The Cumberland County drug court appointed rehabilitation program has been operating for approximately 3 years, participants have to attend the program as required gaining levels of accomplishment over several years before they are finished with the program.

The program director is a retired school principal and schools super attendant who knows many of the adults. The participant’s main issues have been staying clean and out of jail. They have to attend classes twice a week for first four months then once a week for another twenty months. There are two groups on two days of the week.  

 The UK Extension FCS Agent and myself NEP Assistant decided to see if we could help with the program and approached the program director about it. He welcomed our help and asked us if we could help the participants with their life skills. These were a varied list of clients ranging from young 20 year old pregnant young ladies to 50 year old family men with children and in the middle mostly single young men. There is few community programs except a church run celebration of recovery program which qualifies as one of three AA OR NA Programs they must also attend and a Health Department dealing with drugs program.

The FCS Agent focused on family relationships and support with financial strategies for success. The SNAP-Ed Assistant taught the seven basic Nutrition education program lessons and geared these to meet their needs such as how to find SNAP-ED benefits or emergency food pantries and how to use the commodities. The program is inside the justice center so we could not cook but we demonstrated prepared recipes. Their biggest concerns were staying out of jail, paying fines, finding jobs, housing and feeding themselves and their families. Some did not know where to start. Most had no savings, no employment or no transportation and then even if they did have a car they had lost their license. Most also had not learnt how to feed themselves other than take out food or microwave meals, few had cooking skills which was hard to teach in this situation but I taught how to eat more fresh foods and less processed foods. Buying in bulk to make many different meals. How to budget and use coupons. It is a slow process but most are happy.  In the 9 months we have been working 16 have graduated and we are now starting with new ones. The feed back is great!  Participants that have graduated have said” the program is helpful and rewarding”, the court staff are supportive of our efforts and encouraging us to keep it up.We know that we have made a difference when we see them getting jobs, looking after their families.One called to me from behind the counter in the minit mart saying she had just started her new job. She was so proud and so was I.