Putnamville launches meth recovery program

PUTNAMVILLE -- The Putnamville Correctional Facility recently implemented a methamphetamine recovery program that enables offenders to be housed in a community environment within the prison and provides offenders with techniques to promote positive, constructive thinking, and a drug free lifestyle.

The Clean Lifestyle Is Freedom Forever program, or CLIFF, was started at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison, but was transferred to Putnamville, a medium security prison, to free bed space at WVCF and due to the majority of the participants at Wabash being classified as medium security.

"I don't want the relocation to take anything away from the program," said Putnamville Superintendent Bruce Lemmon. "My goal is to improve the services, and to make it the best CLIFF program in the department."

Still in its infancy at Putnamville, CLIFF is operating at full capacity.

One hundred fifty-six offenders identified as methamphetamine users or abusers are currently assigned to the program, where they are provided the tools and coping mechanisms to sustain a meth-free life.

During the course of the four-stage curriculum, participants receive individual, group, and recovery-based counseling.

"Studies show that graduates of the CLIFF program at other IDOC facilities have better conduct records while in prison, and, significantly lower recidivism rates," Lemmon said. "In this case, that equates 156 incarcerated individuals who are less likely to return to our prisons ... and we're just getting started."