Graduates walk the stage, completing drug rehabilitation program
In the largest graduating class in the program's history, eleven participants graduated from the Tennessee Department of Correction's Jackson Day Reporting Center on Tuesday, March 21 following their successful completion of the program's substance abuse treatment plan.
Englewood Baptist Church hosted the graduation while family, friends, program alumni, and special attendees like Madison County Sheriff Julian Wiser and Division I Circuit Court Judge Joseph cheered on program participants who have culminated the three-phase treatment.
Serving as an alternative to incarceration, the DRC program offers an opportunity for Jacksonians struggling with drug and alcohol addiction to participate in a minimum year-long and up to an 18-month long treatment program.
Program Director Henry Holiday has been involved with DRC since 2016 and noted the excitement he feels watching the diligence and hard work of program participants come to fruition at graduation.
"I think it's a great experience and as staff, that's what we live for, to see success and see those people move forward and do well," Holiday said. "They've been addicts for years and years and never had a good relationship with family members, and just burned all their bridges. To see them be able to with their kids now, reunited with their family and parents, it's just a great feeling."
DRC graduates like Wesley Haskins are "excited and proud" of what the future holds as he continues to work through sobriety. While in and out of jail and struggling with drug abuse since he was 18, Haskins explained he was finally "sick and tired of being sick and tired" and described Holiday as coming to his rescue.
"I feel like God sent him personally, like he sent him for me," Haskins said. "I needed that because I was headed to the penitentiary and nobody wants to go there. Now I just feel proud, and I never looked back and keep on pushing."
Phase one requires participants to undergo anger management courses, relapse prevention classes, employment skills and job readiness program, and take part in 40 hours of weekly community service.
After being in phase one for approximately three months, they will enter phase two of treatment where required community service hours will be reduced along with the mandatory expectation of starting a job in order to pay their fines. Phase three requires participants to only report to their program counselor two days per week while they continue to work at their place of employment.
Participants are expected to be past their addiction by phase three.
Awards were administered to select graduates in the categories of "Future Leaders," "Determined to Succeed," and a singular participant who exceeded program expectations was awarded the honor of valedictorian.
Graduates are still expected to go through the program's "after-care treatment" where they report for one hour per week to their counselor. Continuous follow-ups are provided by DRC officials once the aftercare window ceases and 90% of program alumni still return to DRC as guest speakers for future participants.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Graduates of drug rehab program in Jackson to begin new life
