Recovery schools can help
Hawaii’s addicted youths

Before subjecting a child to a situation that may lead to more crime, the state should exhaust ways to provide alternative services that are needed to prevent the child from engaging in further criminal activity," the Star-Bulletin said in its Oct. 16 editorial "Detention should be last resort for youth." I couldn't agree more.

I attended all the hearings held on Oahu by the Joint House-Senate Task Force on Ice, and I heard that theme repeated over and over. Some testifiers decried the fact that there was no intermediate treatment program between part-time school programs and residential treatment or juvenile detention facilities. I testified before the Senate Education Committee in support of an alternative program that has shown success elsewhere. This is the concept of alternative schools for students with identified drug problems.

On this subject, the ball is now in the Department of Education's court. The task force recommended and the Senate passed a resolution (SR 111) requesting that the DOE explore the feasibility of establishing alternative schools or dropout centers for adolescents who suffer from drug addiction. The Senate asked the DOE to report its recommendations and cost analysis to the Legislature 20 days before the next legislative session begins.

At present, the treatment gap of adolescents who need treatment but do not receive any is 5,000-plus based on both state and federal estimates. Adolescents who drop out of school here no longer have access to school-based treatment programs and have nowhere to turn for help with their drug addiction, except for the juvenile justice systems or privately paid treatment.

Sobriety or recovery schools already exist in a growing number of states. Minnesota, for example, has a large system of recovery schools and the pattern of success is repeated time and again. These schools are similar to in-patient programs in that the adolescents attend regular high school classes; however, all the electives are based on the 12-step program. The major difference is that the students go home each night. Students can attend only if they volunteer and their parents agree. They attend daily support group meetings and their parents attend such meetings weekly. There is random testing every week. There is no medical treatment given except from the usual school nurse.

The peer pressure among the students is to keep clean and sober. Students can transfer to regular schools at any time, but few do. These schools have a very high success rate. These schools are usually small -- 60 to 80 students -- and new construction is often not required. Existing facilities are utilized or grant money is available to build new facilities. Then the schools become part of the overall public school system.

While in Maryland, I had the opportunity to be escorted through a recovery school, Phoenix I, in Montgomery County, outside of Washington, D.C. The students I talked with were exceedingly happy with their progress and they all expressed their intent to attend college or other advanced technical training, and many graduates have. Later I attended a teacher's workshop on how to identify students with drug problems early and what the recommended course of action should be.

I visualize that some alternative schools could be established as charter schools under the sponsorship of such organizations as Hina Mauka or the Salvation Army. All candidates for public office, especially those running for the state Board of Education, should be quizzed on their attitude toward such alternative schools.

The time has certainly come to extend this successful program to help Hawaii's troubled students.