SUPERIOR Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio is advocating for a holistic approach in fighting substance abuse in the CNMI.
Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio speaks during a meeting of government agencies and non-government organizations on Friday at the Aqua Resort Club to discuss substance abuse in the CNMI.
“We must stop the madness of status quo, get away from the punitive system and help us in the development of more treatment courts,” said the judge who also presides over the drug and family courts of the local judiciary.
She delivered her special remarks during a meeting of different government agencies and non-government organizations at Aqua Resort Club to formalize the CNMI Methamphetamine and Opioid Initiative consortium through a memorandum of agreement that was signed on Friday.
“The truth about drug addicts is they are not just drug addicts, rather they are individuals whose addiction often stems from trauma,” Judge Kim-Tenorio said. “Many, if not the majority of the people I encounter are, or were, victims of sexual abuse and assault, physical abuse, domestic violence, emotional abuse, and children who were neglected. Unfortunately [for] those individuals, the trauma led to drug abuse as a coping mechanism. This needs to stop.”
She said the CNMI Methamphetamine and Opioid Initiative community partners have met consistently over the past year to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of substance use disorders; develop a mission and vision statement; conduct an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; and formulate a strategic plan.
“Today, we have a clear vision and a road map to implement identifiable variables to prevent substance abuse through education and to fight substance abuse in a holistic approach,” she added.
For Judge Kim-Tenorio, prevention is key. “Prevention is no less important than treatment. Prevention means educating and reaching out to children and adults alike about the dangers and sometimes deadly effect of drug addiction. More prevention campaign equals less troubleshooting. As a result we will have fewer cases of addiction. Prevention campaigns don’t fall on deaf ears. They work.”
She recalled the “Just say no to drug” campaign of former first lady Nancy Reagan, and a TV commercial that showed an egg cracked onto a pan and fried while the narrator said, “This is your brain on drugs….”
Judge Kim-Tenorio said, “I heard and saw that over and over again growing up and it worked for me.”
She reiterated the need to take into “into account mental and social factors instead of just focusing on the disease of addiction.”
She said the criminal justice system must move away from the traditional punitive system and work toward rehabilitation and intervention.
“We must stop the madness of the status quo. The status quo means having people arrested and appear before the court. For substance abuse we incarcerate them, and then they get released with no help. So, what do we do in addition to not treating their addiction? We turn them into criminals, because it is proven that when you put people in jail for more than three days they start developing criminal thinking.”
She added, “I implore the members of the CNMI judiciary to stop with this madness, get away from the punitive system and help us in the development of more treatment courts. I have been on the bench for eight years, and I cannot ignore the revolving door of recidivism. When I see names of criminal defendants, or parents in wardship cases and I recognize their names, it means they were before me once or more than once. And it makes me wonder if I am effective on the bench, if I am making the best decisions for the individual or practicing the most common decisions. I think about the change that is needed…that includes learning about drug addiction, victim services, criminal thinking, trauma effects…..”
She said through the CNMI Methamphetamine and Opioid Initiative, the government and community organizations can work collaboratively to recognize, understand and spot the gaps in prevention, treatment, and recovery.
She said these gaps include the shortage of treatments providers, the inadequacy of after-care programs, and the lack of family involvement.
Among those who signed the CNMI Methamphetamine and Opioid Initiative Consortium MOA are Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider, House Speaker Edmund Villagomez, Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig, Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan, Saipan Mayor David Apatang, Donna Krum of Al Anon, Saipan Chamber of Commerce executive director Lee Tenorio, Northern Marianas College President Galvin Deleon Guerrero, Hagan/Woong United for Recovery president Wilma Villanueva, certified cognitive behavior consultant Tai D. Doram, Ph.D and CNMI Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro.
Various government agencies and non-government organizations met at Aqua Resort Club Friday to formalize the CNMI Methamphetamine and Opioid Initiative consortium through a memorandum of agreement.
