SENICA is a State Licensed Behavioral Rehabilitation Company that specializes in changing lives. We help people gain insight and awareness into flawed thinking and self-defeating patterns and actions. Every SENICA program gives clients the tools they need to better understand themselves and to make life-changing decisions. At SENICA, we care deeply about the success of each individual and it is our mission to help reduce recidivism and change lives. Programs offered in: Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence, Anger Management, Economic Crime Intervention and Driving Rehabilitation.
February 12, 2010: Recidivism and Program Evaluations. We believe we are one of the only agencies actively trying to measure our effectiveness at preventing recidivism. Additionally, we have collected over 2,200 anonymous program surveys from our graduates. Jenny has created a nice 2-page summary of these very important measures. Please download and have a quick look at our SENICA Recidivism and Program Evaluations Results document. If you have any questions call Jenny at (248) 426-2200.
January 4, 2010: Can you believe it's 2010?? Happy New Year to all. We've updated our Referral Form and placed a downloadable PDF on our SENICA Courts/Probation page There is also a PDF typeable form available.
November 14, 2009: Retail Theft Intervention Program - GREAT REVIEWS. We got two from the Saturday 11/14/09 program led by Instructor John Vetrano. FYI, the RTI folks are our most difficult...we have to chase them and chase them to get them enrolled in a class, then we often pull a call list a few days before and call them AGAIN to remind them to be there. Just part of this business and part of our committment to helping these folks stay compliant. Anyway, the reviews. One participant was "...a little upset I had to take the class" beforehand but afterwards wrote "I think it was very beneficial." and "I think I've learned some things that are very helpful. I'm not just saying this, I truely learned a lot of information". Another participant wrote "I'm glad I took the class. It was very interesting." This person also wrote, next to the question "Was the office staff polite and professional?" that "Anna was GREAT". Nice work Anna and John V.!
November 11, 2009: Driving and texting. There has been a significant increase in media coverage about how distracting and dangerous this activity is. While everyone agrees it is dangerous, it seems everyone is attacking the problem in different ways. There has been a lot of talk about banning cell phone usage while driving in Michigan, but little action yet. Britain, on the other hand, has always had strict legal deterrents. Read this article about Britain's current legal mindset regarding driving and texting.
October 12, 2009: SENICA's Driving Simulator: Many of you have seen it. Some of you have sat down and tried it. I'm sure all of you have questions about it. Download this file to learn all about what a powerful tool this is for developing personal insight and awareness. SENICA's Driving Simulator FAQ's. If you have any questions call Jenny at (248) 426-2200.
September 17, 2009: Domestic Violence Statistics: From October 2003 to September 2004, domestic violence programs in Michigan received 55,208 crisis calls, an average of 151 crisis calls per day. Michigan domestic violence programs provided residential and non-residential services to 56,924 women and children. During the same year 6,466 victims were denied access to shelter due to lack of space.(Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board.) This is one statistic from an interesting compliation we've put together for you to download. Click the link to download the very interesting SENICA Domestic Violence Statistics PDF. If you have any questions call Jenny at (248) 426-2200.
September 16 2009: We've received a fair number of these "thank you" notes recently, and I honestly feel a bit wierd about posting some of them here; is it too self-promoting? Hopefully not, because in the end the most important thing to you, the courts and Probation Officers and Judges, is whether we're having a positive effect on people. Are we helping people gain Insight (the "I" in SENICA!)? Are we helping them gain Awareness (the "A"!)? We think the answer is YES, and these unsolicited letters help us feel good about the job we're doing. And we need that because, honestly, there are some really tough days along the way as well. Anyway, here's a letter we received yesterday from a recent domestic violence program graduate: Michelle, I am writing because I felt that I should give thanks to my class mates, Stan, Barbara, and the Senica Organization for your Domestic Violence program. When I first entered the program, I felt that the program was too extreme and not applicable to my situation. In fact, I wasnt open to participating in a Domestic Violence program because I believed that there was nothing wrong with me. Around the 3rd or 4th week of the program, I was at a cross road with myself because I wanted more out of my life and my relationship with my wife, XXXXXX. I had an awakening, that even though I didnt consider myself a violent person, I was guilty of some of the points on the Power and Control wheel, and those were the things that I had to change in order to achieve my goal. I knew I had to allow myself to open up to hear the message of the program. To me, the program was like a new song on the radio. I didnt like it at first, but the more I listened to beat of the song, the more I heard the chorus, and finally when I understood the meaning of the lyrics, thats when the program started to have an affect on me. By opening myself, I found the golden nuggets that were applicable to my areas of change and allowed the message to help me evolve. I believe that the program is EXTREMELY effective! Again, I send many thanks to those who helped me with my progression. [Name withheld] As this person mentioned, he attended sessions led by both Stan and Barbara, and he worked with Michelle in the office. Great job, everyone.
September 3 2009: At SENICA, we work very hard for both the courts and our probationers. Many, if not most, of the folks with which we interact are good people that have made a terrible mistake and truely want to learn from it. We treat everyone with respect and dignity, and it is nice when that is appreciated. We received the following email from a recent graduate: Ms. Henderlong, I am writing this letter to thank you for the professionalism in which you displayed throughout my dealings with you. Every time I had to contact you about the court ordered classes I took thru S.E.N.I.C.A. you were truly great to deal with. I am sure it was not easy to schedule my classes as rapidly as you did but you were able to do so and I appreciate it. I also appreciate the timeliness in which you forwarded all pertinent information to my probation officer. I was always surprised when my probation officer would say that she had already received updates from you. I know that in the field you work, it may be easy to look down on your clients. I never felt that you did this and again it was appreciated. I do not know how S.E.N.I.C.A. is set up, but if you have a supervisor make sure you tell them that you are doing a good job for them. So again I would truly like to thank you and tell you that I appreciate the job you do and the way that you do it. Sincerely, [Name withheld] The SENICA liasion was Alisa Henderlong. Nice job, Alisa.
September 1, 2009: SENICA's Lethality Indicator: Jenny has written a short article about this valuable tool we use in conjunction with our Domestic Violence programs. Judges and PO's are using it to assess the risk of another violent incident by their probationer. There is no additional charge for this tool; it is included in our assessments and Progress Updates. Download the SENICA's Lethality Indicator article for more information. If you have any questions call Jenny at (248) 426-2200.
August 31 2009: We received the following email from a recent graduate of our Domestic Violence program: Alisa, I have now completed the program with Senica. I appreciate the support you have provided to make the experience rewarding. I would also want to extend my gratitude to Stan. Stan has been very skillful and professional in this type of subject. I want to ensure that necessary paperwork is given to [probation officer] in a timely fashion prior to my court date this month of September. Thank you. [Name withheld] The SENICA instructor was Stan Czech. Nice job, Stan.
August 18, 2009: Useful tool for Probation Officers: we've created an 8-page History/Assessment form free for your download and use. It combines several forms we've come across and is extensive. Use it during a PSI interview or as the starting point to get to know your probationer. There is a PDF file you can download, save, and print when needed. There is also a PDF typeable form available; WARNING-you cannot save your typing in a file unless you have PDF-writer software but you can print it. Go to the SENICA Courts/Probation web page for the download links.
August 11, 2009: Probation Matters Newsletter: you should have received a copy in the mail by now. It has several useful articles about a range of topics and also includes a very funny section about DUI laws in other countries; I don't think they have a DUI problem in El Salvador. If you want a paper copy call Jenny at (248) 426-2200 or you can click to download the July 2009 SENICA Probation Matters Newsletter
August 4, 2009: Very interesting article in the Detroit Free Press this morning. There has been a lot of talk recently about Michigan's parole policies and MPRI as their funding is being challenged by various state legislators. This article give some depth to the debate. Let us know what you think by emailing us at Adam: awellman@senicaservices.com or Jenny: jingles@senicaservices.com. Click here for the Detroit Free Press article about Parolee Hysteria Threatening Rehab Efforts.
August 1, 2009: It is difficult to understand some choices. Unfortunately, more times than not, when a person makes a poor choice they are not the only one who is paying the consequences that result from their actions. When a driver makes a poor choice they are endangering themselves, their passengers and everyone else on the road. This was certainly the case in one current event that hit close to home for many of us. On Thursday July 9, 2009 in Canton, Michigan, Dan Broughton was driving on a suspended license. He had been convicted of a number of traffic violations including speeding, disobeying stop signs, failure to show a drivers license and causing an accident. He made the choice to go around a down railroad gate to try and beat an Amtrak train over the tracks. The result of his choice left himself and four of his friends, ranging in age from 14 to 21, dead after they were hit by the train and pushed nearly one mile down the track. Click here for the Fox 2 News coverage and video of the crash. While this was a tragic event that many will suffer and mourn over for a long period of time, we as educators must look at it as a learning experience. We must determine what we can do to help prevent others bad driving decisions from putting more innocent people at risk of experiencing an event such as this. SENICA offers a wide range of Driving Rehab programs that address the chain link of consequences that can come along with bad decision making on the road. Even though a speeding ticket or a traffic violation may seem minor, addressing the issue and helping a driver understand the need to eliminate poor decision making habits could result in the safety of more lives on our roads. SENICÃÂÃÂs Advanced Driving Rehabilitation Program focuses on changing poor decision making (and the consequences that arise) as well as focusing on other key factors that lead to dangerous driving. To learn more about SENICAÃÂÃÂs Driving Rehab programs and the benefits they provide for drivers who make bad decisions please contact Jenny (248) 426-2200.
July 8, 2009: What is Retail Theft?: Shoplifting or merchandise theft is one of the top convicted Retail Theft offenses. The theft of merchandise takes place when a consumer intentionally takes a product without paying for it, switches the price tag on a product or returns the product for a fraudulent refund. This triggers many to assume the term ÃÂÃÂRetail TheftÃÂÃÂ is used when a crime of shoplifting was committed at a merchandise store. However, this phrase also includes many more fraud offenses. Other common Retail Theft offenses are embezzlement, credit card fraud and check fraud. SENICA offers Retail Theft Intervention programs that address all forms of Retail Theft. During our 6 hour didactic Retail Theft Intervention program, students are placed in a small class room setting with a MasterÃÂÃÂs Level instructor as an authoritative moderator. Through extensive student participation criminal thinking patterns, self-justification, addiction, excuse-making and a personal plan for change are addressed. During our 18 hour didactic Intensive Retail Theft Intervention program all information in the 6 hours class is covered as well as the 12-Step Recovery Principles of Shoplifters Anonymous and advanced strategies for lifelong recidivist behavior avoidance. If you have any questions or would like more information about our Retail Theft Intervention program, please contact Jenny (248) 426-2200, Ext. 104.
June 30, 2009: MPRI To Face Funding Cut??: Here's a blurb from the MPRI website: State lawmakers are closer to enacting a 2009-10 budget for the Department of Corrections after the Senate narrowly passed a $1.9 billion spending plan in a 20-16 vote on June 24. Some lawmakers disputed whether Gov. Jennifer Granholm's plan to close prisons will actually save the state $120 million and expressed concern about public safety as more prisoners are paroled. Funding for the MPRI, which had previously enjoyed broad bipartisan support, was reduced by $14 million from the Governor's budget recommendation of $53 million for FY-2010. The House is expected to reject the Senate version and put the budget into a conference committee to resolve the differences. For a longer news story go here.
June 19, 2009: SENICA has moved! We've been sending out faxes and emails, but if you've missed them please be aware that we moved our central office to Farmington Rd. and 8 Mile; see our Locations page for the full address. We just ran out of space on Grand River Ave. and found a great new office that allows us to breath a little and have some extra classroom space. Our phone/fax numbers stayed the same. And you can always email.
May 23, 2009: 2009 MADCPO Conference. SENICA attended the MADCPO Conference at Shanty Creek Resort from May 19-22. As usual, it was flawlessly run and wonderful to connect with our friends and customers. We did miss a lot of folks, however. It sure seemed like attendance was down for the courts from the southeastern part of the state, while there was great attendance from the west and northern Michigan courts. Hope to see everyone at the 2010 conference. We had a great enter to win this year...lots of prizes highlighted by a iPod Touch (congrats Tamara!) and several pairs of Michigan football tickets. We gained a lot of insight from your responses to our survey about our marketing efforts and will be sure to incorporate your input into our work. Finally, I hope everyone had a chance to read the poster about our Recidivism Survey. We think this is valuable and interesting information about how SENICA is succeeding with your probationers. If you missed it please contact me (Adam) or Jenny at our office and we'll email you the results to date.
May 7, 2009: The DESIGNATE. Here's another valuable resource for your probationers (and possibly you!). The Designate is a personal driving service that focuses on helping people get home safely from a night out when they've had a bit too much to drink. The best part is they also get your vehicle home. Based in Birmingham, they cover SE Michigan and are a highly professional company. It's not as cheap as a taxi, but they cover a much wider area, get your vehicle home with you, and is still a lot cheaper than that OWIL ticket!. Check out their website at The DESIGNATE.
April 23, 2009: SENICA'S EMPLOYABILITY SEMINAR. We've written a tutorial about how to find and maintain employment. It's available as a free download on our Probation page. Please distribute as needed and let us know if you have any feedback. We especially want to hear if it helps someone find a job! Click here and look for the Employability Seminar download link.
April 17, 2009: CNN had a great report this morning on DRUG COURTS. The report said drug courts have a 17% recidivism rate vs 60% for all offenders, which is proof of their efficacy. It also said federal budged funds for these programs have increased by 250%, which bodes will for the future. here.
March 29, 2009: Domestic Abuse Early Intervention Program: We received some good feedback from a participant on this day. For their answer to the question "What benefits did you realize as a result of this class?" they wrote: "I have insight where I had blind rage. I have healing where I felt hurt." This person also wrote "After the class I felt remorse...when I first got here violence wasn't seen as unusual or dysfunctional. Now my view is that any violence is too much - problem solving skills will now have some enhancement. [This class] was not my idea of a fun Sunday but it's been a blessing in disguise." The SENICA instructor was Marlon Blanks, who just recently completed our training program. Clearly Mr. Blanks is off to a good start! Great job!
March 27, 2009: This is a reverse GOOD JOB from SENICA Instructor Patty Massey to all the participants in the March 27 Retail Theft Program. Patty wants all those participants to know: "This class very engaged and not one person sat back without participating. It was actually the best group of probationers I've had! Everyone of them added to the class by asking lots of questions and for explanations about the material. It was a pleasure to have all of them in class because they all shared and openly discussed their situations. It seemed like they were comfortable with one another too. It was awesome!!" Good job to all you folks!
March 23, 2009: The $60 Billion Madoff Ponzi debacle continues to have ripple effects. I'm sure many of you are aware that the Michigan Prisioner Reentry Initiative, through the JHET Foundation, has lost significant funding because of this thief. Here's a great article from the Council of Michigan Foundations that details what's been lost and what the future holds to continue this good work. Click here.
March 19, 2009: Please welcome our new instructor, Mr. John Vetrano. Mr. Vetrano will be instructing a variety of SENICA programs in the southeast Michigan region. He is a full time Social Worker at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Pontiac and has extensive experience with intervention/didactic and counseling services. He has a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Wayne State University and is a licensed social worker (LMSW) and professional counselor (LPC). Additionally, he is a Clinically Certified Forensic Counselor. Welcome, John!
March 17, 2009: Please welcome our new instructor, Ms. Catherine Zoss. Ms. Zoss will be instructing a variety of SENICA programs in the southeast Michigan region. She has a Master's Degree in Counseling from Oakland University and nearly 15 years experience facilitating court ordered educational programs. Ms. Zoss is a full-time Probation Officer at the 52-3 District Court in Rochester, MI. Welcome, Katie!
March 9, 2009: Please welcome SENICA's new marketing intern, Ms. Angela Massey. Angela is pursuing her MBA at Walsh College with a specialization in Marketing. She's got some criminal justice system experience, having worked as a Financial Technician for the US Eastern District Court in Detroit in 2006. Angela will be helping us with our marketing efforts, which includes creating those spiffy and informative flyers that are faxed to Probation Officers. She'll also occasionally be on the phones so if she picks up your call please be nice and welcome her to the world of court ordered education!
February 18 2009: We need your help. We have been getting more and more calls asking for help finding related services such as intensive outpatient clinics, homeless shelters, sober homes, etc. Over the years we've compiled lists of these things, but we're always on the watch for others so we can pass on info and help when asked. That's why we're here, right? To help. So if you know of any good providers in any related area please pass their contact info on to us so we can do a better job helping these folks connect to badly needed services. Send us an email at info@senicaservices.com or just call us at 248-426-2200. THANK YOU!
February 15 2009: Here's a nice participant evaluation form comment from our 2/15/20009 Domestic Abuse Early Intervention program: "The class was excellent and worth a lot. Mr. [Czech] was so complete, and neat, and tought me VERY well. Thank you!" The SENICA instructor was Stan Czech.
January 31 2009: Alcohol Insight and Awareness Program. This participant said "Everyone there should have gotten something out of the program. Participation was ample and appropriate. Instructress kept to the material - made it relevant - involved and encouraged everyone's engagement. She also turned away late comers (15 mins) which was appropriate and necessary to such a program". The SENICA instructor was Patricia Massey.
January 28, 2009: Here's a positive comment from an evaluation form from our 1/28/2009 Basic Driver Safety Level I program. "SENICA's program was very informal and discussed a lot of information that I wasn't aware [of]. I would recommend this class to any one of my friends for help controlling their driving tickets / road rage". The instructor for this program was Stan Czech.
January 1, 2009: In response to an overwhelming demand, SENICA will be hosting its second CAC event on January 23, 2009. Similar to last year, this event will be held at no charge to probation officers or court officers. On this occasion, CEO of SENICA Dr. Bryan Weinstein , D.O will be speaking on "Dual Implications and Treatment of Duel Diagnosis". The event will be held from 9AM to 2PM at 17117 West 9 Mile Road, Suite# 114, Southfield MI 48075. For registration or any questions/concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Alisa at (248) 426-2200 ext. 102.
