Ahwatukee gets DUI treatment screenerIncreases options for providing help to area offenders Betty Beard Up to now, Ahwatukee Foothills residents convicted of driving while intoxicated and unable to drive had to somehow make it to Chandler, Tempe or elsewhere for court-ordered evaluations. Because their driver's licenses were suspended and there was no place in Ahwatukee authorized to do the screenings, they had to take a bus, bicycle, walk or hitch a ride with a friend or relative. Now Ahwatukee Foothills has its own "screener" - Gigi Veasey, owner of Alcohol Recovery Solutions. Veasey just got a state license from the Department of Health Services to do the initial screenings that determine treatment for DUI offenders. "There were options all over the Valley but nothing in Ahwatukee," Veasey said. "I had a couple of people who called early this year complaining they had to take a bus. It took a few hours on the bus to get to a class in Mesa. If you are not on time, the doors are locked." When someone is convicted of drunken driving, they must go to a state-approved screener, who determines whether they need education or treatment and what type. They may be assigned to a two-day, 16-hour class that costs $160, as well as up to 20 hours of individual or group therapy and treatment. That is in addition to jail time that generally ranges from three to 60 days. "It's an experience most people don't want to repeat," Veasey said. Most people also lose their driving privileges. Some offenders can get restricted licenses that allow them to go only to work and care appointments. |
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Ahwatukee Foothills has its share of people with alcohol and drug problems, Veasey said, noting that about half of the 30 clients she sees monthly live in the community. Veasey is not necessarily looking for more clients. She reminds holiday partygoers that if they plan to drive, they should limit themselves to one drink, although for people who are tired or have low tolerance for liquor even that may be too much. She said most people think that after one or two drinks, they are fine to drive. But their judgment and response time are already impaired, and they are in danger of an arrest or accident. "Tis the season to be careful. It (a DUI) is not worth it." This information is courtesy of http://www.azcentral.com/ |
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