Untitled Document
A Day in
Sacramento: Forever Making
a Difference
Californias treatment-instead-of-incarceration
law, Prop 36, has helped
over 140,000 people enter
drug treatment since it
came into effect in 2001.
On July 1 2006, initial
funding of Prop 36 drug
treatment ends. The Governor
and Legislature are now
debating the refunding of
Prop 36 drug treatment.
The Governors January
draft budget recommended
funding Prop 36 at 1999
levels. However, on April
19, 2006--after over 500
Prop 36 clients and grads
rallied in support of the
program at the Capitol--an
Assembly Budget Subcommittee
voted unanimously to increase
funding by $30 million.
This is a good start, but
is still not enough.
In this commentary,
Oliver H, a Prop 36 grad
from San Diego, talks about
the April 19 rally and hearing
and the importance of refunding
of Prop 36
This is my personal experience
of April 19, 2006, the day
when over 500 Prop 36 clients
and grads rallied in Capitol
Park.
April 19, 2006, is a day
that will forever be a part
of my life. To see hundreds
of people sitting in a grassy
area near the state Capitol
all for Prop 36 was awesome!
People from all walks of
life, all over the state,
and all the different houses
(recovery homes) were representing
themselves proudly and sharing
success stories about themselves
and loved ones. We were
all different, but for one
day, right there, that moment,
we all had a common goal:
sending the message that
"Prop 36 Works!"
After the rally, I made
it to the Assembly Budget
Subcommittee No.1 hearing
on Prop 36 funding. When
I got there, the reality
of actually speaking before
the committee had not yet
fully sunk in. But after
hearing various people speak
about why Prop 36 should
have more funding and hearing
the motion for an additional
$30 million, the time had
come for me to speak. Speaking
at the hearing was new to
me, but my message was clear
from the very start:
"First let me say I
take great pride in standing
before you, a success story
and a miracle. If not for
Prop 36 I would not be standing
before you, I'd be in prison
or dead. Being institutionalized
in prison would only teach
me how to be a better criminal
and and futher support my
drug addiction.
"A chain (society)
is only as strong as it's
weakest link. Prop 36 takes
these weak links (people,
like me, addicted to drugs
and alcohol) and strengthens
them."
It was an exciting day.
Over 500 of us got together
and made something happen
in Sacramento. After that
experience, I know that
for years to come, all of
us involved in Prop 36,
shall be forever making
a difference...
Prop 36 does more than change
and save lives! There are
three equally important
ways that Prop 36 will have
a much bigger impact than
most of us think about:
community, giving back to
recovery and our future.
In my next article I'll
explain the three in more
detail.
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