alterity

MyJoey, Thank you for sharing your story. What an ordeal! It is nice to have someone to relate to. I do know that once someone is caught up in the system in the particular state my son is in, it is extremely difficult to get out and in many ways, it can do more harm than good. Given this fact, it is impossible to be optimistic and not fear the worst.

MyJoey

Yes I agree, I'm thinking about writing a letter to the DA begging to place him in a long term rehab. Of course with the intent charge that changes things and he can't go through drug court. I do have proof he wasn't selling drugs, he never has but the amount he was caught with it would have to go to trial and if he would lose it just gives him more jail time. Hardest thing with my son is he has a trust fund left to him by his grandparents, we control it for the most part .... That's how I know he wasn't selling we have the checks he cashed to buy the drugs, he didn't need the money he had it. He's been a privileged young man that never really appreciated what he had. Not like a millionaire or anything but he did have things and chances many others never get. Of course he has ruined and lost much of it to his addiction. I am trying best I can let him call the shots but I think his brain is still in a fog. He's not using herion but the behavior is pretty much the same, he don't seem to care about anything . He really needs long term rehab.

alterity

I just found out that there is a drug court team meeting on Tuesday to discuss what needs to be put in place for B. (OK, I have to admit, he is not my son....I was like a surrogate mother to him from age 10-23...I'm his oldest sister. In fact, I am 17 yrs older. The reason I lied is that when I used to be on this board five or so years ago, I didn't feel like siblings were given the same empathy as parents were here. As someone who feels much more than just a sister, I tried this ruse...) Anyway, apparently drug court can, upon judge approval, order him into inpatient rehab/treatment. I was given the impression that this wasn't possible or was at least a high hurdle. Sounds like, should the damn incompetent hospital (the "treatment provider" member of the team) not mess up and gets their act together, there is hope that he won't just be let out. PRAYING!

MyJoey, "He's been a privileged young man that never really appreciated what he had." YES, same with B. All of his needs have always been taken care of, and then some.

alterity

MyJoey, Why won't his drug court team order him to rehab, just could do for my brother? (depends on all the input provided to the judge but I think there is a great case for it)

MyJoey

Aw I am so hopeful for u, and I will be praying it works out for the best for him Your a wonderful sister!!! He is so lucky to have you. I'm sure Tuesday won't come soon enough for you.
We are in PA the only way u go to drug court is with a drug charge, that don't involve intent. They are saying he was a dealer, that's a game changer here. We are still at the beginning stages of court, they charged him double charges one count on what they found on him and 2nd on what they found in the car, it's a mess. Gezz he's so screwed up when he's using he couldn't deal if he wanted to.

alterity

MyJoey, If your son gets cleared of the intent element of the charge and goes through drug court, I hope that the approved providers in PA are able to actually help him. Thing is, in the state where my brother is, the budgets are completely strapped and the treatment might be inadequate. Instead of meeting his needs, the six months inpatient might just be six months of time-buying and nothing more. If my family had no financial concerns, we would be trying to convince B to go voluntarily to Caron Treatment Centers (extremely expensive year long residential program) or imposing it on him if an interstate compact transfer was approved and arranged. I have a pdf document from Caron that gives details on its therapeutic approach, if you ever get through this and your son might possibly go there. They have a site in PA, btw.

MyJoey

I didn't know they had year long treatments at Caron, thought that was just a month long treatment place. Any idea of the cost for a year? I don't think the DA will let him off the intent charges but it's still the beginning stages of court proceeding ..... Which seem to drag on forever in this state. Yes I believe all the states are taxed out when it comes to the budgets. Someone was telling me awhile back that there's a place called Teen Challenge they take adults also it's a Christian based program but I believe it's free or close to it, really can't say I know anything other then that. I feel that's what jail is .... Just time-buying for addicts.

alterity

I'm not sure if the PA site has the year long program but I am absolutely certain the FL one does. My cousin is there. He's totally turned his life around. Not sure how much it costs but I am told that it's probably at least $300/day which would be $100,000/year.

MyJoey

Thank you. Hmmm I may call them and talk to the lawyer to see if he can talk to the DA I'm sure it won't fly but he has that much in his trust he could pay it . I feel like my hands are tied till things move along. He will need at least that long. Thank you!!!

alterity

I am not doing well today. Got a text from my sister this morning saying that the hospital is going to let him out soon. With a drug court team meeting tomorrow and the psychiatrist only just have met him this Thursday (and who most likely was not there Friday), how on earth could the social worker have told my sister this? Is she nuts? Is this hospital nuts???

MyJoey

Wow I am so sorry , not good news. Is there any chance you could him to a place that he could get the Vivitrol shot? If he has insurance it should be pretty much be covered and would at least buy him some time. Joey has no cravings at all on this shot. Hopefully the drug court team will come up with something that will help him.....(((hugs))))

alterity

I don't know anything about Vivitrol. I just drove four hours to where my family lives. I had planned on coming here today anyway to visit him tomorrow when I thought he would be facing drug court mandated rehab. my family is out of town so I have taken on the responsibility of getting him from the hospital to where he was living before to pick up his things. he cannot live there anymore and apparently he will be staying with a friend's mother. I don't know where his friend is. I hope he is in jail because whenever they are together it's bad news.

MyJoey

I feel so bad for you. This is so draining. Vivitrol is a shot that block the receptors in the brain so if he uses, heroin, pain pills or drinks it blocks the effects and for most people it takes away the craving since they know there's no pleasure in it. It would at least buy him some time till they figure out what's going to happen. So is the court thing off tomorrow or is that still going to happen? If it happens and he is ordered to a rehab maybe he could sit in the county jail till they get him in, at least he would be safer then out Idk please keep me posted, you will be in my thoughts and prayers tonight.

alterity

The drug court team almost always defers to the treatment provider member of the team (which is where he is) and they are not recommending inpatient rehab. I have no idea why. I don't know if there is even going to be a meeting. I don't know if that vivitrol would work for ghb users.

alterity

PS even if B was convinced he needed inpatient care and tried to get voluntarily admitted, an ER would have to make the recommendation so his insurance approves it and even then they'd probably only approve a week, maybe 28 days if lucky. I don't know if that would be enough but it's better than nothing. Getting him to understand that he can call the ER and go voluntarily to get help is one of my priorities today.

MyJoey

Thinking about you, let me know how things go today.

alterity

Thank you, myjoey. I just spent a little time with him. What I had to tell him did not get through to him. I have cancelled my appointment tomorrow so I can spend one more day here helping my family. The effects of the neuroleptic drugs the hospital gave him every night for the past week according to him are clearly evident. His muscles are steps and his gate is slow. His speech is disordered and he is in no condition to be behind the wheel of a car. He has to go to probation every day now because of the concerns about him. His car is at a family friend's and he knows it is there but I don't think he is aware that he can access his keys. I told him that I would drive him to probation tomorrow. I will try again to get him to see that he's at death's door tomorrow.

MyJoey

My heart hurts for you, I'm so sorry. It just has to be so hard on you. ((((( hugs ))))))

alterity

I didn't phrase that right. Anyway, any Opinions about https://www.highfocuscenters.com/adult-programs?

alterity

Thank you, myjoey. B's mother and I talked last night about if/when he should get his car back. We both think that it's too dangerous but 1) he's legally entitled to it, 2) he's being remanded to IOP where he needs to be nearly full time so he has to be able to get there and to probation, and 3) keeping the keys from him will take coordination if we want to pretend they are lost or something. I am going to try to speak with probation today about this.