Pubdate: Wed, 20 May 2009
Source: Honolulu Advertiser (HI)
Copyright: 2009 The Honolulu Advertiser
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/uXtrz8Lm
Website: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/195
Author: Pamela Varma Brown
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

OFFERING HOPE THROUGH KAUAI DRUG COURT

Helping Addicts Lead Clean And Sober Lives

As administrator for the Kaua'i Drug Court, Alton Amimoto knows it is 
difficult for some people to change their habits, but having helped 
71 former drug addicts graduate to clean and sober lives since the 
court's inception in 2003, more than 97 percent of whom have remained 
free of legal entanglements, he knows it can be done.

But modifying long-standing behaviors can be challenging, Amimoto 
said, drawing comparisons to situations more people are familiar 
with: trying to lose weight or stop smoking.

"If you look at it from a normal point of view, someone says, 'You're 
overweight, you should lose 10 pounds.' But you say, 'I've tried but 
I can't. It's so hard,' " he said.

That's why it's so important for an individual to make a commitment 
to creating a different type of life for him or herself, Amimoto 
said. "People have to want to change," he said, and even then it's a long road.

"It's very difficult to get them to become clean in a year or so," 
because often they have been addicted for 20 or 30 years, he said. 
"Generally it takes over a year to just regain some sense of normalcy 
in terms of emotions," because some drugs can burn out a body's 
ability to produce endorphins, he said.

That's where the Kaua'i Drug Court program, an alternative to 
conventional probation, has helped. Through rigorous and intensive 
drug testing, supervision and case management, Amimoto and his staff 
are providing hope.

"We call it cognitive restructuring, where we get them to change 
their thinking patterns and behaviors," Amimoto said. "We help them 
identify the triggers that cause them to use, and we help them work 
toward maintaining a system where they can keep clean, like to call 
somebody instead of turning to drugs."

Kaua'i Drug Court alumni take part in the program by offering social 
events for active clients. "A lot of the clients only run in circles 
of people who do drugs," Amimoto said.

"The alumni try to provide beach get-togethers, parties and things to 
do for the clients, creating a new positive social support system."

Amimoto is also a member of the board of directors of the Friends of 
the Kaua'i Drug Court, a non-profit organization that provides 
additional support for clients who want to re-pattern their lives.

The Friends group funds incentives such as movie theater tickets for 
clients who reach certain milestones; the cost of graduation 
ceremonies for those who complete the program; supplies for public 
service work such as graffiti removal and beach clean-ups that 
clients perform as the "restorative justice" part of their sentences; 
and for ongoing training for the staff for which the state currently 
provides no funds, Amimoto said.

Some of The Friends' funding is provided through the Visitor Industry 
Charity Walk, an annual walkathon that took place last weekend.

"All the monies that we get from the Charity Walk go to incentives 
and supplies for community service projects for the clients going 
through the program," Amimoto said.

Though his work can feel daunting, Amimoto says it has its moments. 
"It can be rewarding," he said. "Sometimes the graduates invite me 
and the staff to their baby luaus and family parties."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom