Connie Millimaki

Professional Recovery Consultant

After 23 years as a recognized leader within the field of substance abuse treatment, Connie Millimaki co-launched Safe Passages in 2008 to provide specialized, one-on-one care for individuals in need.

She now is co-founder of Safe Passages a customized recovery programs that increase the efficacy of treatment for addiction. Based on a comprehensive understanding of both the cycle of addiction and the availability of resources Safe Passages eases the transition process by creating a bridge between the struggles of addiction and a life of recovery.

Connie’s intensive “24/7” approach supports clients and encourages them to adhere to a relapse prevention treatment plan. She works closely with clients and their therapists, ensuring participation in 12-step programs or other recommended after-care.

Connie Millimaki also operates WomanAlive, a program she founded in 1993, which provides counseling to women in transition and focuses on both substance abuse and domestic violence.

In 1989, she began her career as a drug and alcohol abuse Counselor with St Helena Hospital.  She subsequently held positions including: Napa County Drinker Driver Program; Executive Director of Alternatives for a Better Living, Inc.; and Coordinator for Napa County Superior Court Drug Court.

In 2005, Connie was tapped to provide disaster relief services to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as to other relief workers along the Gulf Coast. She dedicated two years to these relief efforts as a Counselor with the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Her international assignments include consulting with the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, West Indies, and with the New River Cove in Belize.

Connie currently serves on the Napa and Solano County Family Violence Prevention Council, the Non-Profit Coalition, and the Napa County Alcohol and Drug Sub-Committee. She is former chair of the Napa Commission on the Status of Women. She is a Relapse Prevention Specialist and certified by CAADAC II; NAADAC II; and ICRC. She was a 2001 recipient of Napa PEACE Table recognition for her community work.

EMPLOYMENT IN THE FIELD OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Recovery Coaching – (2005-Present) I create a bridge between the struggles of
addiction and living in recovery. Through comprehensive knowledge of connecting resources I was able to bring together the necessary resources to increase the efficacy of treatment for addiction. I helped with the gap in treatment services, the transition process. I spent 24 hours a day supporting clients to follow their relapse prevention treatment plan. I Assisted clients get to aftercare, 12 step meetings and anything else that their therapist recommended them to do.

Consultant – Crossroads Centre, Antigua – At the request of the program I was admissions counselor, handling intake and assessments and admissions for Crossroads Centre in Antigua, West Indies from April through May of 2006 and again in June through August 2006. My work included marketing and intake assessments. Since then I have done interim work at New River Cove in Belize three times.

Counselor-SAMHSA (Substance Abuse Mental Health Administration) (2005-2006). I was a member of five separate SAMSHA disaster relief teams, providing disaster relief to hurricane Katrina and Rita victims and other relief workers in Louisiana, Alabama & Mississippi beginning in October 2005 and concluding in June 2006. My deployments included work in Houma, Louisiana; Mandeville, Louisiana; Pascagoula, Mississippi; Lake Charles, Louisiana and Montgomery, Alabama. .

Coordinator – Napa County Superior Court Drug Court (1999 – 2004) I provided case management services, testing, and individual counseling to Napa County Drug Court Clients. In this position I worked closely with the Superior Court, the District Attorney, the Probation Department, Defense Attorneys, as well as local and regional substance abuse treatment providers. I also provided substance abuse counseling to Drug Court Participants. As the initial case manager for the Drug Court I was responsible for the development of forms and procedures to monitor program participants. I participated in all case management conferences and presented individual case plans at each Drug Court session. As case manager I and my staff were responsible for monitoring all drug court participants and developed individualized treatment plans for each participant.

Executive Director – Alternatives, Inc (1993 -2004) I served as Executive Director of this community based counseling agency, which provides substance abuse and anger management programs for California Courts and provides drug testing and counseling services for the California Department of Corrections. I also provide individual substance abuse counseling to professional clients including dentists, physicians, and attorneys.

Director and Owner – WomenAlive (1993 – Present) This program provides counseling to women in transition and focuses on abuse and spousal abuse.

Counselor – St. Helena Hospital (1992 – 2010) I provided direct substance abuse counseling to patients at St. Helena Hospital, one of the major private substance abuse treatment providers in the Napa Valley. I also served as a Unit Counselor in 1988-1989 and Counselor from 1992-2010.

Counselor – Drinking Driver Program County of Napa (1989 – 1992) I provided alcohol and drug abuse counseling to participants in this program, which is licensed by the California Department

ABILITIES

Administration: I have a proven record of managing a variety of responsibilities simultaneously and have demonstrated an ability to manage programs. I am familiar with all aspects of personnel supervision and management including hiring/termination, employee supervision/evaluation and progressive discipline.

Communication / Interpersonal: I am able to understand complicated oral and written instructions and have an extensive background in client/customer services, public relations, coordination of people and events, training/workshop presentations, lectures and have been involved in numerous media interviews.

Planning / Developing / Implementation: I have proven organizational skills and a history of successful design, development and implementation of treatment plans, workshops and programs. I have experience in assessments, data gathering, compilation and analysis. I have developed and prepared resource reference material.

Counseling / Facilitation: I have extensive experience in individual and group counseling sessions focusing on client problem solving and growth integration. My experience includes case management and the monitoring of programs to assure compliance with applicable governmental regulations.

Related Activities: I designed and developed a Napa County Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Co-survivor Workshop. I have also developed and implemented programs for female victims/perpetrators of domestic violence and other Criminal Justice Programs.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

Certificate in Chemical Dependency Counseling – Sonoma State

Certification in Gorski Relapse Prevention

Certification California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC)

Certification National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC – II)

Certification International Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (ICRC)

Certification by National Curriculum & Training Institute for Cognitive Behavior Change. (NCTI)

Certification by Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CJAP)

Published National in NAADAC in September of 2006