ONE LOCAL JAIL IS TAKING
A UNIQUE APPROACH TO HELP
INMATES WITH
ADDICTION.
(ANITA)
AND THOSE IN THE PROGRAM
SAY IT'S SAVED THEIR
LIVES.
OUR AESIA TOLIVER HAS THE
STORY YOU'LL SEE ONLY ON
10.
(AESIA TOLIVER REPORTING)
THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA
REGIONAL JAIL IN
WILLIAMSBURG STARTED THE
WAITT PROGRAM BACK IN
NOVEMBER OF 2017.
WHILE MANY REHAB PROGRAMS
ARE DONE OUTSIDE OF JAIL,
THIS ONE MEETS THE
INMATES WHERE
THEY ARE.
WE TALKED TO SOME OF THE
WOMEN INVOLVED WHO SAY
IT'S GIVEN THEM HOPE WHEN
THEY WERE READY TO GIVE
PRESCRIPTION PILLS WHEN I
WAS 16 AND HANGING AROUND
THE WRONG
CROWD."
KAYLA MCMAMUS
RECOVERING INMATE
"MY OLDER BROTHER CAME
INTO MY LIFE AND HE USED
SO HE SHOWED ME THE
ROPES"
ANGELA LYNCH
RECOVERING INMATE
"I WAS WORKING AS A
PHARMACY TECH I HAD THE
KEYS TO HEAVEN AN ADDICT
WOULD SAY."
THREE INMATES AT THE
VIRGINIA PENNINSULA
REGIONAL JAIL, WITH
DIFFERENT STORIES, BUT
THE SAME ENEMY-
ADDICTION.
ANGELA LYNCH SAYS SHE'D
BEEN AN ADDICT FOR 20
YEARS AND IT CAME WITH A
PRICE.
ANGELA LYNCH
RECOVERING INMATE
"I LOST EVERYTHING MY
PARENTS HAVE MY CHILDREN,
LOST A MARRIAGE OF 10
YEARS, LOST MY CAREER"
BUT BESIDES A HISTORY OF
ADDICTION, THE THREE
WOMEN ALSO HAVE SOMETHING
ELSE IN COMMON.
THEY'RE ALL GRADUATES OF
VPRJ'S WAITT PROGRAM.
IT'S A REHAB PROGRAM
OFFERED INSIDE THE JAIL
ITSELF..ONE THAT THE
INMATES SAY ACTUALLY
WORKS BECAUSE IT GETS TO
THE ROOT ISSUES.
ELIZABETH BELLAMY
RECOVERING INMATE
"THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO
SOMETHING THAT I WAKE UP
EVERY MORNING AND I'M
FEELING HOPEFUL"
VPRJ SUPERINTENENT, TONY
PHAM SAYS THEY BRING IN
RESOURCES FROM ACROSS THE
AREA, TO HELP THE WOMEN
DIG DEEP WITHIN
THEMSELVES.
THE PROGRAM IS ONLY ONE
OF TWO IN THE STATE.
TONY PHAM
VPRJ SUPERINTENDENT
"WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY
TO RECOVER THEIR LIVES
AND STOP COMING BACK AND
BREAK THAT REVOLVING
CYCLE OF COMING BACK TO A
JAIL"
ANGELA LYNCH
RECOVERING INMATE
"I JUST SAID IF I DON'T
GIVE MY ALL IN THIS RIGHT
HERE
RIGHT NOW WHAT'S LEFT FOR
ME TO DO BUT DIE?"
THE WAITT PROGRAM
PARTNERS WITH REAL LIFE
BASED OUT OF RICHMOND.
REAL LIFE IS A NON PROFIT
THAT HELPS PEOPLE WHO
HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY
INCARCERATION OR
HOMELESSNESS, OR WHO ARE
BATTLING A SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER LIKE THE WOMEN
AT VPRJ.
DR. SARAH SCARBROUGH
WHO'S THE FOUNDER OF
REAL LIFE, TOOK US
THROUGH THEIR RECENTLY
OPENED FEMALE
TRANSITIONAL RECOVERY
HOUSE.
THIS IS WHERE THE WOMEN
HELPING HAND EVERY STEP
OF THE
WAY.
DR. SARAH SCARBROUGH
REAL LIFE FOUNDER
"WE JUST WANT TO TREAT
HUMANS LIKE HUMANS AND
GIVE EVERY BODY AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO
SOMETHING DIFFERENT SO WE
PROVIDE THEM THE TOOLS
AND JUST HOPE THEY USE
THEM TO CHANGE THEIR
LIFE"
UNTIL THEY CAN GET ON
THEIR FEET, THE WOMEN
FROM THE PROGAM WILL GET
TO MOVE INTO THE RICHMOND
HOME FOR FREE BUT WILL BE
MONITORED.
DR. SARAH SCARBROUGH
REAL LIFE FOUNDER
"THROUGH HERE IS OUR
MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE
HERE FOR
CURFEW AND ATTEND THE
APPROPRIATE MEETINGS AND
ENGAGE IN SERVICE HOURS
AS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO"
BUT ITS STRUCTURE, THEY
SAY THEY NEED.
ELIZABETH BELLAMY
RECOVERING INMATE
"IF THEY WERE TO LET ME
OUT TOMORROW IF IT WASN'T
FOR
A RECOVERY HOUSE I WOULD
HAVE NOWHERE POSITIVE TO
JUSTIFIES WHY THEY ARE
THERE OR EXCUSES THE
BEHAVIORS THEY'VE ENGAGED
IN I REALLY REALIZED WHAT
THE PROBLEM WAS AND
WITHOUT KNOWING THE
PROBLEM WE AS A SOCIETY
CANT REACH A SOLUTION"
BECAUSE FOR THOSE
SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION,
IT'S A SECOND CHANCE AT
LIFE.
ANGELA LYNCH
RECOVERING INMATE
"IT SAVES LIVES"
BOTH BELLAMY AND LYNCH
HELP THOSE LIKE THEY'VE
BEEN HELPED.
THE SECOND ROUND OF
INMATES GRADUATED FROM
THE PROGRAM LAST WEEK.
I'M AESIATOLIVER 10 ON
YOUR SIDE.
