Can being in a 13 automatically qualify us for a public defender?

[Flamingo]

Actually, it's my current husband. He has been in recovery for 2 years now. He relapsed in August 06, but clean since then.
Bad news. I got a call from the treatment center on Friday and we had to go get my son. I had told him on Weds that he needed to be completely honest with his case manager about his feelings if they were going to help him. Took him 2 days to get up the guts to tell them he had been BSing the program, and while he knew he needed to try to stop taking the pills, he couldn't say he was ready to give up other stuff (ie marijuana). So.........they decided he needed to leave because he wasn't fully "invested in recovery". Now I am nervous as heck about everything...Mostly keeping him drug free.......then there is court (and how negative this will look) and school (negative again, as far as trying to get him back in).
Of course, nothing can happen till after the holidays, so everything is pretty much on hold right now. I'm supposed to call a local outpatient treatment facility and set up counseling on Weds. I am scared to death about it all at this point. Haven't been able to reach his attorney either (also because of the holidays).........If any of you are the "praying sort", I would appreciate adding us to your prayers at this time.K

First of all, Merry Christmas to you and your family. Secondly, who is the parent and who is the child? Thirdly, addicts usually require a hand-holding figure in their lives to tell them all is going to be OK; they put that figure under their control while they play the victim. Realize that your son is going to fight this demon all his life, even if he stays clean for a period of time. It will drive you insane, along with your family and his future wife and family, especially if he has relapses. Your son wants his independence yet he wants mommy there to hold his hand. Once you two can get past that obstacle (may take years if ever) that will be one of his big major first steps. My first husband (now deceased) was an alcoholic and drug addict. My youngest daughter with him, now 33, became an alcoholic and had troubles with pot also. She had a black out one day a few years back and that was her wake up call. She went to AA, got through it, and now counsels with AA while now working at a fabulous job.

We will pray for your son and for you. If you are a member of a church in your area it would not hurt to seek counsel from the priest in that congregation and maybe have him see and talk to your son.

[CindyLou]

You can talk to the prosecuter and ask for court appointment drug rehab. That way he doesn't have a choice.

With adults rehab doesn't do any good unless they person wants to change, but its different with a child. Needs someone to say, "you have to do rehab, like it or not" If a court appoints is not only does the state have to pay for it, the person has no choice.

I am recently been through this same thing with my brother and we asked the judge for court appointed rehab, which he got.....

Good luck and keep us posted.

[krielly]

Thanks again to all for your words of encouragement.
Unfortunately, with the holidays upon us, things have been on hold. I have left a message with his attorney, but he is out of the office this week. The receptionist told me he will be checking messages, but I don't know if I will hear from him this week or next.
We are trying to take the tough love approach at home for now. No phone, took his cell phone & cancelled his plan, and he's not allowed to go anywhere or see anyone at home even (unless approved by us). The timing is good as my DH is laid off from work for the next 7 weeks, so he is home to "supervise".

I'm waiting to hear back from a counselor at an outpatient treatment facility. I'm familiar with this place, as both my husband and I have used this place in the past. They will be setting up an outpatient plan for him and he will probably have 3 sessions/wk. One on one counseling, group session, and family counseling for the 3 of us together. That's the plan for now, to get him enrolled in some type of treatment. His next court date is not until Feb.

He has not expressed any resistance whatsoever in going to outpatient counseling............so far............

thanks again
K