N America News May 2017

62 NORTH AMERICA NEWS / MAY 2017 , About Lori Costantino- Brown Lori Costantino-Brown succeeded her father and, over the past 30 years, Ms. Costantino-Brown has played a key role in the transformation of Bridges International from a single contract with the Department of Corrections to becoming the leading provider of substance abuse treatment and community release programs in the state of Florida. Ms. Costantino-Brown has earned her qualifications as a Certified Addiction Specialist, and Certified Associate Addictions Professional. She has personally reengineered the organization as Director of Quality Management, Chief Operations Officer, and Senior Vice President. The result is a new Bridges International – a company where offenders receive supervision, but also are expected to become better people as they prepare to re- enter society. Through an international expansion, Ms. Costantino-Brown is also the President of Bridges of Canada, which was founded by an acquaintance of the late Bishop Costantino, Monty Lewis. In 2012, when Monty’s health began to fail, he reached out to Ms. Costantino-Brown to assume the presidency and continue to reach out to “the least, the lonely, and the lost” in and around Fredericton, New Brunswick. As an advocate for both business and industries related to substance abuse and justice issues, Ms. Costantino-Brown serves on many high profile boards in Florida. Currently, she serves on the board of directors for the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association (FADAA) and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. For Florida Tax Watch and Associated Industries of Florida, Ms. Costantino-Brown serves on the Executive Board and is a founding member of the Smart Justice committee, and on the Board of Directors and as a founding member of the Florida Smart Justice committee, respectively. Ms. Costantino-Brown is also the founding chairman of the Florida Smart Justice Alliance, the latest development in justice reform advocacy in Florida. Healthy Start Coalition of Orange County Family Advocate Award Lori Costantino-Brown received the Healthy Start Coalition of Orange County Family Advocate Award in May 2016. It was given in recognition and appreciation of the care and support that Lori Costantino-Brown and Bridges International has always given to Families in the Orange County community. Ms. Costantino-Brown has a passion for addiction treatment and recovery. Her insightful experience with substance abuse treatment gives her a unique perspective on the criminal mind and addictive behaviors of offenders at every stage of recovery. BI Program Types Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program Bridges International has three Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Programs built on the Therapeutic Community Concepts. The peer-led, peer- driven environment encourages clients to become active participants in their recovery. These are adult male and female felony drug offenders who have been sentenced by the local courts to participate in drug treatment as a deterrent from incarceration as a condition of probation. The program offerings in each program vary to best meet the needs of the persons served. Therapeutic Community Transition/Re-Entry Program Bridges International’s Substance Abuse Transition Re- Entry Program is a Therapeutic Community (TC) providing intensive substance abuse treatment services for minimum custody inmates. The program assists inmates in making a successful transition from the correctional institution to their community. Designed to reduce recidivism rates in the Florida prison system, the goal of the re-entry program is to transform inmates into productive citizens. The foundation of the program is the Therapeutic Community Concepts, which are essential to maintaining a drug-free lifestyle in social contexts. With clinical supervision, this peer-led, peer- driven environment encourages the men to become active participants in their recovery. Each program participant follows a multidisciplinary treatment plan customized to meet his or her individual needs. Eligible inmates usually have 24 to 36 months remaining on their sentence when entering this program. Upon completion of the Transition Re-Entry Program, inmates become eligible for the Community Release program, where they are gainfully employed during the day and continue their treatment at night. Community Release Programs Bridges International Community Release programs are designed to allow incarcerated inmates nearing the completion of their sentence to acquire gainful employment within the community while safely housed at a community release facility. Community Release gives inmates an opportunity to get their lives back on track through working and participating in substance abuse treatment, education, and vocation coursework at night. With their earnings, Community Release inmates are required to pay subsistence for room and board, which saves taxpayers money. Inmates also make court- ordered payments, send money home for family support, and are required to set money aside for savings upon their release. Bridges International offers substance abuse treatment, diverse courses, and value- added services that teach problem solving, critical thinking, conflict resolution, and recovery maintenance skills. The program offerings at each facility vary to best meet the needs of the persons served. Inmates who return to society from community release programs are less likely to commit another crime, reducing the state cost for incarceration. The benefits of community release programs include structure, employment, savings and the increased likelihood that the offender’s re-entry to society will have long-term success. Community Re-Entry Services Transitional Housing Successful re-entry is predicated on an environment that builds the necessary skills for a solid recovery. Transitional Housing maintains a positive recovery community to assist residents in becoming productive citizens. The Community Re-Entry Services transitional housing program provides individuals with a positive, safe, and drug- free residence where they can make a successful transition to independent living. Bridges International Chaplaincy Services Bridges International Chaplaincy Services embraces a holistic approach to recovery and accommodates the mental (emotional, cognitive), physical, social, and spiritual needs of the persons served. Chaplains deliver, monitor, and facilitate a broad range of religious services that provide opportunities for all client/inmates to pursue individual religious beliefs and practices of their own choosing in a manner that is consistent with the security and good order of the facility. Furthermore, religion can be a significant agent of change for many individuals. Thus, chaplains serve as critical staff members that assist client/ inmates who choose this path to enhance their knowledge of and commitment to the beliefs and practices of their faith. At the same time, chaplains work in collaboration with other clinical staff in support of formal treatment programs within the four-dimensional model. Critical Dimensions of Chaplaincy Religion can be a significant