Ok - take this for what it's worth . . .
On Wednesday, September 26, I spent about 12 hours
"observing" at SAFE. Loretta Parrish and I had been
emailing back and forth for a short time w/me asking
her about SAFE and the model that is used at SAFE and is it different from Straight. I asked Loretta if I could come and observe a day at SAFE and she said it was ok. So . . . here is what I saw and what I think about SAFE.
Generally, I must say that SAFE appears to a really
calmed down Straight model. They still use the phase
system (which personally I think is not good), w/a 6th
phase that is what Straight called the aftercare
portion of graduating. The group was split up w/guys
and girls of opposite sides as it was at Straight.
When I was in Straight, there was only one group and
that was in St. Pete and it had about 300 or so kids.
At SAFE, I saw only about 20 kids. They still do
that @#%$ up motivating that we did. Most of the
raps were led by kids, although one was led by an
executive staff member that I was told did have some kind of degree (BS). The rap that he led was about the "disease theory of drug abuse". I didn't really agree w/some of the stuff that they discussed about the model, but some I did agree with. Anyway, medication was handed out by a nurse,which is different than when I was at Straight (we had no nurse or at least I never
saw one). The clients still do the confrontation
stuff with the yelling and some cursing, but it
appears that they must keep a certain distance from
the other clients they are confronting. Actually,
that is a good thing as one time when I was getting
"confronted", and I closed my eyes, I was head butted
by another client.
The kids that were not on 3rd phase or higher had
"school", prior to lunch and while the book shelves
had books on math, economics, geography, science etc, from what I could tell, there was really no real class work going on, just kids reading or sleeping (which is more than we were allowed to do on 1st and 2nd phase). Clients did not hold each other's belt loops, or put their hands on shoulders (1st phasers w/responsibilties). I also went to a host home and it appeared that the kids at this home did not get locked in - they just had windows and doors w/alarms. I did see some stuff that gave me concern, such as in the exercise rap, the rap leader said that they would have to do more exercises because some of the group was not trying hard enough. I was told this was not the case, that the exercise was for a specific period of time whether or not the kids tryed hard or not. Either way, the punishing of the group for the transgressions of a few is classic brainwashing, similar to what our GI's had done to
them during the Korean war.
Do I think the SAFE program is effective or does it really work? No, I still think the model that is used is FOS (to use a Straight abbreviation). I don't think it works in the long run . . . God knows it didn't for me or for most of the people I know that graduated from Straight. As our good friend Ginger says " . . . effective, but not theraputic . . ." (hope I got the quote right). From what I saw, I think the abuse that can be proven (ie physical) and things that could get them sued have been for the most part, taken out. I think the brainwashing is still there, an intregal part of the program.
Anyway, I think that SAFE will take care of itself in
the long or short run . . . the model is outdated,
kinda like 1960's technology and will go away. The group had only about 20-25 kids. I doubt they can make a profit w/that few clients.
I had an opportunity to speak w/a recent graduate who was kinda like an intern, working for SAFE. I saw him update some kind of records and give kids permission to use the bathroom during study period. He seemed like a really nice kid, about 20 years old I guess. I can't remember anything shocking that he told me about the program. Anyway, Loretta and clan were very civil to me; I don't think I was taken for a ride.
Hey - let's have the next conference in Florida. Dr. Trebach can come to Florida and we can gang up on the Florida legislature.
Also, who is Phil Diaz?
