Jail detox program gives female heroin addicts a head start to recovery

MIDDLETON, Mass. — A first of its kind program in Massachusetts is giving women addicted to heroin a head start on their road to recovery.  It's specifically for women struggling with addiction that are being held without bail as they await trial, and it’s called pre-trial drug detox.

"My whole life fell apart in the last year" said Kristen Bell, an inmate at Essex County Correctional Facility.

It’s not her first time behind bars, this time she says the charge was wanton destruction of property.  Bell said she’s been struggling with her addiction to heroin and is hoping the program will help turn her life around.

"I've had clean times before. Four years clean and you slip, and when you slip it's so hard to get back up," she  said.

Women who are held without bail for committing a crime are usually sent to MCI Framingham to await trial.  If they're struggling with addiction, they are limited to the type of services they can receive while they wait. Now the Essex County Correctional Facility is offering a 28 day pre-trial drug detox program for qualifying women being held without bail as an alternative to MCI Framingham.  When they show up to their next hearing, the women are drug free and have a plan for recovery if they’re released.

”To give them an opportunity to get some help and catch their breath" said Essex County Sheriff Frank Cousins Jr., who developed the program after seeing a disturbing trend.

The numbers are staggering. According to the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, 77% of convicted female inmates since 2009 have issues involving substance abuse.

Before she transferred here to Essex County, Bell spent three weeks in MCI Framingham.

“They're not there to help you. They're not there to get you treatment. They're there to watch you, to make sure you don't hurt yourself or somebody else and you're there to do time” she said.

In Middleton they have three dedicated clinicians who  work individually with the women to help with any health issues. The inmates have access to one-on-one counseling and daily group meetings .

The program launched on July 1 and the first women participating are still in the program.

"We also have a tremendous amount of people that come in from the community, women that are in recovery that will run NA and AA meetings at night. A lot of these women will have a chance to pick up sponsors," Cousins said.

"They just look hopeless when they come in. You feel that sense coming from them, they're just relieved that they're here, but you see the pain" program director Lt. Laura Dow said.

The unit consists of 42 beds and is separated from the rest of the prison population.  It's modeled after the highly successful male pre-trial detox unit which opened last December. The sheriff said they hope to have 200 females go through the pre-trail program by the end of the year.  He says the men are also on pace to exceed their goal of 500 patients for the year.

"It’s the best part of my job. It's the number one rewarding thing when people are coming up to us out in public that have turned their lives around," said Cousins.

Bell said she knows the journey ahead is difficult. She has a six year old son in foster care who she's trying to reunite with.

During the 28-day program, Bell will get help finding a roof over her head and have a plan for continued treatment if the judge decides to give her probation.  It's a foundation she says will help her in the days ahead on her path to recovery.

"I can't say it will be different. I have a little more desire. I have a little more hope. Somebody sees something in me that I maybe didn't see in myself."

Cox Media Group