GEORGETOWN, Del - Road to Recovery. That's the name of a new program that seeks to help Delaware inmates work through trauma and foster healthy coping mechanisms. The three-tiered program offers individualized counseling and therapy for inmates facing a variety of challenges including addiction, anger management, and other mental health issues.
Commissioner Claire DeMatteis expressed pride in Road to Recovery saying that after a number of years of ineffective practices it was time to take a different approach. “We needed to improve it to regain the confidence of judges, to regain the confidence of the inmates going through it, to regain the confidence of the families who are depending on us to get their loved one free of drugs, and to stop this crazy cycle of drugs, crime, prison time," said DeMatteis.
On Thursday, law enforcement, corrections leaders, and local representatives gathered for an unveiling of Road to Recovery at Sussex Correctional Institution. There, the facility housing the program was dedicated to former Commissioner Stan Taylor.
Up to 180 inmates can receive treatment at the Georgetown facility for a 9-month period. According to DOC the layout inside is similar to that of a dormitory. Those behind the program say that this communal living style allows for an additional layer of support. Commissioner DeMatteis noted that incorporating treatment elements similar to what people could receive outside of prison walls is integral to the program's success and a strong belief of the former commissioner.
“The offenders who are assigned to that building, to that housing unit go to counseling together, talk through their addiction issues, eat together, rec together, sleep in the same building. It’s a group based therapy”. Said the commissioner. She continued saying "The vision of Stan Taylor was to bring that inside of prison walls".