Womens Residential Programme
He Kete Oranga o te Mana Wahine
What we do
He Kete Oranga o te Mana Wahine (He Kete) is a residential alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment service for women in the criminal justice system. The service is a partnership with the Department of Corrections, Odyssey House Christchurch, and Purapura Whetu Trust.
Most wahine are subject to electronic monitoring, however, all have chosen to attend the service voluntarily. The He Kete programme lasts for 16-weeks and is based on the concept of a ‘therapeutic community’ (Hapori Haumanu). All members of the community, staff and residents, work together with a single focus to provide the best possible environment to assist recovery from addiction, trauma and offending. The holistic approach of the programme will support your recovery and wellbeing, addressing a wide range of issues and topics, providing you with the tools to make positive changes.
More importantly, we will remain alongside you when you leave the programme as you return to your whanau and community to help you put into practice when you have learnt on the programme and also to provide practical assistance such as support looking for accommodation, training and employment.
Rules
No stealing
No drugs, alcohol or other contraband (eg. money or unauthorised·property)
No sex or sexually acting out
No violence or threats of violence
No Gambling
Knowledge of any of the above rules being broken and not disclosing this to staff may also result in a discharge.
In regards to breach of these rules
the resident may be offered re-admission depending on the circumstances
and situation.
Smoke-free site
All Odyssey sites are smoke-free. Residents will be provided with nicotine replacement therapy if appropriate and will have access to smoking cessation groups.
Philosophy
From its very beginning, Odyssey House has developed psychiatrically oriented, drug-free residential programmes whose methodology derives from the therapeutic community concept of mutual self-help.
The Therapeutic Community (TC) is composed of diverse individuals who choose to belong.· Its primary goal is to foster change.· The vehicle is a social learning process imposed mutually by a community of individuals committed to recovery.· The "community", composed of all its members (staff and residents) serves as peer, therapist, teacher and role model in the complex change process called recovery.· It is a highly structured and therefore, supportive environment with definite moral boundaries encompassing a code of behavior and communal belief.
This community both rewards and sanctions. When fully developed there
is an intensive treatment regime emphasizing group therapy, skills development and self-esteem that improves with useful functioning within the community.
Costs
This cost is covered by arranging payment of residents Income Support benefit to Odyssey House Trust. Most people entering into residential treatment at Odyssey House will qualify for this benefit. The rest of the cost for their placement at Odyssey House will be covered by a residential support payment from the (Ministry of Health/District Health Board).
Residents also receive a weekly allowance directly paid into the resident's bank account, to cover personal needs, fines, and child support payments. This is a portion of the resident's benefit.
Timetable
Your time spent at He Kete Oranga o Te Mana Wahine is very structured from the start to the end of every day, 7 days a week.
Each day follows a clear timetable that sets out the activities of the day - you will be provided with a copy on your arrival. You will be expected to participate in group work, 1:1 key work and re-integration sessions - as well as a whole range of wellbeing and cultural based activities.
We will also work with your whanau and support people where appropriate and approved visits are allowed once each week.
Family and Whanau
Contact with people outside the programme is limited and all visitors/contact must be approved.
Family visits occur weekly on a Saturday afternoon for 1.5 hours and are supervised. Family members visiting on site are asked to adhere to guidelines for family visits. The amount of contact with whanau increased as a person progresses through the programme.
All residents can make 3 x phone calls per week. The number of phone calls allowed increases as the resident moves up through the levels and is also dependent upon the resident purchasing a phone card with which to make additional phone calls.
Residents may have individual therapy with their family if agreed by both parties.
Odyssey runs a monthly family support group open to all families of clients of Odyssey and also whanau fun days.
Bill of Rights
All residents of the Odyssey House Therapeutic Programme have the absolute right to the following:
A supportive environment, drug-free, unless medically prescribed and/or approved by Odyssey House.
Treatment without regard to gender, race, national origin, creed, political affiliation, sexual preference, previous criminal record or public assistance status
Dignity, respect, health and safety
at all times.
Knowledge of the programme philosophy and methods.
Information given accurately of all current rules/regulations of the programme as well as sanctions, disciplinary measures and any modification of rights.
Access to a Board-approved grievance procedure to register complaints about the administration of all rules and regulations, sanctions, disciplinary measures and modifications of rights.
Definition of all fees and costs to be charged, methods and schedules of payment and the availability of money and personal property during the programme and on leaving.
Confidentiality of information regarding participation in the programme and of all treatment records in accordance with the law of the country.
Examination of personal records within Board-approved guidelines and the insertion of a counter statement of clarification to rebut recorded information.
Discharge of themselves from the programme at any time without physical and psychological harassment.
Personal communication with relatives or friends of whereabouts on admission and thereafter according to the rules of the programme except when prohibited as a documented part of the treatment plan.
Protection from real or threatened corporal punishment, from physical, psychological or sexual abuse and from involuntary physical confinement.
Provision of nutritious food, safe and adequate lodging, physical exercise and adequate personal hygiene needs.
Medical care from qualified practitioners and the right to refuse the medical care offered. (Refer No.2)
Access to legal advice or representation where required.
Clear definition of responsibilities when working in the position of a staff member, with adequate training, adequate staff support and supervision (including evaluation and feedback), no exploitation and the right to decline the position without any recrimination.
The right to guidance and assistance when leaving the programme for any reason, about other health-care and assessment services, sources of financial aid and places of residence.
Toxicology Screens
To maintain community each safety, regular random and planned drug screens are conducted. If a positive drug screen is returned, this will be discussed with the resident and may result in discharge from the programme. This process helps to keep the programme safe and drug-free.
Activities
HOUSEKEEPING
Wash-up dishes, vacuuming, tidy surroundings etc.· An emphasis is placed on making the environment clean and tidy and this is a structured part of every day.
WORK (vocational training):
The programme structures the working day for everyone involved in treatment. During this time residents have projects to complete or help with general maintenance of the facilities and grounds.
THERAPY GROUP
Residents will be in at least one therapy session on most days. Sometimes the group will have an educational theme or be open for discussion on treatment issues.· Attendance at groups is compulsory·
TEACHING GROUP
These groups are designed to learn about Odyssey House and how the programme operates.
MORNING MEETING, HOUSE MEETING, EVENING MEETING:
These happen every day and the purpose is to bring everyone together to organise any functional activities and other discussions relevant to the programme day.· Morning meeting also is where the group interacts and has fun to help get the day off to a good start.
RECREATION
Activities/recreation occurs throughout the programme.
Referral and Admission Criteria
Most referrals to He Kete come via the Department of Corrections or the Bail Support Service, Christchurch District Court. He Kete does however accept self-referrals and referrals from other agencies. Referrals for wahine in prison must be made via a prison case manager.
The programme predominantly accepts wahine who are on parole, bail (either bail simpliciter or electronically monitored bail), and parole. Referrals can be considered for wahine who are in the community provided that they are under the Department of Corrections reporting conditions and have a sentence condition or sentence indication of intensive supervision and above.
Once a referral has been received, it will be discussed at the weekly referrals meeting between the Department of Corrections and Odyssey House. If the referral meets admission criteria, then arrangements will be made for a comprehensive assessment to be completed (if this has not already been done) and other documentation will be gathered both by Odyssey House and the Department of Corrections in order that an informed decision can be made as to the suitability of the referral.
People are screened for entry on the basis of determining if they present any threat to the safety of others in the therapeutic community and also whether He Kete is the appropriate treatment agency for the specific problems facing the individual. In most cases, residents will share a room with another resident.