STEPBYSTEP

1st Step Newsletter   |   March 2023

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Executive Director’s Letter

Small but Mighty


Many have said, “What I give is insignificant because of the donation size.” Never doubt that your support is not essential, no matter how small. Like the widow's mite, each small gift encourages others to give, and the collective gifts can save lives. Every dollar counts, and those dollars can change a man's and his family's lives. Although we depend on large donations, we also appreciate the sacrifice of those that give smaller gifts. Numerous small gifts are a measure of the broad support our program enjoys.


Broad support from the public is a condition for granting the Public Charity designation of the IRS. Each year we calculate the percentage of public dollars we get. Public dollars are different from those given by Foundations. Our organization must receive at least 33% of donations from the public, and remaining a Public Charity is necessary for tax purposes.


We figured out our public dollars for the past five (5) years, which was 42%. I want to thank all our small but mighty donors for their consistent giving, allowing us to maintain our Public Charity status. Thanks from the 1st Step Family.


Sincerely,

david phillips signature

David Phillips

Executive Director and Co-Founder of the 1st Step Male Diversion Program

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1935-2023

Tribute to Ruth Nelson

The entire 1st Step family is deeply saddened by the passing of our benefactor, Ruth Nelson. Our Board, staff, and our participants, who are receiving or have received the benefit of the programs which exist largely due to Ruth’s generosity, salute her vision and steadfast dedication. From the outset, when we were no more than ideas and ambition, Ruth saw the importance of our mission: keeping young men out of prison by changing their lives.


In 2016, when the founders of 1st Step, David Phillips, Rob Nigh, and Bill Kellough, called on Ruth, she greeted us warmly but said little. We talked for over an hour, telling her of our plan: the need for services to help young men which the criminal justice system had largely discarded. We did not know how this was going over. After a pause and a smile, she asked us “What do you need?” Not having discussed an appropriate answer and perhaps not expecting to have to address it at all, one of us blurted out “$250,000.” She said “fine,” and held out her hand. Ruth’s handshake was warm and firm and represented a sincere and lasting commitment. She told us it gave her pleasure to contribute to causes she believed in during her life so that she could see and enjoy the fruits of her generosity.



But now that she is gone, her legacy lives on in the dozens, probably hundreds of charities, which have thrived due to her philanthropy. 1st Step is merely one of many. But the impact she had on our growth and success is perhaps unique. Ruth was and will remain our most generous angel and friend.

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BOARD ENGAGEMENT

The 1st Step Development Committee


Fundraising for 1st Step is an ongoing challenge. With steady growth comes greater need for operating and capital revenue. The Development Committee of the Board of Trustees, along with the staff Development Officer, is charged with the responsibility to raise funds from a variety of sources: private foundations, government grants and individual donations.

 

1st Step does not have a contractual source of funds so we have an annual challenge of contacting familiar donors and looking for new funding opportunities. For 2023, the Development Committee is charged with raising $967,000 for operations and $1.4 million for the important new capital project: purchasing land and constructing a residence to house up to 18 participants and 2 house managers.

 

The members of the Development Committee have unique skills and experiences and are up to the challenge. Its Chairman, William C. Kellough, is a co-founder of 1st Step and former president and board member. He has led the fundraising effort since 1st Step’s inception in March 2016. Assisting Kellough are board members, Dean Williams, Keith Hall and Carla Meyer. Dean is the founder of Vagabonds Inc and Open Lands LLC and has a 35-year real property career. Keith is Assistant Administrator at the Tulsa Public Schools’ Phoenix Rising school and has over 15 years of experience in public schools and community assistance. Carla Meyer is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Tulsa Area United Way.

 

The Development Committee meets quarterly and provides overall guidance and strategy for the ongoing fundraising work.

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Team Member Highlight

Brian Cagle, House Manager

A man with a beard wearing a plaid shirt and tie is smiling for the camera.

I know what it is like to be in trouble, constantly looking over my shoulder, peeking in the rear-view mirror, and praying a cop doesn’t get behind me. Or the feeling of desperation; willing to do anything, regardless of the consequences, to get another fix. I know what it is like to be a ghost in the lives of those who love me the most, too ashamed to come around, even though they wanted me to. I have lived through the horrors of addiction and have found a new way to live in recovery.


When I came to work for 1st Step, I was new in my recovery. I had less than a year clean at the time, but I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of. There is a therapeutic value that cannot be sufficiently described with words when I get to share my experience, strength, and hope with young men who are facing a similar dilemma. Who better to lead someone out of Hell, than someone who has been there and knows the way out?


This is what separates 1st Step from other court programs. Our participants aren’t getting information from misinformed people. They are getting it from people who have lived their experiences, felt their pain, and have found a better way to live. I have been an employee at 1st Step for over 3 years now. Since coming to work for 1st Step as a House Manager, I have become a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist, facilitating recovery groups for our participants every Friday. I am grateful for the opportunity to help change young men’s lives because it helps change my life in the process.
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A group of men are posing for a picture while holding certificates
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Participant Spotlight

Byron Daniels

The 9th of September 2020 marked the beginning of Byron's journey through 1st Step, as he was facing a two-year prison sentence when he began the program. Byron had a strong desire to avoid prison and turn his life around but because of traumatic experiences in his formative years, he had difficulty learning how to manage his feelings. Nevertheless, with hard work and perseverance, he was able to overcome these challenges and is now able to manage and process his emotions in a healthy way. Throughout his journey at 1st Step, his participation in the program, determination, and enthusiasm to successfully finish the program was impressive. He exhibited a strong work ethic and a true commitment to actively participate in the recovery program. In addition to the strong 1st Step therapy program, Byron completed classes in anger management, life skills, moral reconation therapy, financial literacy, and Thinking for Change.


Byron went to Oklahoma Driving School and obtained his driver's license, but he did not stop there. He began to see a brighter future for himself. He decided to get his commercial driver's license (CDL), and he graduated from the program at Central Tech. By August 2022, he completed all the requirements of the 1st Step Male Diversion Program and he successfully graduated.


After graduation, Byron was employed as a truck driver with Hesselbein Tire Company. He benefited greatly from his five months working in the trucking industry, and he decided to start his own trucking business. He now has an LLC: Daniels and Diamond Trucking Company, he has purchased a truck and 12-foot trailer, and he is making a living from trucking throughout the Oklahoma region.


Byron is an exemplary model of a young man who set a goal for himself and accomplished it via a combination of hard effort and persistence. The fact that he was able to thrive in and graduate from the 1st Step Male Diversion Program as well as begin his profession as a truck driver is evidence of his effort and commitment. We are pleased to offer our congratulations to Byron on his accomplishments, and we wish him the best of luck in all his future pursuits.

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A young man is holding a framed certificate in a classroom.
A man is sitting in a car adjusting his seat belt

Byron moving on to the next chapter with joy and determination.

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Newest Team Member

Tyler Harvey, Case Manager

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My name is Tyler Harvey and I started working for 1st Step as a Case Manager in late December 2022. I am a graduate of Christian Alcoholics and Addicts in Recovery program (CAAIR), located in Jay, Oklahoma. I worked as a client dorm manager for a period of seven months when I was a participant in the CAAIR program. Before enrolling in the CAAIR program and altering my life, I was facing a 20-year prison sentence.


I have experience with addiction and am motivated to give back what has been so generously given to me. By sharing my experiences, strengths, and hope, I can assist in leading these young men through their journey at 1st Step. "Believing in others, helps them to believe in themselves". My primary focus is to show these young men how to become happy, joyous, and free while living a productive life in society.
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In-house Programs & Classes Updates

Program Updates

GED Program

Thanks to a Grant of $15,000 from QuikTrip in 2021, 1st Step established an in-house GED program in collaboration with Independent School District No. 9 of Tulsa County (Union Adult Learning Center). The program began in March 2022 and has been very successful. Union provides a dedicated instructor who follows the school year calendar and another teacher for the summer months, creating a year-round program. GED students prepare to test in four areas: mathematical reasoning, reasoning through language arts, social studies, and science.


1st Step participants without a high school diploma begin the GED program shortly after being diverted from prison into the 1st Step program. Because students work at their own pace, new 1st Step participants join the GED program without delay. On the first day of attendance, the teacher registers the new student and assists him in accessing the GED placement test. Then the student progresses through the online preparation for each of the four tests. Students can study at home as well as in class. Successful completion of each test is an important milestone for 1st Step participants and a cause for celebration. 1st Step participants receive a much-needed boost in self-esteem with each passed test and with the positive feedback they receive from 1st Step and GED staff. This revised GED program is an excellent introduction to 1st Step and the possibilities provided to participants who want to change the direction of their lives. In addition, studies specifically indicate completion of a general equivalency diploma is highly correlated to reduced rates of recidivism.

1st Step participants during a GED class.

Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT)

We are pleased to announce that the Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) cognitive behavioral counseling program is being offered in-house, in addition to that provided by HSR (Human Services Research). F. Daniel Duffy, MD, who has transitioned from the 1st Step Board of Directors and has joined the 1st Step staff as Clinical Supervisor, has been certified as an MRT facilitator and is providing the training for seven of our most recent enrollees. He has spent his career as a primary care clinician educator helping people change destructive behaviors through evidence-based motivational interviewing and behavioral counseling.


MRT is an evidence-based CBT program developed by Gregory Little and Kenneth Robinson to help change the criminal thinking and behavior of men and women who are or have been incarcerated. The cognitive aspect of the program is based on the Kohlberg stages of moral development. The workbook steps take the 1st Step participant up the “Ladder of Freedom” from one’s criminal attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. The program takes between three and six months to complete. Participants see how their choices and behaviors have been based on obtaining pleasure and avoiding pain and reciprocity, i.e. “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine.”


By completing a written exercise and then presenting the findings to the MRT group and receiving feedback regarding the honesty and sincerity of the self-examination, participants progress through 12 steps. They explore how their disloyalty has hurt themselves and others, develop strategies for repairing relationships, look at how they are spending their time, and then they design and continually evaluate long-term and short-term plans. They learn humility and trust through these presentations. They gain the habit of service to others and reduce their singular focus on themselves.

As we learn more about this effective program, we will continue to shape the 1st Step program’s incentive and sanctions process to align with the moral stages of development taught in the MRT program.

a picture of a prison sell on a book page titled a moral rconation therapy workbook
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Goal

Intrapersonal Transformative Motivation

1st Step employs several innovative strategies in fulfilling its mission including intrapersonal transformative motivation, positive psychology, and self-awareness congruence tests. When young men enter the 1st Step program, they tend to be self-absorbed and oriented only to present awareness. They exhibit a limited ability to grasp future possibilities and are not positive goal oriented. Intrapersonal transformative motivation is a process that allows each participant to evaluate his psyche and begin to set goals for himself. The program uses positive psychology in the form of frequent incentives for small success to build confidence and self-esteem in the participant. It utilizes a comparison self-evaluation test which allows the participant to evaluate how he views himself and see how others evaluate him. These techniques allow the participant to chart his own path to success.

Accomplishments

Graduation!

In February 2023, 1st Step successfully graduated Carlos Gomez, Nick French, Michael Beard, and Christopher Abreu. 1st Step helped these four young men overcome substance abuse, addiction, or other destructive behaviors that have taken a toll on their lives. Graduating from 1st Step requires hard work, dedication, and a commitment to change. The fact that these 4 young men were able to complete the 1st Step program is a testament to their resilience and determination. They have not only overcome their challenges but have also learned the skills necessary to maintain their sobriety, continue on a positive path, and build a new life. This is a great accomplishment and one that should be celebrated and recognized for the hard work and dedication that went into achieving it.

A man in a blue suit is giving a certificate to another man.

Staff Development

Ethics Class

1st Step management believes that if staff have a thorough grasp of ethical concepts, they will make better judgment calls, refrain from unethical actions, and respect the values of the organization. As a result, in December 2022, 1st Step Case Managers and House Managers attended a 4-hour Ethics Training program taught by a qualified therapist. The purpose of the training was to empower 1st Step staff to better understand their ethical responsibilities toward participants, participants’ families, and other healthcare professionals. The training was participatory and engaging. Staff members were encouraged to talk about their own experiences, and they provided their perspectives on ethical concerns. The session stressed ethical concerns most pertinent to the obligations of the case manager and the house manager. Since completing the training, 1st Step staff members are better able to manage difficult ethical concerns like informed consent and confidentiality.

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Upcoming Events

1st Step at Drillers Game

May 7, 2023: San Antonio at Tulsa Drillers

You can help change a life. Join our mission and help these young men take the 1st Step to a better future.

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