Page A-28 - Mason County Journal - Thursday, April 10, 2014 -
Graduate: Would not ; gradaated without support of others
continued from page A- 1
Betsch started using marijuana
when he was a teenager, and eventu-
ally began using methamphetamine.
Since then, he tried and failed six ad-
diction treatments, including three
inpatient rehabilitation programs.
"I've always identified with people
who use drugs -- I always fell down
that ladder," he said.
But this time was different. Betsch
said he decided the pain of continuing
to use meth was worse than the pain
of working through his problems to
conquer his addiction.
"At first I dealt with a lot of fear,"
he said. "I didn't know if I was going
to be able to be happy and be sober."
Betsch attended 12-step meeting
and enrolled at Olympic College.
The MRT therapy, which teaches
addicts to analyze their behavior,
taught Betsch to be accountable.
"I never accepted responsibility for
my behavior -- I was always a vic-
tim," he said. "If you're a client, you
refuse to be a victim any longer. I
think that's hard for a lot of people in
the program."
If a client does not meet all of drug
court's requirements, or does not pass
random drug screening, they are ex-
pelled from the program and return
Journal photos by Natalie Johnson
Program administrator Harris Haertel, left, spoke about Mason County's
drug court during Benjamin Betsch's graduation March 31.
to jail or prison to complete their sen-
tence.
If a participant successfully com-
pletes the program, their conviction
is vacated and the charges are dis-
missed.
"This program was greeted nation-
wide with skepticism," Byrd said. "I
was one of those skeptics."
Byrd joined the drug court team
in 2006. Soon, he said, the success of
the program erased his skepticism.
Drug court reduces recidivism, or a
person's likelihood to reoffend, and is
cheaper than incarceration, he said.
"Drug court is harder than jail," he
said. "I like to call it a boot camp for
addicts."
Even offenders who do not com-
plete the program successfully are
benefited by the it, Byrd said.
"The longer they are in drug court
the more successful they are in the
future," he said. "They learn how to
identify triggers ... they learn coping
mechanisms."
Byrd said 35 percent of all par-
ticipants, including those who do not
graduate, leave the program more ed-
ucated than when they started, and
18 percent of all participants leave
with a driver's license.
While committed to change, Betsch
said he might not have graduated
without the support of other addicts
in drug court.
"If you're ready to change your
life, you'll be willing to do anything it
takes," he said.
With a year of college completed,
Betsch now plans on earning a two-
year degree and becoming a drug ad-
diction counselor.
"My values have changed so much
in the program," he said.
Now Betsch volunteers in the
community, attends regular 12-step
meetings, takes his nutrition seri-
ously and sees his 5-year-old daugh-
ter often.
"I have a great relationship with
my daughter," he said.
Drug court team members gath-
ered March 31 to congratulate Betsch
and wish him well.
Laura Cole, from the state Depart-
ment of Corrections, said she had
known Betsch for a "long time."
"I was especially happy to see
that you had the opportunity to be
a success," she said. "You are the
man you are today because of the
amazing qualities you have inside
you."
Mason County Superior Court
Judge Amber Finlay attended
Betsch's graduation and recounted
the decade she had seen him try and
fail to beat his addiction. She ended
by giving Betsch a hug and wishing
him luck.
"This is a great moment, but it's
only the beginning of your life," she
said.
Mason County. Superior Court Judge Amber Finlay congratulated Benjamin
Betsch March 31 for graduating from Mason County Drug Court after
struggling with drugs for 20 years.
