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On June 16, the Moose Jaw Drug Treatment Court (DTC) awarded two new graduates with plaques, a party, and personal congratulations from Provincial Court Judge Brian Hendrickson in another testament to the lasting changes the program can produce.
Ashlie Zacharias, one of the graduates, is 21 years old. She has a young daughter from whom she had been separated because of the consequences of her addiction. She came from Swift Current to attend. She estimates that she was an addict from about 12 years old. The group of people she associated with in Swift Current made change difficult.
The other graduate requested to remain anonymous.
“I feel very proud of myself,” Zacharias said. “When I first came into the program, I was at the lowest spot in my life and I had no intentions on staying clean. And I didn’t think this program was going to help, but once I started putting the work into it, and the pre-MRT books, and the MRT books, I saw how I really needed help, and I started to accept that I was an addict and that I did have an issue.”
MRT stands for Moral Reconation Therapy. It is a cognitive-behavioural treatment system used in DTC, aimed at helping addicts confront the decision-making processes and habits that sustain addiction.
DTC is an alternative for people struggling with substance abuse disorder who are facing related criminal charges. Participants are required to plead guilty to their offences and must fully participate in every way. If they find they cannot fulfill the DTC requirements, they are returned to the justice system.
DTC requirements are intensive — regular drug screenings, willing participation in counselling and therapy, reports to the supervising judge, and parole officer approval are some of the conditions required to demonstrate progress.
The program lasts 13 to 18 months.
Denial, justification, and learned helplessness can make changing harmful behaviours feel impossible. Drugs of abuse hijack the brain’s reward systems — the same systems responsible for everyday learning. Their effects are so powerful that only a few uses can be enough to carve an addiction deeply into a person’s personality.
“(DTC programs) taught me to think more about the things I was doing — before I actually did them,” said another DTC graduate who came to show support. “The other good thing was the people you meet in DTC, and Stacey (Simms) was amazing. She was the one that was able to get through to me the most. … DTC isn’t just dry, drilling stuff into you. There’s actually conversation, which makes it easier to do and digest.”
Stacey Simms is the DTC co-ordinator. She has been with the program since its start in 2009. Judge Hendrickson thanked Simms personally during the graduation for her commitment, compassion, and knowledge. She is moving on to other opportunities at the end of the month.
Meagan Jasper was also present to support Zacharias and her fellow graduate. Jasper and Chad Kobelsky are two Moose Jaw DTC graduates whose addictions were endangering their lives. They have told their stories fearlessly in the media to fight harmful social stereotypes and encourage others to seek help.
Watch the Shaw Community Spotlight documentary Stop Mething Around on YouTube for their stories.
“I hit my rock bottom. I lost my daughter, my house, I was in jail. Nothing was going well for me, and this program helped me get my daughter back,” said Zacharias. “I’m now 14 months and 10 days sober (as of June 16.)
“This program helped me be honest about everything in my life. And I’m very accepting now that I am an addict, and I’m not worried about people judging me because it is a disease.”
