HOPE for families shattered by drugs
When parents are addicts, an innovative family drug court program under Judge Bode Uale lets those parents put their families back together again - if they work at it and follow the rules. Pictured with the judge are children whose parents are in the program
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counselors and CPS. They are required to avoid places, people and situations that might tempt them to use again.
“They see me regularly at the beginning,” says Uale, “and then as they do better, it tapers off. So you come every week, and then as you do better you come every other week, and then once a month and when you’re closest to graduation, as needed.”
After dropping out of the program, David and Hoku tried to maintain the sobriety they’d achieved in residential treatment. But without support they failed. And that was when David had his moment of clarity.
“My son was born. And we had accumulated some clean time, and I was looking at him through the window at Kapiolani and I told myself I wasn’t going to use again. And I promised my son this. And then, um, not soon after that, I relapsed.”
They both started using again. Hoku felt ashamed and angry.
“I was tired of it,” she says. “After losing a child, as a mom ... it hurts all the time. So I promised myself I wouldn’t do that again to my kids.”
“We were back in CPS,” David says, closing his eyes as he remembers. “And I was thinking, why did I do it? And I couldn’t come up with a reason.
And that’s just the insanity of all that drug addiction.”
They were determined to try again. Luckily for them, Lutte gave them another shot.
This time they were ready.
They started at the beginning, went through residential treatment again, completed job training, attended individual and couples counseling.
When they got out, David got a job and they found a place to live. They continued to check in at the court.
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David says the most important thing he learned was that he had to give up control in order to gain it back.
“Slowly but surely, what I found happening was, the more I did what they wanted me to do, the more I got in return. The more I surrendered, the more I won. It was weird.”
And this time it worked. Says Hoku, “As I became sober in treatment, I realized what I did, how much I hurt my family, my son. Then I wanted it all back. I wanted my family.”
Lutte points out that the rate of recidivism was just 12.5 percent last year, and the year before that it was 8 percent. He and Judge Uale say it’s a shame they are only able to take 45 cases at a time because of budget limitations. The need in Hawaii is so much greater.
Judge Uale says the most rewarding thing about his job is watching families fight through the illness, the fear, the anger and the setbacks, and finally graduate.
“It’s always a bittersweet thing for me,” the judge says. “In my heart I have a prayer for them. That the things that they’ve learned have stuck, and they will continue to be a healthy family.”
Back in Courtroom B, the blond woman sitting before the judge hunches over the desk, but her expression is proud. She listens as, one by one, members of her support team talk about her progress, her attitude and her successes in the face of a stressful and scary week.
Judge Uale smiles and congratulates her on being clean and sober for 90 days. The women in the back of the courtroom erupt in applause.
It’s a victory. It gives them hope.
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