News from the Gateway Center Community Advisory Committee

FEBRUARY, 2004

ANOTHER NEW YEAR!

 

Greetings and Happy New Year's wishes from your Gateway Center Community Advisory Committee! If you should have questions or comments about any of the topics in this newsletter, or any other concerns, please feel free to contact us at the address or phone number listed to the left, or the general email address.

  GOALS AND ACCOMPLISMENTS FOR 2003
As we have just entered the new year, it seems to be a good time to look at what we've done over the year and chart a course for the coming months. At the beginning of the year we charged ourselves with the following goals and objectives:

  1. Establish ongoing communication between the Gateway Center and the neighborhood.
  2. Assist in developing a Crisis Communication plan between the neighborhood and the Center.
  3. Develop and assist in facility awareness training for the neighborhood.
  4. Field and monitor neighborhood complaints regarding the center.
Many of the objectives necessary to meet these goals have been accomplished over the year.
  • Three newsletters were sent out to the community with information about the program, staff, upcoming events, substance abuse education information, volunteer contributions to the center, and information about the emergency notification procedure.
  • The community was invited to an "Open House" in December.
  • The Gateway Center web site at was established in November 2003.
  • The emergency notification system was implemented by the County to let residents know of elopements from the facility in a timely manner.
  • Committee members spoke with community residents who had complaints regarding the Center and acted with Center staff to resolve those issues.

We have come a long way in a year but still have much work to do. We will continue working on these same goals during 2004. We hope to publish four newsletters and hold two open houses this year. These are part of our ongoing effort to educate the community about the mission of the center, and to shed some light onto the good work that is done there with adolescents. We will continue to be available to answer your questions and to assist you with any problems you may have regarding the center. We would also like to challenge you to find out more about Gateway by coming to the open houses and meeting the kids and staff. If any of us can be of assistance to you, please feel free to call or send an email to the website.

Vicki Catapano, Community Development Coordinator.

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  TWO NORMAL CHRISTMAS PARTIES
Gateway's December 12th Christmas Party was like the family Christmas Party I attended at my Aunt Judy's house. In fact, my Georgia Family Christmas Party and Gateway's Christmas Party become more alike the more I think about them. For instance, my Aunt Judy's basement is about the same size as Gateway's party location in the gym. Aunt Judy is famous for her huge party basement. In addition, both party places were well decorated for the holidays — Christmas trees and all.
Then there were the food similarities. Oh, the wonderful food. Double feasts they were. Far down a long side of the gym the food table stretched on into January. Judy Copeland kept bringing in the Christmas goodies. On and on she came. Dish after dish. Mrs. Copeland's vegetable dip tasted scrumptious. So scrumptious it could have been brought by my Aunt Banny Jo.
Both states of party guests staggered in at their own pace. In and out people went. Open-door policies prevailed in Georgia and Tennessee. Once the Gateway party got to rolling though, I realized I didn't know most of the folks. But then again, I didn't recognize all of my Georgia cousins, either (they grow so fast, you know). Some Gateway guests I saw for the first time. Some Georgia cousins I saw for the first time in a long time.
But here's what blew my socks off: The aspect most similar at these two parties was — the kids. The teenagers. My Georgia teenage cousins and the Gateway teenagers are so much alike. Why, I could have bused the Gateway kids to my Aunt Judy's basement. And vise versa. I could have swapped the two groups and only their mothers would have noticed. Those two sets of teenagers dressed alike. They all wanted to wear their jeans too low. They liked "in" logos on their t-shirts. The Georgia girls giggled. The Tennessee girls giggled. The boys whispered in huddles, circled around, and combed their hair. Both states. All of them were excited about Christmas. About tree decorations. About Santa coming. Presents. Hair. And being together at a party.
My Georgia teenage cousins are the best; coming from such a fine family, and all. And they were polite to me, as usual. Gateway's kids were just as polite. And the kids were so much fun — Georgia all the way to Tennessee. So very much fun. So cute having fun. And so wanting to have fun. So normal for their age. So very normal.
My cousins are so like Gateway's teenagers, who are so normal, too. So very normal. They looked normal. Dressed normal. Acted normal. Are normal. The only difference? Gateway's teenagers are normal kids who made the bad decision to use drugs.
Someday, with Gateway's help and their own hard work, these Gateway teens can be just "plain" normal again.
By Marie Nix, Gateway Community Advisory Committee.

  GATEWAY WEBSITE
Are you looking for information about the Gateway Center? If so, the Gateway Center Community Advisory Committee's Website at is an excellent place to start. Gateway Center Community Advisory Board member Francis Perey has set up the website on Korrnet to help the center and the advisory board stay in touch with the local community. He has done a wonderful job of posting lots of great information, including back issues of the Gatekeeper Newsletter and information the kids have put together telling what they do during a typical day. You can view pictures of the center or utilize an email link. Stop by the site when you get a chance. The web address is http://www.korrnet.org/camel/. Thanks Francis, for a job well done!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR NAME REMOVED FROM THE "REVERSE 911" CALL LIST OR HAVE QUESTIONS, CALL CAPTAIN JIM LONG AT (865) 273-5041.

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  GATEWAY CENTER 2003 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

ELOPMENTS
In 2003 eight clients left the facility without permission. One client ran twice, so actually seven different clients eloped. Six of the seven clients were either picked up by Blount County Sheriff's Department, returned by others, or returned to the facility on their own. Clients were then charged with a runaway petition and in some cases taken to the Blount County Detention Center for an evening or weekend in detention. One client was successful in his elopement attempt and was not returned to the facility. He had arranged to have a friend pick him up at the bottom of the driveway and was taken home. The young man later turned himself in to the Department of Children Services but was not returned to the Gateway Center.
I'd like to take a moment to share more with you about elopement and its consequences at Gateway. It is a common misconception that when our children leave the facility they do not return. However, the majority of clients do return. They leave the facility with an unreasonable expectation of getting home to their families. Once they have left Gateway, many realize that they had not thought beyond getting out the door or window. They had not thought about in which direction they should run, or what they were going to do in the cold or rain. They never thought about how to find their way to a phone or a store. The only thought in their mind is "I miss my family, my friends, my home, and I am going to go home."
When a client leaves Gateway without permission, there are certain internal consequences they must face. Whether they return to the facility on their own or with an escort, (i.e. an officer), upon return the client is placed on "Restriction Stage." While in this stage, privileges normally allowed are removed. The client must be "in staff's pocket" (arms length from a staff at all times) the entire duration of Restriction, and every activity the client participates in is evaluated for appropriate or inappropriate behavior immediately following the activity. The amount of time a client is placed on Restriction will vary depending on the severity of the offense. The client cannot advance in his/her treatment days during this time. A certain number of committed treatment days are required to earn therapeutic home passes, stages, privileges, and discharge dates. When a client's behavior has warranted Restriction Stage, it is apparent to us that she/he is not working on treatment and recovery and should not receive the same benefits of those following the rules and committing to recovery.
A second repercussion for a client who elopes is providing community service. The community service may be fulfilled at the center by cleaning, picking up trash, sanding desks, or other opportunity as determined by staff. The clients may also provide community service to a neighbor in the community. We currently have a young man who is working with a Gateway Center neighbor to assist him with his cattle. This has been a wonderful opportunity for this young man. We always encourage our clients to try and give back or make amends for the damage they have caused. We are aware that when our clients run it causes a great deal of concern for many of our neighbors.
In most cases, when a client runs from the facility a staff meeting will be held to determine if a client should continue treatment at the Gateway Center. Depending on the client and the circumstances surrounding the incident, the client may be offered a second chance or actions may be taken to remove him/her from Gateway altogether. In the event of consecutive elopements by any one client, the possibility of removal is more probable. It is our policy to provide treatment for the clients who need and want treatment. We rarely will allow a client who has run from the facility more then once to remain.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Gateway served 106 clients during calendar year 2003; 83 males and 23 females. Their average age was 16, and the average length of stay was 117 days. Of these 106, 20 are continuing in treatment at Gateway and 57 graduated, stepped down, or moved laterally to another program. The remaining 29 did not complete the program for a variety of reasons, including refusal of treatment, medical discharge, and being removed from Gateway. We were able to contact 33 of the 57 graduates, and 33 of them have remained sober.

Barabara Davis
Gateway Center Services Coordinator

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  SAM'S STORY
Hi, my name is Sam and I was asked to tell ya'll my "story". I was born in the state of Michigan and was premature, weighing 2 lbs. 10 oz. My birth nearly killed both my mother and me. I had fluid on my lungs and had to have tubes inserted in my lungs to drain all the fluid out. Overall, I had to stay in the hospital the first six months of my life. Once I got a little older, my family and I moved to Tennessee to live with my granny, and I have lived here ever since. Later we moved into our own house in the country.
When I was growing up I was picked on a lot and I never seemed to fit in. Then I met a few people who smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol, and smoked weed. So I started doing those things to hang out with those people. Once I started doing those things, I felt like I started fitting in and I liked myself a lot better. I had more friends and I was loving it.
Then I started getting into trouble at home with my family. At the time I was torn because I never was one to disobey my family, but in order to still be popular and have the friends I had, I had to disobey them. I thought had everything I ever wanted, so I just did what I wanted and continued to use drugs.
After some time passed, I got in trouble at school because I had a joint with me. I had to go to court and the judge put me on probation. Then I had to complete an outpatient program. Once I finished the program I went right back to using. It was just too great to be so accepted, and if using drugs was what made that happen, then I was going to use drugs. I only had two weeks left on probation and I failed a drug screen. I had to go back to court; the judge gave me more community service and just gave up.
I decided to just do whatever I wanted, and I wanted to use drugs. I went through outpatient again, completed the program, and continued to use drugs. I got caught again, and the judge sent me to an inpatient program. At this time I still wasn't in state's custody, so the program was kind of voluntary. Some stuff happened that my parents didn't like so they took me out of the program after about a month. I stayed clean for a little while but it wasn't too long before I was using again and failed another drug screen.
That was when I was placed into Department of Children Services custody. I was first placed at a holding facility until a bed was open at the Gateway Center. That was November 2002, my first time at the Gateway Center. I was at the Gateway Center for about six months the first time. When I completed the program I went home, and did great for a while and everything was going good. Then I started hanging out with my old friends again, and I just wasn't able to hang out with them and not use. This time my drug use was ten times worse then ever before, and I couldn't control it. It was really like what I learned in N.A. - one is too many and a thousand is never enough. I did all the usual stuff - drinking, smoking weed - but then I overdosed on pills. Of course I had to go back to court, and I was placed back into custody. I went to a holding facility again and was waiting for a bed at Gateway.
I finally came back to Gateway in November 2003. I have been at Gateway for both Thanksgiving and Christmas for the past two years. Right after I came back here I ran from the facility. I was so sad to have to be away from my family again for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I just wanted to get home, and I thought I could do that by running from the center. Of course, I didn't get home, and I am still here to tell you about it. I came back to the center. I had a long talk with Mrs. Barbara, and I decided to work on my recovery and get home the right way. I even had to make up to the community for running from the facility by doing some community service work on one of the farms in the neighborhood. This wasn't so bad for me though, because I really enjoyed it.
This time at Gateway has really been an eye opener for me. I am getting ready to leave again. I will complete the program on February 20, and I know that this time has really helped. I was more serious about it this time and now I know what to expect. One thing that will be really different this time is that I am not going back home from Gateway. I will be going to a foster home. I have been visiting this foster family since Christmas time and they are a really great family. I know that by going there and staying away from the old friends I used to hang with, I will have a better chance of staying clean. I guess that is one of the main things you have to learn in recovery, you truly have to change everything about your situation to keep from using again. I'm just going to keep trying. Well, I hope this helps you all understand a little more about me and some of the other people at Gateway, and what our addictions are all about. Addictions are really hard, but with encouragement and support, anyone can overcome them.

If you are interested in volunteering, you may contact Vicki Catapano at (865) 329-9138. We would love to have you assist as a tutor, telephone operator, arts & crafts leader, cleaning assistant, meal server, etc. We also have to frequently replace furniture and equipment due to the volume of usage. If you would like to donate good condition, working appliances, computers, furniture, televisions, or new clothing for the kids, please contact Barbara Davis at (865) 380-5089, ext. 3507 to inquire about current needs. Thank you for helping improve the lives of teenagers who need the support of caring adults like you.

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