Case Study: Mikayla Purvis Case

Hello,

I am Mikayla Purvis ' aunt, and I am writing in reference to hercurrent court case. Rather than seek only a prison sentence, it could be beneficial for Mikayla to be sent to a drug treatment center like Pioneer Center North (http://pioneerhumanservices.org/treatment/cd/involuntary/pcn/). They offer involuntary commitments for inpatient substance abuse treatment. In addition, the location in Sedro-Woolley is a part of one of the nation 's few Job Corps programs. This would allow Mikayla, by choice or court requirements, to transition to a Job Corps program where she can learn a trade and become a productive member of society. Unlike traditional schools, Job Corps requires students to live on-site, take drug tests and be searched

Created in 1981, this study has several implications for human addicts. It demonstrates the importance of support and a strong community around the addict during their treatment process. If placed at the Pioneer Treatment Center, Mikayla would be able to have the support of myself, my husband and our friends as she continues to focus on her sobriety. She would be able to work on having a positive, useful life, while gaining the support of loved ones as she finishes out court-ordered rehab and job training. I run a content business from home, so I would be able to visit as often or as little as the treatment center

In addition to the previous reasons, choosing this center allows for a new location and environment for Mikayla. My husband and I are the only people she knows in Skagit County, so she would lose connection with the friends and individuals who enabled her addiction in the past. As NPR reported (http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/01/05/371894919/what-heroin-addiction-tells-us-about-changing-bad-habits), changing the environment of an addict is another key way to limit the chances of a relapse. During the Vietnam War, an estimated 15 percent of servicemen in Vietnam were addicted to heroin—a total of 20 percent self-identified as addicts. Despite fears to the contrary, they did not continue their addiction when they returned to the United States. The different culture, new environment and close ties with the community helped to lower the rate of servicemen who even tried heroine again once to just 5 percent. Changing the environment and breaking with the environmental habits or cues that fuel an addiction can be remarkably