Once entered into SAMI Court, the offender will have ongoing psychiatric treatment, case management, receive necessary medication, and participate in a graduated program of substance abuse treatment.  The SAMI team will meet weekly to discuss the progress and status of individual clients.  The team will also periodically meet with the offender in open court to discuss the offender’s progress in the SAMI Program.

The offender will receive services for outpatient treatment through both Community Behavioral Health and Horizon Services.  However, should an increased level of care be needed, the offender may receive services through residential treatment at either Sojourner Recovery Services or the SOS Hall.

Once entered into SAMI Court, the offender shall complete four phases of treatment:  Engagement, Persuasion, Active Treatment, and Relapse Prevention.  The offender will have an initial meeting with the Program Psychiatrist to discuss issues of substance abuse, mental illness, symptoms, and prior medications. 

Engagement

Engagement is the first phase of treatment and it is designed to assist the offender in connecting with the program itself.  The main focus is on medication management, daily structure, and building relationships with both staff and other clients as a foundation for progress.  The offender will work on education about chemical dependency, mental illness, issues of denial, hope, and communication.  There will be both individual and group sessions, with not only the offender, but family members as well.  The case manager will help start the process of getting certain entitlements:  housing, food/medical card, clothing, applying for Social Security, or any other needs.  

Persuasion

Persuasion is the second phase of treatment, and the process of moving from being a user to a non-user can be a complicated and often long process.  Therefore, individual and group treatment will focus on motivational techniques to prepare the offender for Active Treatment.  There will be continued education for both the offender and the offender’s family, group support, medication management, focus on structure/schedule, and an emphasis on rehabilitation.  At this point, it is hoped the offender has recognized that substance abuse and mental illness are problems in his/her life; and the SAMI team will work with the offender towards abstinence and the tools that will be developed in Active Treatment.

Active Treatment

Active Treatment is the third phase of treatment and the goals are to reduce and stop the offender’s substance abuse and maintain stable mental health.  The offender will be involved in groups and individual treatment aimed at active problem solving, the benefits of treatment involvement, and self help groups.  As group support will be increasingly important, the offender will also be encouraged for continued involvement in community groups (i.e. AA/NA).  There will also be separate male and female groups to allow for support of gender related needs/expressions.

Relapse Prevention

Relapse Prevention is the final phase of treatment and not only serves as a consolidation of the prior phases of treatment, but also continued active case management.  By this time, the case manager should have helped the offender set up aftercare services with another facility to service medications or any other social services as needed.  Once the offender has transitioned out of the SAMI Program, the staff will follow the offender’s progress for three months in order to monitor continued success.