It is unlawful for a person under the age of twenty-one to purchase, attempt to purchase, consume, or knowingly possess beer, wine or liquor. Violations will result in a fine and/or imprisonment and completion of a DAODAS approved alcohol prevention education or intervention program.

ALPHA Behavioral Health Center offers a DAODAS approved educational program, Alcohol Awareness Program(AAP). The AAP is an 8 hour class divided into 2, 4-hour sessions. The goal of AAP is to help participants understand the risks associated with underage drinking, the phases of high risk drinking and addiction, and how low risk decisions can protect values.

For individuals referred through the Solicitor’s Office Alcohol Education Program (AEP), the AAP class taken with ALPHA is only one requirement. For a complete list of requirements and any separate fees, please refer back to the Solicitor’s Office. The only fee paid to ALPHA is the fee for the 8 hour class of $150 to be paid in full at the final session. At the completion of the class, ALPHA will provide each participant with a certificate.

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The Youth Arbitration Program (YAP) is a restorative justice program. It provides first-time offenders a chance to accept the responsibility for their actions by attempting to repair the harm caused by their crime. The goal is to have them restored to their community.

YAP also increases the competency and learning of the offender so they can become productive, law-abiding citizens, and to reduce recidivism.

One must meet the following criteria to be eligible for Arbitration; 

• First-time offenders charged with non-violent crimes
• Persons aged 11-16
• Those who have not participated in a prior diversion program
• Those who are not status offenders
• Those willing to admit responsibility for their crime
• Participation is voluntary. 

YAP is a privilege and not a right. Participants may be referred by local Law Enforcement, the Solicitor’s Office, or the Department of Juvenile Justice.

The Pre-Trial Intervention Program (PTI) provides defendants, generally first-time offenders, with the opportunity for alternatives to enroll in the traditional criminal justice process of ordinary prosecution.PTI seeks to render early rehabilitative services, when such services can reasonably be expected to deter future criminal behavior.

The PTI program is based on a rehabilitative model that recognizes that there may be an apparent connection between the criminal offense and the rehabilitative needs of a defendant. In addition, the rehabilitative model emphasizes that social, cultural, and economic conditions often result in a defendant’s decision to commit a criminal offense.

Participants are referred by the Solicitor’s Office. Enrollment must be completed and submitted in a timely manner. 

On the day of class, please be sure fees for class and drug screen (if required)  are made at ALPHA, these are separate from fees for Solicitor’s Office.

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The South Carolina Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program (ADSAP) is a mandatory statewide education and treatment program designed to lower risk for individuals who are convicted of impaired driving related offenses. 

This program utilizes the Prime for Life curriculum taught in a group setting which typically meets twice a week for 4 weeks. Participants will learn low-risk choices in order to protect the things they value most in their life.  It is a highly interactive group that not only educates participants on low-risk choices for alcohol and other drugs of abuse but assists participants with developing a plan of action for making low-risk choices.

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The Criminal Domestic Violence Program is a pre-trial intervention-diversion program for defendants with domestic violence charges. You must be referred by the Solicitor or the Court. Individuals referred to ALPHA will participate in the Batterer’s Intervention Program (BIP), which is a 26 week treatment program that provides weekly group counseling to perpetrators of domestic violence. The batterer will receive an assessment to include a lethality assessment. 

Participants will learn about the multiple types of domestic violence while learning the necessary skills for stopping abusive behaviors.  Participants learn to acknowledge and accept responsibility for their actions and build a “backpack” of effective coping skills to deal with their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Additional treatment needs may be addressed during the 26-week program for other maladaptive behaviors.

The Drug Court program  is an intensive treatment program for drug-abusing offenders referred by the Criminal Justice System in lieu of a prison sentence. This program brings together the criminal justice and public health systems to provide treatment for offenders with a substance use disorder to reduce substance use/misuse, increase public safety, and improve the community.

ALPHA works with the Solicitor’s Offices in the Fourth and Fifth Judicial Circuits in receiving referrals for treatment services for individuals accepted into the Drug Court program and participates as a member of the overall treatment team of the program. ALPHA provides treatment services that aim at recognizing addiction as a disease and treating the thinking and behaviors associated with the substance use and criminal acts. Research has proven that participation in these types of programs can reduce recidivism and drug use. Individuals are able to enter into long term recovery and develop skills that will help them in becoming self-sufficient and a productive part of society.

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