The Program
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
IAGW is a rural residential program which presumes that residents work to support the facility and live in a family setting. All residents share in doing the chores for upkeep of the property, the farm, and running the program. These chores include everything from lawn-mowing and preparing dinner for all to washing dishes, mopping floors, and baling hay. In addition, each man will keep his own bed and living area clean and neat on a daily basis, upon rising and dressing.
Unless work schedule interferes, residents must eat dinner together as a family. Daily assigned chores must be done after dinner each evening. Residents meet together weekly and with counselors a minimum of once every two weeks. All resident workshops require attendance.
Within one day of admission, intake procedure is completed. Within one week of admission, the initial Master Plan is done.
Within one month of admission, resident will have a job and/or be in a job training or an educational program and will have reworked his Master Plan with his counselor. He has applied for any entitlements due him, his initial budget is completed, and he is now paying rent.
Within two months of admission, resident has opened a savings account. All clients will be subject to random urinalysis.
ADMISSION INTERVIEW PROCEDURE
Applicants for admission to IN A GOOD WAY are assessed by the counselor, operations manager and/or the director based on their desire to stay out of prison and do whatever work is expected at IAGW. Interviews for placement with IN A GOOD WAY are scheduled by the person seeking admission and by appointment with the counselor, operations manager and/or the program director. The counselor, operations manager and/or program director are also available for field assessments. During the interview process the counselor, operations manager and/or director determine the following:
- The applicant meets admission criteria;
- The applicant is open to community living in a goal-oriented facility;
- The applicant is willing to make a commitment;
- The applicant is willing to commit to the goals set forth in his Master Plan;
- The applicant fits in with the current clients and the program as a whole.
Interviews are conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. No eligible person will be turned away from applying for admission. A waiting list is established when no bed space is available and every effort will be made for timely placement of the applicant if appropriate for admission. All applicants will be informed of the program offered by IN A GOOD WAY including financial obligations and the rules and regulations at interview time.
COUNSELING SERVICES
In an effort to provide the emotional support that our residents might need, house counselors are available to our residents during the daytime and evening shifts (8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.) A resident may set up an appointment for additional counseling not a part of their planned counseling. In any case, counseling sessions are mandatory at least once every other week. Emergency appointments may also be scheduled for counseling visits by contacting program director or the manager. We counsel the families of our men on an as-needed and as-requested basis. IN A GOOD WAY provides recovery program meetings on a regular basis. Our meeting rooms are available to all recovery programs. We use the Wellbriety Program for Native Americans at IAGW and have staff trained in the program.
WAITING LIST
A waiting list for IN A GOOD WAY is maintained in the office. When someone applies for admission and no bed space is available, his name is placed on the waiting list. Such persons are given specific instructions for obtaining and maintaining their admission status. Non-compliance with these instructions will result in removal from the waiting list.
Any use of alcohol and/or illegal or non-prescription drugs during the interim period between application and interview, or interview and admission, will result in removal from the waiting list.
RESIDENT FEES
The cost for room and board at IN A GOOD WAY is charged as a monthly fee and is based on either the market price for similar facilities in the area or on a negotiated sliding scale based on the resident’s adjusted gross income.
RECOMMENDATION FOR RESIDENCY
Individuals may apply for admission. Recommendations are also accepted and welcomed from parole and probation officers, chaplains, DOC staff, agencies, and family and friends of potential residents if they have discussed it with the potential client. However, people who wish to be residents must ultimately contact IN A GOOD WAY themselves to set up an interview. If a man seeking residency does not follow up by contacting IAGW within one week from date of recommendation from the initial contacting party, the recommendation will be considered void.
A recommendation form is available on our web site at www.inagoodway.org or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to IN A GOOD WAY.
NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL FITNESS
Our minds and our bodies must be healthy to attain the goals that we expect to reach during our lives. We believe that if our residents are educated about and understand the positive benefits of a healthy diet and exercise, they will follow that lifestyle.
IN A GOOD WAY provides mandatory and ongoing exercise and diet classes. After taking the classes, a resident can choose whether to continue with them. We also provide a diet that consists of home cooked meals following a recommended heart healthy diet plan that include:
- Meats and other protein sources;
- fresh organic vegetables and fruits grown in our gardens;
- honey from our bees;
- cheese from our goats and sheep; and
- eggs from our chickens
An exercise room and a marked running/walking path are available to all residents and staff. A trained staff member or senior resident assists new residents in setting up an exercise program.
Diabetic residents receive additional training specific to their needs. Diabetic meals are available to anyone wanting to follow that diet regime. Vegetarian meals are also available upon request.
ANGER MANAGEMENT
Anger is reported to be a major contributor to incarceration, and anger management is a key skill to avoiding a return to prison. Participation in an ongoing anger management program is required of all residents at IN A GOOD WAY. This program will include building responsible communication skills.
FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION
Family violence prevention goes hand-in-hand with the recognition that family violence is a serious problem in our communities. Such recognition isn’t easy. This is a problem that often goes unnoticed and unreported. It remains invisible because family members are reluctant to report it and/or accept it as their ‘due.” Professionals may not detect the presence of violence or they may fail to report it when they realize it has occurred.
There are those who argue persuasively that the solutions to family violence are to be found among the various social ills that directly or indirectly influence its victims, such as poverty, unemployment, and inadequate housing. However, societal-level solutions are often the most difficult to describe and implement.
On a more practical level, there is considerable agreement that “violence begets violence.” That is, the acceptance and glorification of violence, the victimization of children, and marital violence all contribute to the level of violence in our communities. A number of examples appear to strengthen the “violence begets violence” position.
The phrase “cycle of violence” describes what takes place when parental violence is witnessed by the children and then repeated in the children’s peer relationships, and, when those children grow up, in their own families. There is an increasing need for early intervention to prevent relationship violence and to help break the cycle of violence in families.
If family violence has been identified in a resident’s background, or is identified by the family while a resident is in our program, the resident will be required to attend a Family Violence Prevention Program.
LIBRARY
A Native American resource library is available onsite. In addition to written materials, the staff of IN A GOOD WAY is knowledgeable about Native American websites and can provide help in researching topics and information that contribute to increased cultural pride and knowledge.
SEWING SEEDS: PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE
Our elder exchange teaches and preserves our culture. It enables elders in the Native American community to tell their memory-stories and get their language recorded and written for posterity. When the last person speaking an Indian language dies, the language dies. Our vision is to use computer programming skills as well as elders who speak a language to help preserve and teach American Indian language to anyone interested and the young in particular. We welcome any volunteer who would like to work on this project. We are interested in joining with any ongoing like projects.
We invite tribal elders, tribal members, and those persons interested and experienced in all Native American cultures to join us in teaching and recording our traditions and cultures. We welcome your attendance at religious ceremonies, drum circles, sweats and pow wows.
It is so important to the vitality and integrity of our Nations that, as Native Americans, we know, respect, and appreciate our culture and who we are. We also need to learn to stand up for ourselves and our culture. Many of our people have not had an opportunity to live a traditional life. Many of us have heard from our oft-oppressed Elders that we should not seek out our heritage and history. We want to teach our native traditions, which could include everything from foods to games to languages. In short, we will encourage the ‘Native American’ growth of all participants.
BUDGETING AND MONEY MANAGEMENT
Each client establishes his budget as part of his Master Plan. It is mandatory to start a savings account. Classes in money management and budgeting, savings plans, check writing, and bank account resolution are mandatory and will be taught by personal from Chase Bank Other topics offered are: reading and understanding utility bills and how to get the best rates; comparison shopping; the pluses and minuses of credit cards; and how to rebuild or establish a good credit rating (and why you should!)
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Our residents are encouraged to provide needed services to all elders and needy in our community. These services are on a volunteer basis by our residents, and are free to those residents of our community in need. We welcome referrals from agencies. Services might include: yard work; light painting; light carpentry, etc.
