Five graduates in May showed how successful the About Face Women’s Program can be.
Dee Miller, a retired Oklahoma Department of Corrections employee and program director, updated Logan County’s Board of Commissioners on Monday about the program headquartered in Stillwater.
Miller said the first class started with eight participants, with five completing the program, and now plans are in place for a second group of women.
“So, we started with eight. Three did not graduate. The first one had a boyfriend in the house. They both went to jail,” Miller said.
She said the second person failed to return after Christmas break, and the third participant declined further treatment.
“So, we sent three back (to prison). The other five finished,” she said.
Miller highlighted the success of one participant who was serving a 15-year sentence for trafficking.
“She has just been exceptional. And the company, USIC, is taking her to the national convention in December. She’s going to New Orleans with them to talk about her experience in this program, the support that she’s gotten in being a USIC employee, which is pretty cool,” Miller said.
The About Face Women’s Program provides intensive, long-term residential treatment in a group home environment, with support designed to reduce criminal recidivism among women in Logan and Payne counties by equipping and empowering these women for lifelong change.
The program also offers mental health and substance abuse counseling and treatment; trauma-based individual treatment; cognitive behavioral therapy; co-dependency therapy; educational and vocational training; physical, occupational and psychological evaluations; housing referral; aftercare; outpatient counseling; and mentoring.
The group graduated on May 20 from Meridian Career Technology Center, working in locating underground utilities. They now work in Stillwater, Perkins, Oklahoma City, Bartlesville and Tulsa.
Miller thanked the commissioners for their support.
“So, I’m thankful for the funding that you all provided. We were able to pay their deposits for the new house and their first month’s rent for them. So, that is out of their housing allowance. Everyone was able to get that,” she said. “And we went back and gave them an additional $500 for utilities. So, we had enough money to do all of that for everybody.”
Miller said all program participants are vetted for nonviolent sentences.
“The ladies came directly from prison to us,” she said. “They left (after graduation) with pickups and U-Hauls full of stuff. I gave them the furniture out of the house, so they had something to start with. So, everybody has got a bed, table and lamps. We purchased pots and pans and dishes for everybody, so they have a good start.”
Miller conducts monthly follow-ups with each graduate.
“I’ve been to visit everybody at home. Everybody’s still working. Nobody’s been in trouble yet,” she said. “So, they’re doing aftercare counseling through the Iowa Tribe (of Oklahoma). So, they have to meet with those people (via telehealth) at least twice a month. So, everyone’s doing that.
“I will do home visits again this month. So, they come and see me one month, and then I go and see them. So, right now, everybody’s still on track. They’re doing what they’re supposed to do.”
Miller said new Payne/ Logan County District Attorney Jeremiah Gregory has green-lighted her to move forward with plans for a second program group.
“We had to wait for our new DA to get in place so we could get his blessing on how to do the next group. So, we just got that accomplished last month,” she said. “They’ve been sentenced in the last 18 to 24 months.Again, they have to be nonviolent with a minimum of a five-year sentence. We’re looking for more like seven years at a minimum, so they have enough time. And, so, we’re going to start that process in November (and start the program) again this spring.”
Miller said she has been replenishing the program’s house furniture.
“I’ve been gathering furniture to put back in the house, so they got to have some where to sleep and sit down,” she said. “Our Hampton Inn in Stillwater is being remodeled now. It’s going to be a Marriott Bonvoy. We’ve been blessed to get the furniture from the hotel. That’s what’s going into the house. So, last Monday and Tuesday we moved seven UHauls full of stuff from the hotel to the house.”
Miller said she wants the second program group to be more diverse, if possible.
“Hopefully, I will do a better job of getting them a little bit more ethnically placed,” she said.
Miller said she looks forward to working with the second group.
“It’s been a good experience,” she said. “I think we’ve done well, a lot of things to learn to put those things in place for the next group.”
In other matters, the Commissioners approved an Assignment and Assumption agreement between Canadian County and Canadian Children’s Justice Center Authority for juvenile detention services.
“We have a contract for juvenile detention with Canadian County. Canadian County is assigning that contract directly to the detention center. Because we’re a party to it, we have to sign it,” County Clerk Troy Cole said.