When Ms. Madelyn J. entered the Orange County Day Reporting Center earlier this year, she says she didn’t fully understand what to expect. After a couple of weeks though, she went from uncertain to understanding she could benefit from the program and its groups and counseling. She was referred to the non-residential reentry program by her probation officer to reduce the likelihood of recidivating, receive treatment, and gain connections to local resources to help stabilize her life in the community.
“It’s turned out to be awesome,” she said. She is currently checking in twice a week for group classes via videoconference during the pandemic, but went more frequently and in person earlier this year before onsite meetings were suspended. “It’s worked well for me, no problems being home,” she said. She has enjoyed the Moral Reconation Therapy and Restorative Justice groups, as well as an Art Therapy class. “I never knew I had an artistic streak,” she said. Madelyn says MRT, a cognitive behavioral treatment group, has reinforced the principles of honesty and loyalty. “If you don’t have those qualities, you will keep repeating the same mistakes and associating with the same folks that led you to trouble.”
Madelyn is nearing completion at the Orange County DRC, having completed Step 12 in MRT, and she expects to transition to Aftercare in July. A musician and producer previously, she is seeking to get into Santa Ana College to enhance her employment prospects. She credits staff for helping her in many ways, including seeking work. “They are just awesome to us. Nobody has attitude. They are ‘in it to win it,’ helping all of us to get a new lease on life.” She said her time at the center has given her time to reflect and be creative, leading to a song she’s written that she wants to live by. It’s titled “Welcome to Change.”