Respected Tacoma DUI Lawyers

What to Expect during an Alcohol Information School Program

If the court has ordered you to complete a course in an Alcohol Information School as part of a DUI penalty, you’ll feel a little better walking through the door when you know what to expect. These schools, often call ADISs (Alcohol and Drug Information Schools), provide people with solid information about the effects of alcohol and drugs, as well as an open forum for discussion and self-exploration. It is legislators’ hope that attending these courses will provide a foundation for more responsible citizenship and identify any needs for further alcohol or drug treatment.

What to Expect at Alcohol Information School

Most people are ordered to take an 8-hour ADIS course after receiving a DUI. Details of the legal stipulations can be found in RCW 46.61.5056. Each school may have slightly different approaches, but they all serve the same purpose and the Department of Social and Health Services must approve all. The cost of most courses range from $100 to $200, and most classes provide lunch and educational materials.

Below are some of the things the course will cover.

• Lectures on how alcohol and drugs affect the mind and body
• Steps to better decision-making
• Stages of change
• Information about recognizing the signs of addiction
• Discussion about how alcohol and drugs affect your family, job, and well-being
• The law and legal consequences related to alcohol
• Assistance with making changes to high-risk substance use behavior

Finding a Local Alcohol Information School

The Pierce County government website provides a list of dozens of drug/alcohol programs with agencies that offer ADIS courses. Make sure that the state approves the agency you select and that the course instructor has the required certification to teach the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse-approved curriculum. For a complete listing of agencies, visit the Pierce County Washington website and do a search for “Agency List.”

Using ADIS as a Springboard to a Better Life

While you may be mandated to go to the program, you have a choice: You can go there begrudgingly and just go through the motions, or you can use it as a real catalyst for change. We urge you to use ADIS program for the latter.

Craig Rock, founder of ADIS provider, North Star Treatment Group, shares this powerful testimonial: “On April 16, 1999, I drank alcohol for the last time. Until that point, I’d had a tumultuous relationship with the party lifestyle. Years of drinking and drugging had begun to systemically dismantle my life until a near-death experience finally woke me to reality. When my desire to live became more important than my desire to drink, I was finally able to get sober.”