Sherry Cox, CASC program manager, answers a question during a tour of the Community Alternative Sentencing Center on August 28.

Sherry Cox, CASC program manager, answers a question during a tour of the Community Alternative Sentencing Center on August 28.
By Kelly Doran
Editor

The Community Alternative Sentencing Center reopened on September 1 under new management, after closing in February.

Talbert House ran CASC from August 2013 to February 11, 2015 when its contract ended. In that time, CASC had 483 patients. The Clermont County Commissioners voted to have Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services become the operator in their June 3 meeting.

CASC is an alternative to jail for misdemeanor drug and alcohol offenders, according to a press release. Clients addicted to heroin and opiates will receive medical-assisted treatment for withdrawal.

CASC opened with eight clients and Sherry Cox, program manager, is hoping to have 25 within the first month, she said during a tour of CASC on August 28.

“It’s very redeemable people that have to languish in jail because they don’t have an opportunity like this,” Cox said.

Cox is very excited to begin the program and hopes this will someday lead to programs in other counties.

“With my team I want to change the world,” Cox said.

Treatment is really important, and Ed Humphrey, president of the Board of County Commissioners. He hopes CASC will impact the lives of the clients and keep them from reoffending.

“What you’re doing is you’re giving people’s lives back to them,” said Commissioner Bob Proud.

This program creates hope that the county may be able to help some addicts overcome their addiction and keep them from reoffending, said Clermont County Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg.

“I think we’re off to a good start here. We have a good plan,” said Steve Goldsberry, vice president of addiction services at GCBHS. Drug addiction is powerful and it requires a powerful response, he said.

It will cost the county $433,000 in the first year, $126,000 of which is start-up costs. The cost per client the first year is $63 per day because of start-up costs, but by the second year it will cost $45 per day. Jail inmates cost $70-75 per day.

Getting into CASC

Cox opened CASC with space for 25 men. Once she feels the program is going well, she plans to add 25 more men, then 25 women and then 25 more women.

Cox plans to keep the men and women separate.

Judges will be able to order non-violent drug offenders anywhere from 30-90 days in the program, said Municipal Court judge Anthony Brock.

Those applying to the program will be evaluated on the manageability of their medical issues. CASC will have a PRN and a locked medical fridge on site, but if an applicant has complicated issues the applicant will likely be turned down.

Right now, CASC does not have the funds for a full time nurse, Cox said.

One of the advantages of CASC is that because the clients are not incarcerated, if they use Medicaid their coverage will continue, said Proud.

The CASC program is for clients with any type of addiction, Cox said.

“They’re wonderful people, they just make bad choices and that’s what we’re trying to correct,” Cox said.

In Clermont County, Cox sees a lot of generational addiction where the parents and even the grandparents are addicted. She encourages clients to remove themselves from situations that would tempt them to use again and cut ties if necessary.

CASC clients’ lifestyle

The clients will not have the freedom to come and go as they please because the idea of the program is to focus on themselves and get away from the world, Cox said.

Clients will not get phone cards for the first 30 days for the same reason but will have some limited visitation time, Cox said. All the rules are explained to clients before they enter the program.

Clients will not be allowed cigarettes or caffeine because Cox wants them to get back to reality and figure out how to function.

However, once a client enters the program, if they choose to leave it will count as a violation of their probation and will be treated as such, Cox said.

While CASC is located in the Clermont County Jail, that was only because the jail has an empty wing, said Humphrey. The clients are not inmates.

CASC will use a private security company, not the jail’s security. Security will not be there from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., because Cox feels there’s enough staff there that they don’t need security.

CASC will get meals for clients from the jail, Cox said.

The clients will live in a large room that has their beds, tables and restricted access to an outdoor area, said Cindy Frazier, an employee. Clients will have homework time and be allowed a small amount of TV time.

The CASC staff will have some rewards if clients are working cooperatively, Cox said, such as pizza. She is already planning a Thanksgiving dinner.

Sometimes they may have movies nights to get the clients out of Pod C, which is what staff calls the area where clients sleep and spend much of their time.

“There’ll be incentives, but I want people to be in this program because they want to change their lives and we’re not making a whole lot of promises and a whole lot of frills about it because I really want them to be here for the program and not for any perks,” Cox said.

The room is set up in such a way that the security will be able to view everyone, Frazier said.

Clients will have their day scheduled from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

What CASC will teach

Cox hopes to create an environment where the clients hold each other accountable, she said.

Clients will have access to the jail chaplains and spirituality will be discussed, Cox said. They will also be introduced to numerous support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Rational Recovery.

Part of the clients’ counseling will include a 10-module program that will help them learn what they need to pursue and get a job or to keep an existing job, said Diane Davis, a vocational counselor.

Davis will also teach clients how to explain gaps in employment that may have been caused by time in jail, or other incidents, Cox said. Davis will teach clients whether they will be in CASC for 30 days or 90 days.

Some clients will take part in the Thinking for a Change program, which teaches social skills, cognitive self change and problem solving, said Whitinger.

All the clients will learn about correcting their thinking, Cox said.

CASC has rooms set up for individual appointments between clients and the counselors. They will talk about goals and progress, said Lora Moore, an employee.

When clients are not in Pod C, they may be in a few other areas, including a room where they will do Pilates and yoga to learn ways to reduce stress and to learn breathing techniques, said Bobi Whitinger, an employee.

“They are so chemically dependent that they don’t know how to decompress,” Whitinger said. She wants clients to learn techniques to take with them once they leave CASC.

CASC will have about four counselors/case managers, a operations/clinical supervisor, a vocational counselor and an admissions specialist, according to a release.