INMATES HELP INMATES RISE

Richmond Adopts Program That Gives Them The Responsibility For Recovering
From Substance Abuse

The hymn lyrics reverberate from Dwayne White's vocal cords like a roar.

"Lord, if you can't move the mountain, give me the strength to climb it,"
he bellows with five other inmates dressed in prison blues.

It's a lesson that White, a felon serving time in Richmond City Jail, never
learned during three previous stints in prison and more than half a life
using drugs.

"I've learned to deal with life on life's terms in here," White said.
"Today, I can accept rejection."

The 35-year-old was among two dozen who graduated yesterday from Henrico
County Jail East's "RISE" program, or Recovery In a Secure Environment.

The 12-step program teaches inmates to deal with their addiction through
intensive therapy, including prayer, meditation, group discussions and
education.

White and four other Richmond inmates will take what they have learned from
six weeks in "RISE" and implement a model program in the city jail. The
city program is set to begin in June.

Since the Henrico program's inception four years ago, RISE has grown from
20 to 200 inmates. The program has graduated about 1,000 inmates and is now
offered to women at the county's Jail East facility in New Kent County and
the West facility on Parham Road.

"The mission is to help the inmate recover so they're prepared to return to
the community and not come back," said Henrico Sheriff Mike Wade, who
started the program as a way to deal with the raging problem of alcohol and
drug abuse among inmates. "If we could put 50 percent of the jail
population in the program, we would."

The program's recidivism rates are currently being studied but appear
positive, Wade said.

Henrico spends about $125,000 a year on the program, including the cost of
instruction manu- als, videos and books.

Neither Henrico nor the city of Richmond has conducted formal surveys on
the percentage of substance abusers in the system. However, officials
estimate about 80 percent of the population abuses alcohol or drugs.

Those numbers sent Richmond officials searching for an answer.

They found it in Henrico.

City Councilman W.R. "Bill" Johnson visited the program last summer. Since
then, the two localities have worked together to bring "RISE" to Richmond.

"This is a positive program that could impact a lot of people," said Rick
Stroman, substance abuse therapist for Richmond City Jail, "Anything to
help them stay clean and sober with the support and structure of this is
always good."

Inmates participating in the "RISE" program are housed in their own pod.
Within that close-knit environment, they work through the program's four
phases at their own pace. Each phase focuses on a different skill needed to
recover from addiction, including an introduction, relapse prevention and
life skills. The first two phases are six weeks long, and the latter two
extend for the inmates' entire sentence. A graduation is held every month.

Carl Robinson, who has been in the program a few weeks, said he is learning
to be honest.

"I didn't like to admit my problems before," the 34-year-old said. "I'm
learning to be true about what's going on within myself."

While mental health and substance abuse staff members work with inmates, it
remains the inmates' responsibility to run the program. Senior participants
are elected as leaders and become responsible for scheduling, programming
and rules within their group.

Louis Fox, clinical psychologist for Henrico County Jail, said the hands-on
approach to recovery is integral to success.

"We are holding them responsible for solving their problems," Fox said.
"And for an addict who has been told they're a failure at everything, to
feel that sense of accomplishment and pride is one of the healing parts of
the program."

Yesterday, the desire to recover could be felt throughout the large room
where hundreds gathered for the graduation ceremony. Participants stood
proud, reciting principles of the program. Others shared their feelings
through poem and song.

"I really hope to take back a positive attitude," White said about his
re-entry to the Richmond jail later this month. "There are a lot of guys
who know me and will say, 'If Dwayne can do it, maybe I can do it, too.'"