Drug treatment facility finishes program for 22 convicted felons

EDINBURG - It was more about Rafael Vela's children than it was about himself.

Vela, 37, wanted to be a good father for his three young boys. And from his family's account, he was -- most of the time.

But once Vela found himself sitting in a jail cell after violating his probation with a failed drug test, he realized his problem was he was drunk more than he was sober.

A judge sentenced him to six months at the Hidalgo County Substance Abuse Treatment Facility rather than incarceration.

"I needed a place like this to get myself straight," Vela said Friday, joking that he was the poster child for the program. "It's been a turning point in my life."

The treatment facility celebrated its August opening Friday and recognized the first group of former addicts expected to complete their stints at the center.

The 92-bed facility, housed in the old Hidalgo County boot camp building on North "M" Road, is funded by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to provide substance abuse services to convicted felony offenders.

Twenty-two people including Vela are on track to complete their court-ordered sentences in early February, said Cindy Beltran, a program director for Houston-based Turning Point, which manages the facility for the county.

Judges divert promising candidates to the three-phase program, which focuses on treating clients' substance abuse problems and preventing them from re-offending.

Dealing with the drug problem reduces the likelihood they'll re-enter the criminal justice system. And sending drug abusers to the center is more cost-effective than sending them to jail, said Bonita White, director of TDCJ's Community Justice Assistance Division.

Since 2006, the state has invested more than $200 million in adding treatment beds and reducing caseloads for its probation officers.

The expense has made Texas - long known for its high incarceration rates - a leader in offering substance abuse treatment to felons.

The Hidalgo County facility is the result of the Legislature's increased spending, White said.

"Everybody knows Texas is tough on a crime," she said. "(The treatment facility) is the right way to go."

Vela, who has convictions for theft, drug possession and drunk driving, said the facility has helped him more than any of his previous stints in jail.

As he finishes the final phase of his treatment, he has admitted for the first time that he had problems with drugs and alcohol. He has learned to take responsibility for his own actions.

"The blame game is over," Vela said during an emotional speech that had the center's counselors in tears. "No more excuses."

Jared Janes covers Hidalgo County government and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4424.