Rehabilitation and personal growth was on full display as the Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment program graduated 166 students from their Life Skills and Cognitive Behavior Intervention course at San Quentin inside Chapel B.
The program’s long-term goal is to reduce the recidivism rate within California prison system and to provide a comprehensive approach to substance use treatment in a timely and effective evidence-based approach.
During the 28-week course, participants are required to finish a 14-week living in balance module and a CBI module. The five core concepts include getting motivated to change, understanding and reducing angry feelings, understanding victim impact, thinking for change, and parenting inside and out.
The I.S.U.D.T. program is sponsored by Center Point, Inc. The organization’s mission is to provide support services, education, training, health care, and counseling. Participants can become certified peer counselors once they complete the curriculum.
Ken Osako joined the program in 2017 and through rigorous academic training has become a paid certified counselor.
“The starting pay normally begins at 45 cents per hour, and after one year you can receive a pay increase until you reach your max of $2 per hour,” said Osako. “This class allows me to heal from all the trauma I been through. It also helped me help other people through their struggles.”
There are two classes offered to the incarcerated students: CBI and CBI-Life Skills.
Volunteer Dennis Farez, who assists residents in obtaining a California ID when they leave SQ, joined the program in 2017. Farez emceed the event and welcomed all 166 students to the stage to receive their certificates accompanied by prison staff, including Warden C. Andes who spoke about the diversity of the program and the importance of staying drug and alcohol free.
“How many of you have substance involved in your commitment offence? So this is a huge step for you, not only to start a program but to have dedication and commitment,” said Andes. “Addressing some of the things that got you here, that’s what rehabilitation is all about.”
Miguel Munoz Huerta participated in both courses. He said his “aha” moment was during his transition to the next phase of the class, after his initial rejection due to personal reasons. He still decided to attend.
“I joined Life Skills because I just wanted some time off my sentence. I did not want to be in substance use classes because I felt I didn’t have a drug problem,” said Munoz Huerta. “But along the way, I was able to adopt the things I was learning; they were actually skills that are relevant to my life.”
Graduate Jose Diaz finished both classes but struggled the whole way through. Spending two and half years inside the program created many challenges internally and externally for him.
“It was challenging for me ’cause I wasn’t good with dealing with people everybody was strange at first. But the program helped me get out of my shell, grow, learn skills while maintaining positivity,” said Diaz.
