In person classes are being held at the Indio and Palm Springs offices, please call us if you would like to attend in person classes. We are continuing to see intakes in person AND via telehealth (Zoom). We are continuing our telehealth Intake, Transfer in, Group, Face to Face, and Education classes through at least the month of July. We will extend our telehealth classes one month at a time as we get permission to do so. Thank you to everyone that has signed up for telehealth, we understand it may involve learning a new skill but we applaud and appreciate your dedication to completing your classes. We can provide services to anyone with a Riverside County DUI or a DUI from any other court/county in California. We can also provide services if you got your DUI in another state but have moved to California.

If you are coming to the office for in person classes or an office appointment please wear a mask/face-cover. Due to the length of our in person classes (2 hours) and the fact that everyone is sitting together in a room we are still requiring masks regardless of vaccination status. PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE OFFICE IF YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO COVID19, ARE FEELING SYMPTOMS, OR IF ANYONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD MEETS THE CRITERIA ABOVE.

To attend telehealth (online) classes you will need to return the remote client services form. If you have not already enrolled in the program please call us to schedule your enrollment appointment before signing up for telehealth classes. You will also need to create a free zoom account. Make sure to remember the username (your email address) and password (you will create one). You will need to sign into your zoom account using the email address and password you created in order to join the class. If you are using the zoom app to join you must sign into the app using your email address and password. If you are using a browser to join you will need to sign into your account at www.zoom.us using your email address and password. After signing in to the app or the website then click the link from the approval email to join the meeting.

Please register and pay for all classes at least 72 hours (3 days) in advance. You can register more than 72 hours in advance but not less than 72 hours in advance. One week in advance is preferred if possible. Payments can be made at https://www.theawarenessgroup.org/pay/

We recommend keeping track of your class registrations and attendance using a digital calendar (outlook, apple calendar, google, etc) or a physical calendar. Write down the date and type of class you registered for, the date you paid, and the date the approval was received. If you have not received approval/denial and class is scheduled to begin in 24 hours or less please call the office.

If you sign up for a class and then do not attend it will count as an absence and there will be a $20 fee. If you request a class but later decide to change to a different day or cancel there will also be a $20 fee, as long as you contact us before missing it will not count as an absence.

Zoom recommends adding no-reply@zoom.us to your “safe sender” email list to make sure approval messages do not go to your spam/junk folder. This article may also help you find zoom messages if you are having difficulty.

If you need assistance joining a Zoom meeting please see this article. You can also call us to schedule an appointment for training on how to use Zoom.

To join a test meeting to check your speakers, camera, and microphone please visit this page.

When it is time to join the meeting MAKE SURE YOU ARE SIGNED INTO THE ZOOM APP USING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND PASSWORD then use the link in your approval email or calendar reminder to join. Trying to join using the meeting ID and passcode without being signed in will not work. Please join 10-20 minutes in advance to work out any technical difficulties. If you join the meeting late you will not be allowed into class.

We recommend joining the meeting via laptop or tablet. If you must use your phone we recommend you have a stand of some sort–it is tiring to hold your phone for two hours. Please make sure your device is plugged in or has enough battery life to last the entire session.

You must be alone and in a quiet, private location to attend class or face to face. You cannot be taking care of children or otherwise distracted with household or work tasks. YOU MUST NOT BE DRIVING or in a vehicle with other people. You can attend from a vehicle if that’s the only private location but make sure you have a strong WiFi/Cell signal and the vehicle cannot be moving. Please be dressed appropriately (no overly revealing attire or drug/alcohol references on your clothing). Breaking any of the telehealth rules will result in being removed from class. Repeated violations of the rules may result in loss of telehealth privileges.

Class Registration Information

Please find your program below to find out which classes to register for. Click here for more information about the number of classes required for each program.

  • SB38 (Multiple offender program): Register for group one week, register for face to face the next week. Continue alternating Group, face to face, group face to face, group, face to face. Can attend 1 education per week as well until all 6 educations are complete. If you are going to attend two classes in the same week (group and education OR face to face and education) please make a $62 payment to cover $31 for each class.
  • SB1176 (Wet reckless): register for 1 education per week. Register for 1 face to face (exit interview) after all 6 educations are complete and you have submitted 3 self-help meetings.
  • AB541 (3 month first offender): register for 1 group OR 1 education per week. Register for 1 face to face when halfway through the program and another face to face after completing all groups/educations/self-help meetings. CAN attend group/education + face to face the same week. Please do not register for your exit interview until after completing all other requirements.
  • AB1353 (9 month first offender): register for 1 group OR 1 face to face OR 1 education per week. CANNOT attend group/education + face to face the same week.
  • AB762 (6 month first offender): register for 1 group OR 1 face to face OR 1 education per week. CANNOT attend group/education + face to face the same week.
  • All DUI classes are $31 each. Please make your payment prior to registering for class. If you are going to attend two classes in the same week please make a $62 payment instead of $31.

Available classes are listed below, all group and education classes are 2 hours in length: PLEASE NOTE: CLASSES ARE VERY LIMITED THE WEEKS OF 7/5/21 AND 7/12/21. YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET INTO A CLASS EVEN IF YOU SIGN UP 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE. IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO PERMANENTLY SWITCH TO IN PERSON CLASSES PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE AT (760)342-1233. WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING.

Please note there will be NO MONDAY 4pm or Monday 7pm on 7/12/21
Click to register for the Monday 4pm GROUP for INDIO participants (Register no later than the Friday before at 4pm)
Click to register for the Monday 4pm GROUP for PALM SPRINGS participants (Register no later than the Friday before at 4pm)
Please note there will be NO MONDAY 4pm or Monday 7pm on 7/12/21
Click to register for the Monday 7pm GROUP for INDIO participants (Register no later than the Friday before at 7pm)
Click to register for the Monday 7pm GROUP for PALM SPRINGS participants (Register no later than the Friday before at 7pm)
Please note there will be NO MONDAY 4pm or Monday 7pm on 7/12/21

Click to register for the Tuesday 5pm GROUP for INDIO participants (Register no later than the Saturday before at 5pm)
Click to register for the Tuesday 5pm GROUP for PALM SPRINGS participants (Register no later than the Saturday before at 5pm)

Please note there will be NO WEDNESDAY 10AM on 7/7/21
Click to register for the Wednesday 10am GROUP for INDIO participants (Register no later than the Sunday before at 10am)
Click to register for the Wednesday 10am GROUP for PALM SPRINGS participants (Register no later than the Sunday before at 10am)
Please note there will be NO WEDNESDAY 10AM on 7/7/21

Please note there will be  a Wednesday 4:30 two hour group occasionally. It will not be held every week. Please double check the DATE of the class you are signing up for before making the request. This class will be held July 21st
Click to register for the Wednesday 4:30 GROUP for INDIO participants (Register no later than the Sunday before at 4:30pm)
Click to register for the Wednesday 4:30 GROUP for PALM SPRINGS participants (Register no later than the Sunday before at 4:30pm)
Please note there will be  a Wednesday 4:30 two hour group occasionally. It will not be held every week. Please double check the DATE of the class you are signing up for before making the request. This class will be held July 21st

Click to register for the Friday 10am GROUP for INDIO participants (Register no later than the Tuesday before at 10:00am)
Click to register for the Friday 10am GROUP for PALM SPRINGS participants (Register no later than the Tuesday before at 10:00am)

Click to register for the Friday 1pm GROUP for INDIO participants (Register no later than the Tuesday before at 1:00pm)
Click to register for the Friday 1pm GROUP for PALM SPRINGS participants (Register no later than the Tuesday before at 1:00pm)

EDUCATION SESSIONS

(Face to face and Phase II/Re-Entry classes are below)

Please note there will be NO THURSDAY 10AM on 7/8/21
Click to register for the Thursday 10am-12pm EDUCATION class for INDIO participants (Register no later than the Monday before at 10:00am)
Click to register for the Thursday 10am-12pm EDUCATION class for PALM SPRINGS participants (Register no later than the Monday before at 10:00am)
Please note there will be NO THURSDAY 10AM on 7/8/21

Please note there will be NO THURSDAY 5PM on 7/8/21
Click to register for the Thursday 5pm EDUCATION for INDIO participants (Register no later than the Monday before at 5:00pm)
Click to register for the Thursday 5pm EDUCATION for PALM SPRINGS participants. (Register no later than the Monday before at 5:00pm)
Please note there will be NO THURSDAY 5PM on 7/8/21

Face to face (F2F) / Individual session / One on one / Exit Interview

When joining a face to face do not be alarmed if you see a screen saying “Thank you for joining an Awareness Group telehealth session! If this is a FACE TO FACE session you are waiting in line and will be seen in the order that you arrived. Please wait in front of your computer/device and be ready when the counselor lets you into the meeting” this means you are waiting in line and will be seen in the order that you arrived.
Any participants that need FACE to FACE (Individual session) can
register for the Tuesday 1:00pm-2:30pm session here,
the Tuesday 2:30pm-4pm session here, the 
Tuesday 4pm-6pm session here
, the
Please note there will be NO FRIDAY 12:30 OR 2PM on 7/9/21
Friday 12:30pm-2pm session here, or the
Friday 2pm-3:30pm session here.
Please note there will be NO FRIDAY 12:30 OR 2PM on 7/9/21
Individuals are held via Zoom and will be seen first come first served. After registering and paying you will receive the meeting link. The counselor will allow one person into the meeting at a time from the waiting room. Do not be alarmed if you see a screen saying “Thank you for joining an Awareness Group telehealth session! If this is a FACE TO FACE session you are waiting in line and will be seen in the order that you arrived. Please wait in front of your computer/device and be ready when the counselor lets you into the meeting” this means you are waiting in line and will be seen in the order that you arrived.

Phase II / Re-Entry (final 6 months of the SB38 program)

You can attend one phase II class per calendar month. Each phase II class is $20.
All participants that need a PHASE II / RE-ENTRY Session can register for the Wednesday 5pm class here
Please note: there will be NO Wednesday 5pm on July 7th or 21st

SELF-HELP MEETING INFORMATION

To satisfy the self-help meeting attendance requirement here are your options (including three alternatives to in person AA/NA meetings). These options are available to those attending via telehealth and also to those attending in person classes. All programs require one meeting every other week (or two meetings per month). Please allow 72 hours after submitting meetings for them to be entered. Credit will be given for one meeting attended every two weeks (2 meetings per month). You can attend more frequently if it is beneficial for you but we can only give credit for one meeting every two weeks.

  1. Attend an in person AA, NA, Al-anon, SMART Recovery, or other approved self-help meeting. Have the secretary of the meeting sign your blue card. Turn your blue card in to your counselor (for in person classes) OR submit to the front office OR email a scanned copy to info@theawarenessgroup.org
  2. Type a 2 paragraph report on a news article related to DUI, alcohol, drugs, addiction, etc or a one page single spaced report on a documentary (film) pertaining to alcohol, drugs, and/or DUI effects on individuals, families and society. Pen & the Pad.com has a helpful summary of how to write a report on a news article. The news article + 2 paragraph report counts as 1 self-help meeting and the Documentary + 1 page report counts as 2 meetings. Send completed writing assignments to info@theawarenessgroup.org. Please include a link to the article you are writing about or the title of the documentary. All reports should be single spaced, typed, and submitted as a Word document or PDF. A documentary is a NON FICTION film/video. FICTIONAL MOVIES are not allowed.
  3. Register at stepchat.com where there are a variety of online 12 step meetings. You will need to make an account. After attending and participating in a meeting you must fill out the “Request Meeting Attendance Confirmation” form. Forward this confirmation to info@theawarenessgroup.org and we will enter your self-help meeting attendance. Click here for information on how to log on to stepchat and how to navigate to a meeting room. Click here for tips for chat meetings. Click here for answers to other frequently asked questions including how to get confirmation of meeting attendance.
  4. SMART Recovery meetings will be held via Zoom every Friday from 9am to 10am. The meeting ID is 914 8619 0580 and the passcode is Beacon20 (case sensitive). Learn more about SMART Recovery here. The SMART recovery facilitator of the Friday 9am meeting will email proof of attendance directly to Awareness Group, no signature is required. Please note this is the only SMART recovery meeting accepted unless you are able to get your blue card signed at an in person meeting.

We thank you for your patience and participation. We look forward to helping you continue making progress toward regaining your driver’s license and achieving your other goals.