Willing Inmates in Nevada Gaining Sobriety
*Note: This program is currently NOT in operation.  
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Vitality Unlimited’s award-winning substance abuse treatment program for male prison inmates has achieved an 82.25% success rate. Vitality Unlimited is experienced in designing and operating a successful model prison treatment program called WINGS. This model program could be effectively replicated in correctional programs throughout the nation.

An Innovative Program Takes Flight
In 1998, Vitality Unlimited partnered with the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) in a unique residential substance abuse treatment program for male prison inmates. Called WINGS – Willing Inmates in Nevada Gaining Sobriety – this intensive program successfully transformed participating inmates into productive members of society. In the state of Nevada, where the social services infrastructure can’t keep pace with rapid economic development, WINGS has demonstrated the power of innovative problem-solving to address community concerns.

A  Model for Forward-Thinking Prison Administrators
WINGS operated in Unit 5 at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center, a medium-security NDOC facility in Carson City, Nevada, for 8.5 years, where it was managed by the NDOC. 166 inmates serving the final year of their prison sentence were involved in the WINGS therapeutic community .

Vitality Unlimited initially opened its ASAM III.5 residential treatment program (WINGS) for men in the Warm Springs Correctional Center in Carson City, Nevada, in 1998. The contract for this successful program was renewed in 2002 for two years with a two-year extension. As a result, this program moved in November 2002 to larger facilities at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City in order to treat more inmates by expanding the available treatment beds from 105 to 172. The program was closed in January of 2007.

A Phased Approach
The nine- to twelve-month WINGS program has three phases. The primary focus for Phase I is addiction education, which includes introductions to ego defense mechanisms, the alcohol/drugs-as-disease concept, and Steps 1 through 3 of the 12-Step Program of recovery.

Inmates are restricted to their specific area where they have limited television, telephone, and visitation privileges. Urine drug tests and cell searches are frequent. Group sessions on anger management, communication, and thinking errors address inmates' issues. Inmates must participate in all aspects of the program, complete assignments, and demonstrate the desire for change. They must also undergo evaluation by their peers and pass the Phase I Proficiency Exam to prove their increased knowledge of the addiction process.

Phase II of the WINGS treatment program focuses on behavioral change. In addition to attending group therapy sessions, inmates attend classes on topics such as grief and loss issues, criminal thinking, and relationships. They participate in recreational activities, attend AA/NA meetings, and complete Steps 4 through 7 of the 12-Step Program. Advancement to Phase III is dependent on the inmate's participation level, knowledge of relapse prevention skills, demonstrations of behavioral change, and performance on an essay test.

Phase III continues coursework on preventing criminal thinking, relapse prevention, communication skills, and Steps 8 through 12 of the 12-Step Program. Participants may take advantage of available educational and vocational classes to attain a high school diploma or GED.

The main emphasis in Phase III is on release planning, street readiness, and aftercare preparation. Classes on conflict resolution and parenting help prepare inmates to return to their families. Whenever feasible, inmates who do not have families waiting are placed in halfway houses or other supportive environments after their release. Vitality Center also provides outpatient services, by referral.

Soaring Out of the System
Vitality Unlimited opened Footprints Counseling Services in Sun Valley in 2002, with a primary focus of meeting the continuing care needs of WINGS graduates.

For More Information
For more information about WINGS, contact Dorothy North at 775.738.4118.