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Tapestry
Providing a New Direction for a Brighter Future
One of the last stops in the life of a chemically dependent woman is all too often incarceration. The Tapestry program can help to make those final steps become the first steps towards recovery.
Chemical dependency impacts far more than the addicted woman. It taxes families, community and our society as a whole.
Tapestry — A Community of Caring
Due to the increasing number of incarcerated women and the high incidence of alcohol and drug abuse among those women, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC), the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) and CompDrug Corporation came together to address these issues and their impact on recidivism. Tapestry Therapeutic Community is the result of that effort.
A therapeutic community is a highly structured residential treatment program. Tapestry is a Therapeutic Community (TC) located inside the walls of the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio. Our mission is to assist addicted inmates to change the direction of their lives during their incarceration. As we are successful, our communities become safer and stronger.
Tapestry serves 94 alcohol/drug dependent inmates. The program is housed in Elizabeth Cottage and provides housing for only members of the Tapestry "family".
This separate building helps to create positive reinforcement for commitment and earnest efforts from "family" members.
The Program — Changing Lives and Giving Direction
Tapestry helps "family" members develop the skills they need to maintain an alcohol/drug free life and obey society’s laws. We also help "family" members to examine and change the psychological, intellectual and behavioral patterns which contribute to their addictions. Our “TC” is designed to provide a 24-hour learning experience in which individual changes in conduct, attitude and emotions are monitored by the “family” and confronted or reinforced as appropriate. Intensive group therapy which takes the form of encounters, feelings groups, topics groups and seminars is the foundation of the “TC”. “Family” members must participate in both supportive and confrontive groups during which their negative behaviors and addiction issues are addressed. In addiction, these sessions help to cultivate and nurture trust, self- disclosure and solidarity which gives rise to therapeutic change.
Tapestry: Treatment in Phases
Tapestry combines meetings, groups, counseling sessions, seminars and job functions in a highly structured format. The design allows Tapestry to operate as a separate community within the institution. There is a structural hierarchy which provides incentives and recognition for growth at each program phase. There are four phases of treatment with increased privileges at each phase.
* Phase 1: Begins with intensive orientation, assessment and integration into the "TC" program.
* Phase 2: Begins with a more in-depth examination of behavior. The resident improves her self-awareness, upgrades her problem-solving skills and increases her level of honesty.
* Phase 3: Requires that the resident demonstrate increased internalization of Tapestry philosophy and perspective. The Phase 3 resident will maintain therapeutic continuity while increasing program and "TC" responsibilities.
* Phase 4: Phase 4 emphasizes self-management skills, achievement of treatment goals and the development of an aftercare plan.
* Cadre Unit: Is the highest program phase. Cadre members are required to exhibit increased autonomous decision-making, require less supervision, and assist the staff in the design, coordination and implementation of training programs for AOD (Alcohol and/or Other Drugs) and Criminal Justice Professionals.
Support After Tapestry
Recovery is a life-long learning and growth process. Treatment is only one phase of this journey. As a continuum of care, Tapestry looks at the importance of keeping former members connected to the "TC" through alumni groups. These groups operate as extensions of the "TC" both inside and outside the institution.
These alumni groups continue to support the Tapestry philosophy and goals. Incarcerated alumni are those women who have spent an average of one year in the Tapestry program and have successfully made the transition back into the institution’s general population. Alumni members present seminars to current Tapestry “family”, assist current “family” with “TC” assignments and attend various meetings and activities. The external alumni consists of members from various counties. They hold meetings regularly to discuss projects and to network. They offer support to each other and write letters of encouragement to current Tapestry “family” members.
Prison life for women is difficult enough. However, prison life further complicated by a history of addiction virtually assures recidivism and a greater cost to society. If an incarcerated woman is willing to work on and participate in her own recovery, Tapestry can be the bridge to a brighter future.
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