By Raylene Meunier

Since I’m being honest, I might as well be brutally honest.

My son has been struggling with addiction for 16 years. This isn’t the first time he’s gone missing.

He has been to the men’s rehabs in Vermont — Valley Vista and Serenity House — typically for the standard fourteen-day stays. Most often, he was released with a plan to attend Dr. Bob’s, participate in some Zoom meetings, and follow the guidelines of Treatment Court.

Over the years he has lived in a couple of sober living homes. Only one was truly focused on recovery. The other was — and still is — nothing short of Medicaid fraud. They provide nothing that their handbook says they provide.

Only in the past several months has he finally had what resembles a real team behind him. Only recently was his mental health truly evaluated and somewhat addressed. For years, he has lived in a system that demands accountability from him, but not from itself.

During his active addiction, he committed crimes. The first was a DUI on his 21st birthday. Years later, while high, he robbed two stores and stole a truck.

Should he be held responsible? YES.

I have said it myself — put him in jail for two years. Make him program. Make him work. Make him pay restitution.

He entered the Treatment Court program a little less than three years ago. While I value the concept of the program, I do not value some of its partners. Their lack of responsibility is nothing short of life-threatening.

My son is now set to serve 42 months in prison — the majority of it out of state. It has been several years since he committed any crimes. This sentence stems from his earlier cases and his inability to complete the Treatment Court program.

My question is: Why can’t he complete it?

I know the answer. While they claim they’ve tried everything, I strongly disagree.

Only after a very recent nervous breakdown was he finally given a mental health evaluation — even though one had been requested numerous times. 

After that evaluation, he was placed in a “recovery house” owned and operated by one of the Treatment Court partners. This house is far from town — not within walking distance of anything. There is no staff, limited transportation, and nothing rehabilitative about it. No daily house meetings. No routine. Just a roof overhead. Just a room to sit alone and battle his mind.

I’m not saying he had absolutely no support. There are wonderful people at the Turning Point Center — but he has to be able to get there. He has a probation officer, and while they have a decent relationship, not many people want to run to their probation officer and admit they are struggling.

I asked what was so “rehabilitative” about the home he was placed in.

He was seeing a counselor once a week — once that was finally set up. He was enrolled in IOP, a program he has already completed multiple times. Again, accountability without effectiveness.

At one point one of the case managers became far too friendly. That same case manager ran the IOP program and over saw his treatment plan that he was enrolled in. Many times he didn’t want to attend, and many times she allowed him not to. He could log into Zoom, check in, and then leave to do whatever he wanted. She covered for him.

On another occasion — the very same day I brought him home from the mental health hospital after his breakdown — another member of the team showed up at my house with her boyfriend, open containers in hand and a 30 rack of beer in tow!! 

Great partners, great accountability. When this was brought to the attention of the powers at be it was brushed under the rug. Totally disregarded. 

Since November, he has been at his lowest point. Instead of regrouping and seriously evaluating what he needs, the first solution presented was to let him take “Door B” — the alternative to Treatment Court — and serve 42 months in a out of  prison of state.

In my mind, that does nothing but ensure he returns more broken than when he left.

This lengthy sentence — harsher than what some people receive for dealing drugs that kill others — feels less like justice and more like a written suicide note. Maybe even retaliation for my brutal honesty about the system. 

It harms the family. It devastates us emotionally and financially. It pushes struggling people deeper into a hole.

When will Vermont WAKE UP and create mandatory, long-term, truly REHABILITATIVE centers?

The only thing jail will accomplish is more damage and a continuation of the cycle. Spending money to send people out of state. Spending money to incarcerate most people in this same situation — it makes no sense.

It would make far more sense to invest in real rehabilitation. Give people structure. Give them purpose.

When you have self-worth and purpose, you build self-respect. You learn respect for others. You become a productive member of society.

That is what most people struggling with substance use disorder truly want.

The author is a Barre resident and publisher of the 802 Scoop Facebook page.