Drug program operator plans improvements;
CCCS offers diverse services, classes The local nonprofit taking over Butte-Silver Bow’s Chemical Dependency Center is ready to hit the ground running and
eventually expand and improve programs for people struggling with addiction, its chief executive said. Mike Thatcher, of Community, Counseling and Correctional Services, said he’s been asked why any organization would
want to take on the financially troubled program, but he said it’s too important a service for Butte to lose. It is unknown of how much CCCS will be paid by Butte-Silver Bow because funding is based on the number of clients
and services provided. Thatcher said the organization bid on the contract because “nobody should be denied the ability to access services.” Thatcher plans on Friday to ask for letters of interest from current employees to see if they’d like to continue
working in the center once CCCS officially takes over on July 1. CCCS will begin the transition process in June.
CCCS employees would start in July, he said. Butte-Silver Bow is transferring the program to the private CCCS after the program mounted more than $1 million
in losses since 2005. The city-county is the last in the state to provide addictions services through its health
department. Chief Executive Matt Vincent announced the change in February, saying local government is in the wrong
business administering chemical dependency services out of the health department. With more than 30 years of experience in operating treatment programs and a staff of more than 20 licensed
addiction counselors, Thatcher said CCCS is ready for the new challenge. He said the new treatment center will
likely be located in its building at Mercury and Clark, so no time will be wasted searching for a venue. Thatcher said CCCS has always contracted with diverse groups, including counties, federal prisons and the state.
He added that its administration has experience managing the complex billing process the dependency center must follow. The nonprofit offers many diverse services, including parenting classes, and those may be integrated into the
Chemical Dependency Center’s services in the future. “We want to see things become a wrap-around delivery … It’s called holistically approaching this instead of
a one-size-fits-all” treatment, he said. Thatcher said he hopes to organize a luncheon within the next few weeks that will bring all the stakeholders
together to talk about the city-county-run chemical dependency center’s strengths and weaknesses and how to improve
services for clients. “Give us a year, you’re going to see that things have been enhanced, expanded and improved,” Thatcher said. CCCS to run drug services Butte-Silver Bow is turning over the reins to the Chemical Dependency Center earlier than planned,
with a local nonprofit slated to provide services in June if the council OKs the changeover. Community Counseling and Correctional Services, based in Butte, will begin treating clients of the
city-county’s drug treatment program next month, according to Dan Powers, interim director of the county’s health department. Chief Executive Matt Vincent has requested that the commissioners agree with the selection of CCCS and authorize the contract
at their meeting Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Powers said he is unsure of how much CCCS will be paid by Butte-Silver Bow because funding is based on the number of clients
and services provided. Beginning with the new fiscal year in July, CCCS will contract directly with the state instead of going through the city-county. Powers said the health department’s priority is to ensure its clients don’t experience any discontinuity in services. He added
that CCCS is a “well-run” organization and that taxpayers will benefit. In February, Vincent announced the city-county would stop providing the addictions services after a budget analysis found the
program had accrued more than $1 million in losses since 2005. At DUI Treatment Center Minister Rediscovers Christmas Truths Note from DOC's Editor, Bob Anez: Kristen Marble is a minister who comes to the Warm Springs Addiction Treatment and Change (WATCh) program at Glendive on
a monthly basis and conducts a voluntary church service on Sunday afternoons. The
following unique perspective was posted by Ms. Marble
on the Huffington Post website following the Dec. 23 service at the facility housing 55 felony drunken-driving offenders.
Reprinted with permission. WATCh East is not a prison, but a six-month treatment program in which offenders voluntarily
participate as an alternative to prison and in exchange for a shorter sentence. Only 3
percent of those completing the program
receive another DUI. As Christmas draws near, churches around the country celebrate the glorious day with special worship gatherings. Disco balls for Jesus at
Journey Church, little kids singing sweet songs in small-town America and a church in Washington State that raised the spirits of a sad heart.
Each service unique and specially designed to once again tell the story of a baby's birth that changed the world. Each service hoping to draw
the congregation into experiencing the true meaning of the season. Today I too was blessed by a special Christmas church service. There were no disco balls or singing children. The setting was drab and
far-from-festive. The stacking chairs were quickly set up in the multi-purpose room as we entered. The tattered hymnals and song sheets
retrieved from the cabinet. No socializing before or after the service, only single-file, silent walking to and from the gym, punctuated
by required signatures on sign-out and sign-in sheets. The individuals came all dressed in red -- not because red is a Christmas color,
but because red is the color of the assigned uniform. The service occurred at a state DUI Incarceration Facility in Montana called WATCh East. Once a month I have the privilege of serving this
community as the Pastor. Two things I count on every single time I go to WATCh: it will be my favorite day of the month, and I will receive
far more than I can ever give. Today was no different. Had someone who planned the elaborate church services that filled sanctuaries and gathering spaces elsewhere walked by, they most likely
would have been dismayed by what they saw and heard. This service was hardly polished or professional. We stumbled our way through
"Silent Night" and "Joy to the World," singing all four verses for each song, and by the final stanzas were approaching the intended
rhythm and tune. Stories were shared. Stories of hurt and regret over previous Christmas disasters intermixed with stories of commitment
to hope and hard work. Two final songs, songs requested by individuals -- "Victory in Jesus" and "Amazing Grace" -- concluded our singing. The disjointed, out-of-tune singing caused us all to chuckle, but its heart-felt honesty was felt, and the very real presence of God relished.
What followed the singing was simple. A few Bible verses read aloud and discussed, their truths sinking deeply into hearts. Their promises of
God's strength, presence and love meeting immense needs. Nobody questioned the significance of Jesus' birth so long ago. The reality of God who became man -- to be with us, to guide us, to redeem us --
from the brokenness of life was longed for. Gathered in that circle of chairs, each individual, with masks removed, truthfully, transparently held
up their own lives of substance abuse, felonies, prison, recovery and family turmoil alongside God's offer of forgiveness and healing.
Immanuel -- God with us -- became our lifeline, anchor, second chance that we all so desperately desired. No eye was dry as we closed with a final song and prayer. But we could not linger in that holy space. The allotted hour all too quickly came to an end.
It was time to shuffle quietly back to the security desk. On the way out an employee stopped me. I feared I had somehow broken a rule or taken too many extra minutes out of the highly scheduled day.
Instead she shared, "Kevin* was really upset he missed church today. He says that he always enjoys your services because you do such a great job." As I signed out, removed my name tag, and cleared through the locked gate my mind whirled with joy. The singing -- the quality doesn't really matter.
The setting -- pretty much anywhere will do. Even the clothes -- prison uniforms are good enough for God. I reflected on the beauty of honest worship
and significance of vulnerability. I pictured each individual, praying their Christmas, despite being separated from loved ones, would be a holy,
hope-filled day, as they personally recognized the miracle of Christmas. Before today's service, I had somehow lost the Spirit of Christmas. Illness and busyness had clouded the intended celebration. But a simple hour
changed that for me. No light display, decorated tree or holiday performance, no disco ball or children's choir could ever communicate that message as clearly as I heard it today.
God didn't arrive in grandeur but in quiet insignificance. His gift wasn't intended for the great but the great-in-need. His hope isn't experienced in our strength
but in our honest weakness. When all was stripped away, Christmas once again became the simple truth that has boggled minds for centuries: our monumental need is met by God's
magnificent gift. And I will be forever grateful to a handful of red-uniformed residents at a state correctional facility for reminding me of that truth. *Name changed. Person of Distinction - Mike Thatcher: Committed to community Mike Thatcher has been giving to his community all his life. As the chief executive officer of
Community, Counseling and Correctional Services, he works to help people who’ve been through the justice system get a second chance. And he helps Butte in numerous other ways, whether it’s ensuring that disadvantaged children get a Christmas gift or
going to Helena to fight for the community, said Lynn Orr, Thatcher’s sister. Mike cares so deeply about people and would do anything for anybody,” she said recently. “He’s very committed to this
community.” To that end, the Butte native always has his hands full. Thatcher, 53, has run CCCS for years while
also juggling family life and raising four children. He was so busy, in fact, that he couldn’t be reached for this story. But Orr said the list of her brother’s contributions to Butte go on and on. And they’re not stopping. Having grown up in
the Mining City, Thatcher knows how tough things have and can be economically. Orr said their father was injured while
working as a miner at a young age. They struggled financially, but they also got through it, and Orr said her brother
has never forgotten his roots. That’s why he’s always trying to contribute to the community to keep people employed. “He does whatever he can do to keep Butte afloat and to keep people with jobs in this town,” Orr said. That means hiring college kids in the summer. Thatcher’s other contributions include a host of other things. But as an example, Orr tells how
Thatcher always works during the annual Christmas Stroll in Uptown, giving gifts to kids. When they
would run low, he’d make a run to a store to pick up more — and had to go several times. “He loves kids and he goes out of his way to make sure that kids who don’t have things have something,” she said. Loan OK'd for Butte drug rehab center With funding plans getting straightened out, a local nonprofit is getting closer to building a replacement drug treatment center in Butte. On Thursday, the Butte Local Development Corp. board approved a $500,000 loan for Community Counseling and Correctional Services to create
a new campus for the only state-run Montana Chemical Dependency Center, currently housed at 2500 Continental Drive. The board unanimously approved the loan, which would cover a little more than one-tenth of the $4.85 million project. Andrew Zdinak, the BLDC’s marketing director, said the loan would be paid back over 20 years at 5 percent interest. Late in the summer, CCCS had submitted a proposal to the state for the creation of a 32-bed, three-building campus
at Mercury and Oklahoma, which would be adjacent to the CCCS administrative building in East Butte. CCCS would build
the campus and lease it to the state, which runs the chemical dependency center. Zdinak said CCCS has received
preliminary approval for the project from the state, and now it’s a matter of getting funding set. “They’re all ready to go,” he said. “They’re just trying to get their finances in place.” Zdinak stressed that keeping jobs in Butte is an important imperative to give CCCS the loan. He said if CCCS
secures money to build the campus, the 46 jobs at the current facility would be saved. He said the jobs pay well and offer benefits. At the meeting, Zdinak said the chemical dependency center has been at its Continental Drive location since 1993. Zdinak stressed that keeping jobs in Butte is an important imperative to give CCCS the loan. He said if CCCS
secures money to build the campus, the 46 jobs at the current facility would be saved. He said the jobs pay well
and offer benefits. Zdinak stressed that keeping jobs in Butte is an important imperative to give CCCS the loan.
He said if CCCS secures money to build the campus, the 46 jobs at the current facility would be saved. He said
the jobs pay well and offer benefits. “If this facility isn’t built, we’re looking at losing these jobs” from Butte and possibly from everywhere in
Montana, Zdinak said. Other pros to authorizing the loan include further development of the East Butte area and work for local contractors. CCCS is looking to get loans from other financial institutions as well, the nonprofit’s CEO Mike Thatcher told the board. Zdinak said the loan will be administered with other commercial financing CCCS is working on Zoning board grants drug rehab permit The creation of a new state chemical dependency center in Uptown Butte cleared one more hurdle at Thursday’s zoning board meeting. The six board members present voted to approve a special use permit for the proposed 32-bed, three-building center, which will be built
at Mercury and Oklahoma by Community, Counseling and Correctional Services. The board approved the permit with 10 standard conditions. Now, according to Mike Thatcher, chief operating officer of CCCS, the organization is waiting on final approval by the state,
which will lease the building for 19 years. He said the state should have an answer in early October. Thatcher said the project would be completely privately funded and may cost as much as $6 million to build. The new treatment center will replace the aging facility at 2500 Continental Dr., which no longer meets state licensing regulations.
Thatcher said keeping the center in Butte would retain about 40 jobs and would continue to provide treatment for Butte residents. Thatcher said the project would be completely privately funded and may cost as much as $6 million to build. The new treatment center will replace the aging facility at 2500 Continental Dr., which no longer meets state licensing regulations.
Thatcher said keeping the center in Butte would retain about 40 jobs and would continue to provide treatment for Butte residents. Two people voiced support at the meeting, including Butte-Silver Bow Commissioner Bill Anderson, who said he talked to the sheriff,
an assistant county attorney, and others about drug and crime problems in Butte. He said it’s a worthwhile project that would help Butte
residents who struggle with addictions. “I feel anything we can do as a community to help … is something we need to take a very strong look at,” Anderson said. Zoning board member John Habeger said the project would provide good infill in an area that’s rapidly improving. “This just is another facet of that improvement,” Habeger said. New facility would keep Butte from losing drug treatment center The state hasn’t yet decided whether to approve a new chemical dependency center in Uptown Butte, which would replace the more than decade-old facility on Continental Drive,
according to the proposed developer. Mike Thatcher, of Butte-based Community, Counseling and Correctional Services, said he hasn’t heard back from the state Department of Public Health and Human Services yet. But CCCS is going before the zoning
board next Thursday with a proposal to build a three-building, 32-bed residential chemical dependency facility at the corner of West Mercury and Oklahoma streets.
“We’re having to do everything kind of in parallel fashion,” Thatcher said. Thatcher added CCCS would not operate the facility; they would design, finance and lease the building to the state. The proposal includes a 10-year lease to the state with three 3-year renewals possible,
for a total of up to 19 years for the chemical dependency center to remain in the facility. A new drug treatment center would replace the Montana Chemical Dependency Center on Continental Drive, which doesn’t meet current licensing requirements, Thatcher said. Without a new center,
Butte could lose the facility. Thatcher said the organization submitted its proposal to the state Aug. 3. It was the only proposal the state had received by the Aug. 31 deadline. If the state approves the contract, about 40 jobs will remain in Butte, Thatcher said. “We certainly can ill afford to lose jobs in Butte,” Thatcher said. Rona McOmber, administrator at the Continental Drive MCDC, didn’t return a call for comment Friday. Campus Corps Leader Jacob Kilgore Teaches Class on Community
Service at DUI Treatment Facility Not only has Jacob worked to expand and diversify the Campus Corps program at DCC, he has also sought out
several new opportunities to utilize his talents and skills in a way that provides valuable services to his local community.
Such a commitment is exemplified in his recently established role as a teacher at WATCH East:
a residential treatment facility for DUI felons located in Glendive. Specifically, Jacob is teaching a three week
Community Service class to residents during which he plans to utilize reflection and discussion in order to facilitate
a unique learning experience for the students. He hopes that each student will put this newly gained knowledge into
action by becoming civically engaged citizens upon being released from WATCH East. I had the opportunity to interview
Jacob about this truly unique experience and here is what he had to say: How did you come to be involved with the WATCH East Program? Last year my direct service site was with the Boys & Girls club and I would pass WATCH East on my way to and from
volunteering each day, which is how I initially became acquainted with the organization. This year I was approached
by the director of extended learning at Dawson about potentially teaching a class there. Later, I got to visit the
site with the Student Leadership Glendive group and it was during this experience that it became clear to me that
I wanted to be involved with the program. Is this your first experience working with this population? Yes, it is. What have you found to be the most challenging part of the experience so far? It has honestly been a lot less challenging overall than anticipated, which I accredit to the great group
of students with whom I am working. I would say that the most difficult part of this experience would be
finding the time to grade papers. Each of my 50 students writes an essay over the weekend and submits
it on the following Monday and it has been hard to find time to review and provide feedback to each.
I certainly have a new respect for English/Literature teachers; or for any teachers that have to
grade papers for that matter! What has been the most memorable/valuable experience thus far? That I can genuinely say that my students have by far exceeded all of the expectations that I held for the class.
I went into the experience with uncertain, maybe even low expectations of what the class would have to offer and
have been shocked by the level of engagement from my students, and by the willingness and eagerness to learn
exhibited by each and every one of them. It is evident that they treat this class as an opportunity to better
their situation, and are taking full advantage of it as such, rather than viewing it as just another obligation
required of them to get through the program. Having facilitated countless reflections in my past experiences,
I am proud to say that this is my best experience yet. There is seldom a moment of silence with this group and
their willingness to share keeps the class moving. The most impressive part is that rather than each student
sharing extraneous thoughts, their contributions build off of each other to further develop ideas. State suspends plan for prision HELENA — The Montana Department of Corrections on Friday retracted its request for bids to build a new 120-bed medium security prison
— just a week after originally saying the new multimillion dollar project was needed. The agency said it decided to suspend the plans for a privately run correctional facility in order to better assess population trends. Last week, the agency unveiled its request for proposals asking companies to submit bids to build and operate a new facility.
Corrections officials said at the time the new facility was specifically needed for inmates requiring assisted living help, very
young adult inmates, and general medium security inmates. But director Mike Ferriter said the proposal is being suspended for up to 90 days as the agency re-evaluates its needs. He said
the agency's focus on helping inmates return to society is expected to reduce the recidivism rate. "We are taking some additional time to observe fluctuating population figures and determine what effect they have on our future incarceration needs," he said. Ferriter said he made the decision after consulting with the office of Gov. Brian Schweitzer. The news was released late Friday. Schweitzer has been travelling this week in China and couldn't be reached for comment, his office staff said. The retracted proposal called for finding a contractor to house the inmates at either a new or existing building.
The Legislature last year authorized about $3 million to develop the facility. Three private Montana prison operators and three local governments previously expressed interest in providing the beds,
including the vacant 464-bed Two Rivers Authority prison in Hardin. The state had originally said in its 74-page bid request that it hoped to award the 30-year contract by late April. Ferriter said the plan will be re-evaluated. It may not be issued at all. "We feel like we should be thoughtful on a decision like this when we are spending taxpayer dollars. There is significant money involved," Ferriter said. Bids sought for new prison facility HELENA (AP) — The Montana Department of Corrections said Tuesday it is seeking bids for a new 120-bed medium security prison to help deal with an increasing number of prisoners,
particularly among those needing special care. The agency said it is looking for a contractor to house the inmates at either a new or existing building. The Legislature last year authorized about
$3 million to develop the facility. Three private Montana prison operators, including the Butte-based Community Counseling and Corrections Service, and three local governments,
including Butte-Silver Bow County, previously expressed interest in providing the beds, including the vacant 464-bed Two Rivers Authority prison in Hardin. The Department of Corrections said it wants more prison space for inmates needing assisted living help, more specialized resources for very young adult inmates,
and more beds for general medium security inmates. The state says it hopes to award the 30-year contract by late April. Last fall, Community Counseling and Corrections Service, which runs the Butte Pre-release Center among other facilities, said it could build a new,
120-bed facility for $12 million to $15 million, or perhaps add on to some of its other operations in the Anaconda-Deer Lodge Valley. Mike Thatcher, chief executive officer for CCCS, told the Lee State Bureau at that time that a “Montana-based, not-for-profit corporation with 28 years
of correctional experience makes sense” as the contractor for the project. In a 74-page bid request, the state said its prison population is expected to increase 2 percent a year, or about 150 inmates during the next three years. The agency said it has more aging and other inmates with serious, chronic medical conditions difficult to deal with in a traditional prison. The bid request
calls for the contractor to provide assisted living facility-type care for at least 20 such inmates. It has also identified growth in offenders under 25 years old who are “more immature, impulsive and resistant to authority than older inmates and, therefore,
have proven themselves more likely to exhibit greater behavioral problems when incarcerated.” The bid calls for at least 20 beds and special services targeting
the needs of this group, along with up to 80 general population beds. Butte-Silver Bow said late last year it may have beds available, as did Broadwater and Gallatin counties. Besides CCCS, the two other private-prison operators who said they may be interested in supplying the room for
additional prisoners include Corrections Corp. of America, which already runs the Shelby prison; and the Two Rivers Authority of Hardin. The Hardin facility has in the past sparred with the Department of Corrections for failing to give it any inmates to house. With no inmate contracts
despite years of aggressive marketing of the jail, the $27 million economic development project has turned into a black eye for rural Hardin. Jeffrey McDowell, the executive director of the Two Rivers Authority, said the local agency will review the state’s latest request and intends to respond. This page was last updated on
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Correctional Signpost, 2013, No.1
Montana Standard, 11/4/12.
Montana Standard, 10/26/12.
Montana Standard, 9/21/12.
Montana Standard, 9/15/12.
Montana AmeriCorps Connection, 2/14/12
Great Falls Tribune, 2/3/12
Montana Standard, 1/25/12