Really, we're talking about recovery support programming, getting treatment, integrating the opportunity for medications, this really, this evolution. That we've seen in terms of attitudes, what would you say if for another community that has not had a program like this, but maybe there is a criminal justice system that is looking a local detention center, community corrections, where, where could they start?
What would you tell them in terms of where to start and why they should? I think always community connection is essential in these things, just keeping that person centered, holistic mindset, because we can't do it on our own. So, where to start, I would say reaching out to these community organizations that really have a heart and a belief and determination for recovery can be really essential for implementing that in these types of facilities.
In terms of these programs in general, I think, It's just speaking for me, it's been such a blessing to see people at a lot of times what they describe as rock bottom, making the decision to make a better life for themselves. And that's really hard to do in a place like jail where you can't trust everybody or you never know who's listening or the system a lot of times, um, Has failed them in a way, in my opinion, so for them to be able to choose recovery and these circumstances has just been such a blessing for me to watch and to be a part of, um, and these programs work, they do, of course, you know, You do have people that, um, you know, they do come back into the facility, but even then to know that they know Ms.
Brooke or they know programs and they know that they can get right back into treatment and try again, that's just a win in itself. So I could not say anything better about our sheriff and these programs and the success that they, um, have produced and the hope that they've also given these inmates. Um, a lot of times when you feel hopeless, We feel hopeless in here, but there is hope and we can do it.
Um, and I think like what you said, people choose recovery, but they're choosing it because it's an option you're giving them. And I think that's the important piece really like for Pitt County. Um, like that, that's not the case everywhere. When I used to work in reentry, there was this phrase that was used that was like prisons are like, Holding places, not healing places.
And it just, I think there are a lot of places where that's the truth, but I don't think Pitt County is one of those places because you're giving them the option to do that healing work inside the walls so that they're already steps ahead when they get out. Yeah. Yeah. If you can plant the seed in here, then it's really amazing to watch people grow.
It really is. How did the other inmates react? Um, the ones who maybe aren't in the program, how have they intersected with those? Does it provide even some support or hope for them as well? I think it does. I think a lot of times, um, Inmates, detainees have a wall built up in some, some ways and I don't, I can't say I blame them, but I think when you see your peers choosing to be in these programs and you start to watch as someone kind of in the same situation, you're like, wow, you know, this is worthwhile.
This is really interesting. And it can be fun. You know, recovery doesn't have to be so dim and gloom. It can be very fun in a facility that isn't always thought of as a joyful place. I think it's almost like a ripple effect at that point. So we really are appreciative of our, our members of these programs who are displaying, um, These recovery programs, because I think ultimately it has an impact on the rest of the population.
Definitely. I think as we wrap up, a question I want to ask is, you know, anyone who's listening, if they, you know, hear about these programs and they're super interested, are there things that they can do to support the work that you're doing? Or ways that they can get involved, um, whether it's talking to y'all so they can replicate it elsewhere.
Um, or if they're local to the Greenville area, are there ways that people can get plugged in with those programs? Absolutely. So we do have a lot of volunteer opportunities to come in and, um, run group treatment sessions with these men and women, um, in the detention center, which is always It's very, very worthwhile, um, from my experience, but also not just in the facility, but in general, um, we do have here in the, the detention center, a Narcan vending machine.
So being, um, an ally in the recovery community, carrying your Narcan and just having that recovery mindset, maybe not for yourself, but for loved ones and friends and family. I'm just making sure that you are looking out for your neighbor because you never know when someone might need that extra help.
That's great. That's great. Do you have a website that you want our listeners to go to? Is there information online? Absolutely. Yes. So I have the Pitt County Sheriff's Office. Their website is going to have a programs tab and under the programs you get to see our sharp and where information. It's also going to include the other programs that I talked about such as GED.
Awesome. We will definitely be sure to link that, uh, and send people your way. Um, is there anything else before we go that we didn't touch on that you feel is important or, you know, if it's, if there was one final message that we didn't get to, is there anything else that you'd like to say before we. Wrap up, I would say, if you feel called to do this type of work with this type of population, I think it's so worthwhile.
And I think it's very underserved. And, um, whatever you think may or may not happen or any, um, any hesitancies, I would just say, always go for it and 9 times out of 10. I think you're going to see that. It's really, really amazing to watch. We're grateful for the work that you're doing, Brooke, and changing lives.
Pitt County, but really across the state because this work has a ripple effect. So thank you for all the work you're doing and for taking the time to join us today. We know how busy you are and we really appreciate it. Absolutely.Anytime.
https://www.pittcountysheriff.com/sharp-and-wear