Learn more about the Beyond the Barriers program.
Why Is Beyond The Barriers So Effective?
Impactful
BTB is designed to get inmates to quickly challenge their current thinking, understand why they think, feel, and behave the way they do, and shows them how to change it using a proven, step-by-step process.
Personal & Compassionate
BTB visually demonstrates why they think and feel the way they do to help them understand themselves. They can see they are capable of making the changes necessary to have better life outcomes and why the've failed in the past
Trust & Connection
BTB is facilitated from a point of understanding and that everyone is equal and a work in progress that learns from their failures and the failures of others. Through this connection we build trust, allowing them to be vulnerable and extend empathy and compassion to themselves and others
Heals Trauma
The Cognitive Transformation Model™ visually shows them how trauma affects their thinking, emotions, and behaviors. They learn to heal and forgive those who caused their trauma, and forgive themselves for the trauma they caused.
Forgiveness & Self-worth
When they understand why they think, feel and behave the way they do, forgive themselves and others and realize they can change, they begin to move past their self-limiting beliefs. When they see their value and importance, they become accountable to themselves and others and become motivated to change.
$200M
The amount spent annually by government and private entities on crisis intervention in Fargo/Moorhead. (estimated)
$68.3M
The 2024 annual budget for Cass County and the city of Fargo to address crime.
$32.7M
Total cost for 2025 Cass County Jail expansion and staff increase.
The numbers at a glance
$41k
The cost of housing each inmate in jail throughout their lifetime. This doesn't include the cost of law enforcement, court, investigations, prosecution, public defenders, etc.
18
The average number of jail stays per inmate throughout their lifetime.
Why It Matters
The crimes being committed are more often than not a result of a generational pattern of thinking and trauma that is repeated and passed on. Beyond the human cost of children experiencing things most could never imagine, there is a monetary cost to our society that is growing exponentially.
The numbers at a glance
The average number of jail stays per inmate throughout their lifetime.
The cost of housing each inmate in jail throughout their lifetime. This doesn't include the cost of law enforcement, court, investigations, prosecution, public defenders, etc.
The amount spent annually by government and private entities on crisis intervention in Fargo/Moorhead. (estimated)
The 2024 annual budget for Cass County and the city of Fargo to address crime.
Total cost for 2025 Cass County Jail expansion and staff increase.
$32.7M
$68.3M
$200M
$41k
18
A New
High-Impact Approach
Based on Proven Principles
Watch this short video and hear how the "Beyond the Barriers" program has personally impacted these inmates and the way they interact with others around them.
A NEW high-impact program designed to
END INCARCERATION & RECIDIVISM
94%
94% of male inmates have been to jail more than once. 75 percent have been to jail more than 6 times.*
76%
76% of male inmates experienced severe childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, and abandonment.*
90%
90% of juvenile offenders in the United States [have experienced] some sort of traumatic event in childhood.**
90%
90% of male inmates participated in traditional counseling, therapy, addiction treatment, or other cognitive/mental/behavioral health programs in the past.
Studies show that childhood trauma has a significantly negative impact on later in life outcomes, such as addiction, crime, and violence.
If a majority of inmates experienced trauma as children, 90% have participated in treatment, therapy, or other programs in the past, and 94% have been to jail more than once, we have to ask...
How effective are current approaches at preventing incarceration and recidivism?
Watch this short video and hear these men describe, in their own words, how they feel they failed themselves and why past programs and approaches have been inneffective.
The most common complaints about treatments and programs inmates have experienced in the past.
Not Impactful
Other programs didn't challenge or change their current thinking or how they perceived the world around them, their past, present or future. They didn't help them understand how their brains work, that they are capable of changing, and most importantly, that they are worth changing.
Impersonal
Inmates feel they are given instruction on what their feelings and behaviors need to be in order to get better outcomes. They aren't provided the tools to understand the cause as to why they feel and react the way they do and how to change them. When there are only consequences for failing, they are simply complying rather than truly changing.
Lack Connection
They didn't feel the counselor or facilitator understood or could relate to what they thought, felt, or experienced in their lives. This resulted in them disengaging, and feeling they couldn't trust them with their thoughts and emotions for fear they would be wrong and validate their belief they were broken.
Unaddressed Trauma
Most inmates are unaware that what they experienced growing up was trauma or how that trauma impacts the way they think, feel, and react in the present.
If 90% of the inmates tried other programs or therapy and didn't understand what they experienced was trauma or how it affects their behavior, they didn't effectively address the underlying cause if at all.
Low Self-Worth
Most inmates suffer from low self-worth and self-esteem issues. They have never had anyone show them how to see and feel their worth or provide a way to increase their self-esteem.
Without understanding they can change or believing in their worth, importance, or value, they aren't motivated to change.
Watch this short video and hear these men describe, in their own words, how they feel they failed themselves and why past programs and approaches have been inneffective.
92% of male inmates
said "Beyond the Barriers" was
More Effective or Much More Effective than other counseling or treatments they've tried.
“Beyond the Barriers” is a high-impact program designed to help inmates quickly stop the repetitive cycle of chaos, addiction, anxiety, and survival in their lives and overcome the adversity, trauma and self-limiting beliefs holding them prisoner within their own minds.
Using Upstream's exclusive Cognitive Transformation Model™ (CTM) inmates learn step-by-step how to flip their mindset switch and effectively transform the way they think, feel and behave to create lasting change in their lives.
None of this is possible
without YOU.
Current Facilities Served
Cass County Jail
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Men
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Women
Clay County Jail
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Men
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Aren't there already programs in the jails that provide inmates help like this?There aren't any programs in the jails we currently serve that provide a cognitive approach to behavioral change. There are programs in some prisons such as Thinking For Change and CBI-SA, however inmates surveys indicate they have not been nearly as effective as Beyond the Barriers.
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Doesn't the jail or county pay for these types of programs?No. All programs are privately funded.
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Why provide this program in the jail rather than wait until they get out.Generally, inmates will either be released back into the community or move on to prison. Inmates that move on to prison often experience additional trauma. Starting over when someone is released is no small task. They might need to find a job and housing, often without a phone or transportation. If they have a felony, housing and a job can be difficult if not impossible. All of the pressures, frustration, and disappointment can lead to hopelessness, leading them right back to old habits. When individuals are in jail they are more open to change. If they have an addiction they become sober, and have time away from the influences of daily life to reflect, apply, and practice the principles of BTB in a difficult yet controlled environment. Having the skills and tools BTB provides can help them to thrive in their environment whether it's in prison or released into the community.
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Is this just another form of a cognitive program?This is a question I often get from inmates new to the program who have been through other cognitive programs. The general consensus at the end of the first class is often, "this is CBT on steroids." Our Cognitive Transformation Model™ and over 45 concept curriculum is a combination of emotional intelligence, empowerment, and cognitive behavioral training that ties all of the elements of the human experience into one impactful program.
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Can inmates continue the program once they get out of jail or prison?Yes, there are a couple options for them to continue the program at this time and we're looking to add more.
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Is this program offered to people other than inmates?Yes. We work with individuals with many types of inner-struggles like anxiety, stress, relationships, and parenting. We also work with organizations to help transform culture or improve employee performance.
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Is this therapy?No. This is a different approach to mental and behavioral health. It's a training program that shows you you how to identify and understand the things in your life that cause your chaos and provides a powerful set of tools and a simple process to change them.
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What will my donation be used for?Your donation allows us to provide weekly classes to the male inmates in the Cass and Clay County Jail and the women inmates in Cass County Jail. It also allows us to provide one-on-one coaching with inmates to cover concepts in greater depth or if they aren't comfortable discussing them in class.
Testimonials
"BTB actually equips me with usable, realistic tools to step back, analyze my behavior, and change how I think, feel, and act."
"It is a whole new system and in real world and non-classroom situations, one is able to actually apply these steps and strategies and see an instant outcome with immediate positive results!"
"It has helped me think about my thoughts, change my thinking, and see a whole difference in what I believe. It has really made an improvement in my life, and I don't let what others do or say impact my life where I react in a negative way."
Video Interviews
"The first time I was shot I was 4 years old. The first time I was introduced to a needle I was 11 years old - my dad shot me up."
Hear the chilling stories of the trauma these inmates experienced growing up, their life-long struggles with addiction and violence, and how Beyond the Barriers impacted them.