From Addiction to Advocacy: Kevin's Inspiring Journey

Let's be real. Life is messy. We all wrestle with loneliness guilt and shame having a supportive community in the right Resources can make all the difference. That's why we started healing and scripted We're just three friends on a mission to bring hope and healing whether you're struggling yourself or walking alongside someone who is We're diving deep into the hard stuff with insightful guests real talk and a whole lot of heart Join us on healing and scripted Hey, I'm Jen welcome back to healing and scripted. Be sure to like share follow and subscribe Hi, I'm Liana and I'm Laura today. We would like to welcome Kevin Kevin works with the Health Partnership, which is a great resource that we have here in the Yampa Valley He's going to share a little bit about all those resources with us But Kevin is the judicial program manager so he came to share that with us and how that program works Which we're excited to hear so welcome Kevin. Oh, thank you so much. Thanks for being here. Yeah, thank you So Kevin tell us what brought you to the Yampa Valley? Yeah, I followed a girl here So I grew up in Philadelphia. Okay. I grew up with parents that were addicts my stepdad was a drug dealer and I just kind of grew up in that kind of family where Usen was pretty normalized and things like that and wound up going to treatment in Florida where I met a girl and then she was from here So I followed her here And I got here in That end of 2016 so I've been here for like nine years. Oh, wow. Did you ever think you'd end up in Colorado? No No, and that's kind of why I agreed to come. I was like, oh, I'd like to see Colorado You know kind of knew I was rolling the dice with her But um, I'd heard the Colorado was beautiful, you know, and I was willing to come see it and get stuck here if need be How'd you been in many places before that? No, I to be honest I never thought I'd leave Philly, you know when I went to Florida That was like a big step for me and then the opportunity to come to Colorado I was just excited to kind of get out and see the world a little bit. And did the relationship work out? Oh, no I feel flat like within three months. Yeah, oh, man And he's like and what did I just agree to? So the funniest thing is like I Looked up Craig Colorado in the Denver airport when I got here. I was like waiting for her and I was like oh I wonder where Craig is and then I was like my heart song. I was like this is the biggest mistake. I've ever made Okay, like I could not see much. She is from Craig Yeah, okay, and that's a big difference in photos when you look at the scene with yeah To find a major city, you know, and I think I think this is as far as you can get from a major city in the country Yeah, and which is all I get it is yeah, for sure. So it was a culture shock for sure. Yeah, I'm like it was so I remember I was driving through steamboat and then being like oh steamboats. Awesome there. Tell me all about it And then we got through it in like five minutes It was like there's steamboat and they're like oh, that was it. Oh, no, what have I done? Yeah, I know when we got the Craig I was just like this is the biggest mistake. I've ever made it was so dark And quiet and one street, yeah, and I never never seen anything like that before so And so I went back to Philly to visit like six months later and I remember Initially my problem. I was like it's so dark. It's so quiet like it drove me kind of mad, you know Because I'm used to just trains all by all the time trolley, you know, all that kind of stuff So but then when I went back I was like God it's so bright and it's so loud like I couldn't wait to get back here Yeah, so many people I know I like and so I got used to it within that first year probably six months and And yeah, I love it here. So I've been here for nine years, and yeah, that's great. Yeah So you stayed did she stay too? She actually told me when she was like, I think you should go back to Philly and I was like, I think you should go back to I'll never leave it. Yeah, I know. Yeah, so see I don't know where she is, but she's not here. Yeah, good You win the town. I won the town. Yeah, I won the town in the divorce for sure Oh, yeah, I did here and how long have you been with health partnership? I've been with the health partnership for coming up on four years. Yeah, how did you get into that role? So right after I got Right after I got clean. I got a job as a child welfare case worker. I was working on my bachelor's degree in social work. So I got a job as a dhs case worker Doing child welfare. I did that for about three years here in town in Craig. Okay. Yeah, and And then just kind of burn out from that and They were right across the park and lot and so I would see them on smoke break sometimes and talk with them and I knew some people that worked there and So when I left dhs, I put in an application and yeah, wound up getting it, which was yeah, so grateful for Ways in this particular position with them. So no, I started as a care coordinator just basically Like reaching out to people that have Medicaid and offering them Like support connecting to health care resources So like, you know helping them find a doctor, you know a dentist or whatever and then right when I started They were in contract with the route county jail to start offering care coordination in the jail And since I was new and didn't have like much of a caseload I was like, I'll do that, you know, and And wound up just loving it, you know, so I was doing that one day a week. I'd go into the jail Here in steamboat on Thursdays and meet with people that we're gonna be transitioning out help them come up with a plan And I just super passionate about it and was like I'm gonna figure out how to turn this into a full-time job So I just started So you're the head of basically I created the program. Wow. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, I was just jail last night. Oh yeah I go in there. I have a team that goes in once a week too for a jail ministry. Oh nice. I love it Yeah, yeah, it's the best. I like that you led with that. I was just in jail last night You should see when I'm on a phone call and I'm like, hey, I gotta go. I gotta go into jail Because it's just like so natural to me to like wait. What? I'm like, no, I'm it's it's a thing I'll go in an hour. Yes, they're not locking me up Yeah, and if you want to hold me down enjoy going to jail like Never saw a million years to not enjoy that. So yeah, it's awesome. Okay question. Had you ever been jail? Yeah People ask me that all the time when I'm when I'm in the like have you ever been jail? Oh I've been arrested but never actually made it to a cell like I always got bailed out really fast. Oh Well first dumb stuff. I was a kid here. It was boring there. There was Nothing to do yeah, I've been just a little bit, you know, not I never went to prison or did a lot of time in jail But you know, yeah, well, it's great that you have the background. Yeah, because it is important I think to be able to really reach the people there for sure if you have a clue what they're going through It's like yeah, yeah, and they can tell I think they can tell like immediately if you're like if you've have lived experience or not You know, that was my question was how receptive they were to you coming in and offering suggestions and help Actually, it's a it's a captive audience for sure like they're in the pocket That's what I really liked about the jail work is there they're really desperate for something different You know, it's like it's a rock bottom for most people, you know, and so they're like They got a little distance between their last use. They're for the most part when I meet with them. They're they're like Through the withdrawal period and um, and they really they're already kind of thinking the ways that they can change And so for me to come in and and offer some support with that like most of the people were eager for support with that, you know, and um So that's one of the reasons I liked it too is like they're um, they're in that readiness to change state You know, yeah, yeah Will you share with us then a little bit about your recovery story like what happened for you to finally turn everything around? Yeah, for sure. Yeah, so like I said earlier like I grew up in a in a family With addiction, so it's just real normalized growing up Um, my stepdad's a drug dealer um, and my mom's uh, my mom's an addict So it was just like I used with my parents. I sold drugs for my stepdad Um, where you when you started? I probably started selling for my stepdad at like 14 Anywhere using at 14 yeah, yeah I probably started using like smoking pot around 12 and then was doing pills at like 13 with my mom and when I think about it It's like it's the way that my mom knew how to solve her problems and so it was the way that she was teaching me how to solve my problems My mom had me at 16 so she was I genuinely believe my mom is doing the best she could with what she had oh When I was 15 our house got rated Um, for my stepdad and so SWAT team tore our house up my stepdad wound up going to prison And then six months later on Christmas Eve of 2006. I got hit by a car. Oh, I was 16 And was going to my aunt's Christmas party skateboarding to my aunt's Christmas party and uh, wound up getting hit by a car Like a drunk driver hit and run Yeah, I was hospitalized for like three months Again reconstructive surgeries on my foot and my leg Um, and that's where I got introduced to opiate pain medications um, and that was just really bad for somebody that already had problematic substance use Like giving me all those prescriptions and I got out was just like putting gasoline on a fire Yeah, and so it's just kind of progressed and progressed from there, you know um Then I wound up You know, I wound up doing heroin and all kinds of stuff and North Philly and everything Being homeless and you know all the kind of stuff that comes with addiction yeah um and Excuse me my mom My mom found me in North Philly. She like um, it's so crazy I like I got on the train one night and uh, and my my dad was on the train Um, my biological dad was on the train that I got on to which is crazy in and of itself, you know As my mom was talking about like train hopping or Like a subway. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, I don't know what my ex used to train hop Like my dad was like a traveling hobo Yeah, that's hilarious Bindles it No like a like a subway So So my mom is like looking for me and called him and I was trying to lie to her She was like where are you now? I was like oh I'm at the terminal or whatever and then the train is like next stop Somerset and she was like you get off that train right now and she was like in her pajamas in the hood looking for me And um and she wound up getting me and helping me get in a treatment when I was like 25 Um, and so I went to treatment in northern Pennsylvania and then From that treatment center they had another treatment center in florida and because of my family situation and not really having anywhere to go They were like look we'll send you to florida. You can go to one of our sober living's down there and um, and so yeah I decided to do that and uh had your mom ever gotten sober. No, okay. Yeah, so she sent you to rehab Yeah, I was so pissed I was so pissed. I was like we should get a van and all goes all the time like I was super pissed um And I can look back and be super grateful from you know from my mom doing that and um At the time. No, I was just like it felt like all these people pointing the finger at me that I was pointing the finger at as well, you know, it just like didn't seem critical. Yeah, it was hypocritical Um, and so that was a challenge for sure, you know But I like looking back like I said. I'm grateful, you know have do have you guys been able to make like some amends Oh for sure. Yeah, and me and my mom You know now that I live pretty far from them. I feel like our relationship is better because it's hard to It's hard to say no You know like if we're together. It's it's easy to just kind of fall back into that dysfunction Yeah, so separating myself from that and being out here. I've been able to like You know talk to my mom on the phone periodically and things like that and have healthier boundaries and You know, not be tempted to kind of get sucked back into the dysfunction Which is nice and when I started having kids my mom she makes an effort to come out every year Oh, that's beautiful. Yeah, it's really nice. Yeah, well congratulations. Oh, they're sobriety. Yeah, thank you so much Ten years. No, so I I wound up relapsing when that girl left me when I moved here Um, yeah, so I'll kind of get in a little bit. I moved here with this girl that we were getting cleaned together in Florida Um and doing really well and then I think her coming back here was all the people she used with was just a trigger for her Um, and so she wound up relapsing and leave a man and from the despair of you know the situation I wound up relapsing Um, and then I was working at village in and I met my wife there. I was a cook and choose a waitress and um and then got clean After meeting my wife. Actually, I got clean clean right after we got married So my sobriety date is my 29th birthday. It's July 14th 2019. Oh Yeah, so it's great. It's over six years. Thank you That's amazing. Yeah, nothing like a lovely woman and little kids to make you want to stay so for sure She's crazy for marrying me She's yeah, but I'm super grateful. Um, yeah, I wouldn't have been able to do it without her for sure Yeah, yeah I love happy ending. Yeah, happy beginning. That's happy beginning. Yeah, because that's just the beginning of it Yeah, and you know, I like I decided to go back to school in the middle of my relapse because uh The school in Moffa County was offering free tuition to Moffa County residents So I was like I wanted to jump on that but I was like in a relapse and going to school for social work and it just like Was incompatible, you know yeah, um and then I wound up getting cleaned like right By the skin of my teeth. I was able to get my associates and then I wound up getting my bachelor's and I just got my master's and oh my god That's beautiful. Yeah, it's almost like it kind of gave you like An accountability Yeah, I was like that you didn't want to be a hypocrite for sure. I've done that like me uh Doing leadership in regen and stuff It pushed me to live differently because it was eating at me in a ways that nothing ever had before Nothing would work. I mean not my kids not, you know a person. It was like Accountability. Yeah of my own. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it would be like Getting high with somebody and like oh, I got to go. I got to go to school And then we're like oh, what are you going to school? Like to be a social worker and nature's going to go up Yeah, so it was like I was like man, I have to like I have to decide what I'm gonna do here and then and really was like my wedding pictures coming back We got we got married May 25th to 2019 and my wedding pictures like I look so sick and my wife looks like an angel And like I I couldn't even like hang them up around the house like they would they was like torture, you know Um, and then I think that like started that internal like spiritual experience Yeah, and really the day I got clean. It was my birthday Nothing really crazy happened, you know like she didn't my wife didn't like it in a flight with me or anything like that or Nothing out of the ordinary But when she left for work, I was doing homework and it was like I had to watch this video on psychology and it said something like If you don't give up the thing you're using as like a pacifier, you'll never like Reach your full potential or something and it just like clicked and and I bought like a baby for like, you know, wasn't Yeah, it was crazy. It was I had a spiritual experience. Oh, yeah, yeah You were you but you were you were moving towards what you were being called to do Yeah, like you weren't even sure why or what but yeah And that's kept that thing was just gonna hold you back for sure and it was you know, and it was like It was like at first I was able to maintain school while I was doing it But then you know, it just progresses and everything starts getting sloppy and um I'll be at a point where it was like I mean, they're gonna lose everything or I really have to like Address this to move forward, you know Um, and so yeah, I'm grateful it worked out the way it did I love your stuff. I did. Yeah, and I didn't say that's really hard You have a rare In particularly rare story because you'd even have examples of like parents of sobriety you You've never known what sobriety looks like no Not in your own life not in your parents life not and Anyone's life and your wife seems to have not given you an ultimatum So it's like you didn't even have to get so over for anybody. So this is a be actually a really beautiful story because It's it's really hard to get from the place that you came from To the to the place that you are I mean because I was just talking to a lady in jail last night and she was awesome in young and a life user of okristoma And I was just like gosh like she doesn't even know but except for a couple years out of her life But it's like to be sober yeah And I think that is the hardest thing. So with that under your ballot You just have so much to give other people you like if you could do it. Yeah, like anyone could do yeah for sure It's awesome. You know the first time I was really introduced to recovery was going to treatment like it was such a Um, it gave me so much hope actually like I Detects the people that worked at the treatment center like they had lived experience and they would take us to meetings and stuff And I was just like I can't believe there's people Like me that are like living these kind of lives, you know where they have families and Car payments and you know houses and all this stuff like yeah, it gave me a ton of hope That it was possible, you know, and then um, I just kept kind of messing up and then I wound up meeting a social worker in Florida Who like saved my butt and I wound up relapsing in Florida and I was homeless down there for a couple months and The social worker from the treatment center that I had been at he found me in a parking lot and and saved me and like Gave me a lot of hope that I could do something different and he had lived experience and he was the one who told me I should go to school for social work And uh, I would have never in a million years considered that if he wouldn't have told me that, you know Are you still in touch with him? Yeah, you know, I stayed in touch with some like I let him know when I got my bachelor's degree And when I got the job in child welfare and then I reached out to him when I got my master's but it like I couldn't find I think his Facebook, you know, he might have gotten off social media or something. So yeah kind of lost touch with him But I think about him all the time. Yeah It was already angel. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he helped me out a lot and uh and it's those people, you know That just gave me a bunch of hope that it was possible Because I had never seen anybody change, you know like everybody in my life and Philly was just like you're just in it for the long haul You know and uh, that's kind of what I expected my life to be just and now you're gonna do that for so many others Yeah, I hope so for sure. I mean in your job role alone I'm sure you're bringing hope to them every time you step into the jail Yeah, I hope so that's you know, I definitely hope so I think so good for sure I know that there's there's people that That I've made a positive impact on and I'm sure there's more than I realized that I've made a positive impact on just like Just like all those people in treatment that made a positive impact on me like um You know, they didn't see me really like change right then But I think about them all the time. I think about the stuff that they said to me all the time So what's cool about what you guys do is that you're not in it for the money No It's a heart musician and that's amazing. Yeah, yeah, for sure and like you know, it's my stepdad having gone through prison and stuff like that like I just feel I just feel comfortable around that population like the justice involved population, you know, so Um, when I had the opportunity to go on on Thursdays I just was like I'm going to figure out how to make this full time because I like you know, I like doing it and uh Reached out to probation reached out to parole like I really just tried to get as involved with the justice system as I could to get more referrals and Roundup turn it turn it into a full-time position probably within like eight months to a year and then Yeah, I've just kind of keep building it and growing it from there. Now I got somebody under me that I supervise and Um, hopefully we're going to be growing the team by another person here soon and it's it's awesome Yeah, where do you go you go Moffe, Rao, and Moffe and Rao. That's it. Yeah, can you tell us what all the health partnership Um categories are yeah, everything that they offer and then tell us more about what your program offers. Yeah, for sure So we have care coordination which um, they help people connect to health care resources Um, do it's basically like case management. We have a community impact which is higher level like They're not working with clients, but they're working with systems. So they do trainings like the cost-depoverty experience training um, they'll Do Like provider meetings where they connect different providers together basically connecting like organizations to each other Then we have Um, health coverage guides. So they help people do an open enrollment Connect to the marketplace Yeah, it's so confusing for sure and they're really open enrollment for what Um, health insurance. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, sure No, the um, fun. What does that mean? And then it's a great resource. You can use it Great. What's your number again? Yeah, I would give you all that It'll be at the end. It's in the end. It'll be at the end Then we have uh, we have recovery which they do events um, like clean and sober events. They're called rise events now Um, they do one-on-one peer support um And then the judicial program which is my program and I'm trying to think if um, I own high fidelity wrap around which is Um, helping at risk youth like kids who are at risk of being removed from the home for like behavioral challenges It's they basically work with those families to help those kids stay in the home And so the like connect with all the like the school and DHS or whoever the child's involved with or the families involved with It'll kind of act as like a liaison to support the kid in staying home. Which is a cool program. Yeah Do you work with the families as well? Yeah, yeah So in my role like I can work with the people that are in jail But also a lot of times like let's say it's a family the husband goes to jail He might be the only income or the main source of income And so I'm able to work with the family if they're struggling with that person being incarcerated And you know help them with resources. Maybe you know if they need rent paid or something like that or utility bills I can support them um as well for sure Everything that we do with the house partnerships free. I want to plug that for sure. Yeah for re a health partnership. Yeah Yeah, I'll be calling Yeah, I was like motivated selfishly to do it full-time. I think initially it was like how can I make this a full-time thing? So it was like That was kind of where my mindset was to start expanding it of like Getting into the Moffa County jail getting connected with um like probation recovery court and then building those relationships in the community and like building community partnerships to really Has really helped me develop it as well. So like the recovery court coordinator She and I connected and she has built peer support into the recovery court program now So that's a big part of of what we do um in the judicial program Can you explain that the recovery recovery? Yeah recovery court is basically people that have Drug tortures they have to be high needs and high risk um and it's basically like your last chance before going to prison And so it's a rigorous program. It's hard like I'm a high functioning human at this point in my life And it would be hard for me to do all the things that they expect them to do But it's basically you start and there's like five phases and First phase is like stop using you know, maybe find housing and then each phase you're kind of building your life back So it's like you know, then you got to get a job then you got to start engaging in you know like outpatient treatment services or therapy and um Setting goals and and all that and so by the time they get to phase five like they're completely transformed It's one of the most powerful programs I've ever seen In the justice system for that like seeing people that are hopeless when they come in and just you know They have nowhere to go can't stop using To see them like become high functioning people, you know But they have to do a lot of you ways to have to check in you have court basically every two weeks Um, where you check in with the judge and it's like a group check in There's better than the alternative. Yeah, it was like it's pretty well And do they mandate this the court mandate that they work and they choose it? Okay, and then they and then you know They have to they have to screen in yeah, but they're given the option to do it. Okay. Yeah, it's also that's great So if they really want to get clean usually it's people who have are now making a decision like I really want to change my life So I would like to try this for sure, and then someone's kind of holding their hand And guiding them through oh that's fantastic. Yeah a lot of accountability and then like as they phase up they just get oh it's also they use um Basically like incentives and then um You know if they mess up they they get sanctions too So they could get gift cards for doing well Having clean you ways all that kind of stuff. Oh, they get a gold star. Yeah, but yeah, for sure But it does it motivates them, you know like the one guy he uh You know, he likes Nike's and so they give him Nike gift cards when he does good and that would be my motivator Yeah He's like to me like save some up so you know, he's always getting new Nike's um, but it's really individualized too So they tell her like there was a guy he had like six kids that had a new baby So they were giving them diapers and baby formula for his incentives So it's cool. It's not like that is a me. Yeah, yeah, how many people are in that program? It's a mafia en route and I think it's like 10 Max per program, but it usually floats between five and ten You know, but it's revolving some people graduate other people come in so I how long is that program take like 18 months to two years? Really? Yeah, but that's really that's worth it. Yeah. Yeah, that's good habits. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, for sure Yeah, they try and tell me they transform like it's so crazy to see them in the first phase And uh, and then to see them like because in the beginning some of them don't even want to be clean They just don't want to be in prison. Yeah, you know, but then Going to treatment and you know, you just kind of chip away at them and then by like phase three They like are getting into it, you know, and then you see them really build their life and it's awesome Do you do the treatment here? So they'll go to inpatient treatment all throughout the state depending on what's available and you know if they're insurance sometimes the state will pay for it Um, do you guys help them find that too? Yeah, we'll help them. Yeah, we'll help them find treatment Me and like they're covering up for this we'll do it um help them find treatment um the judge will order it So a lot of especially in the beginning it's like If they don't follow the judge's order, they risk getting out of the program and then wind up, you know, going to prison potentially um And then They have to continue treatment when they get out through like individual therapy and outpatient services So they're in treatment basically the whole time, but then they also it's like they have to find a support group They have to do pro social activities. They have to you know have employment and study housing like all these things That they build upon throughout the 18 months, but it's all those little things that Make this a long term For sure, you know without those little things you really you're such at risk for going right back to for sure Addiction yeah for sure and it's they're really like the end phases are really trying to get them to transition because it's a lot of support It's a lot of accountability and a lot of support and The trick is to get them to build those things outside of the program. So that when it Gradually, they're not just on their own. Right. They're plugged in already. Yeah exactly. Yeah. So that's been the key The name I'm more to lose at that point because they Hailed all these little yeah, the success is that yeah, like they have their people Yeah, yeah, what we preach all the time community. Yeah, yeah, and how vital for see a program like this That isn't just for the judiciary system that's like I feel like a program like this would work For addicts. Yeah, you see that on a bigger scale. Yeah, there are programs like I want to say like stout street and there are some long Challenge yeah, like the ones are for lines. There are programs that are really intensive and it's like you're there for like a year Yeah, you know, and they're it's probably following a similar model of like you know you have to Build your life back up and then by the time it's I think 30 days sometimes like a 30-day treatment is Can set people up for fail. Yeah All you do is take away their tolerance and then Send them back into the wild yeah, yeah, yeah, good luck. Yeah, yeah, go back on the street Your community. Um, wouldn't that be cool though if we had something like that up here in the northwestern part of Colorado Yeah, so that we don't have to send people so far away for sure Yeah, for sure. Yeah, yeah, so it just depends on if they're if they're ready or not and the thing is sadly is I feel like until you get Taken a core and are forced to go to jail You know a lot of people don't want to make the change Or you have that spiritual moment. I feel like it would be someone's last resort. It would be it would be beneficial If I could be someone's last resort because What I've been hearing lately is people have been um relapsing a lot that we know and it's been heartbreaking And the thing I've been hearing a lot is why I've tried everything else I've already done this what else is there do I'm just bad at this and it's like for those people who Think they tried everything else and then they still want to right they're just defeated right yeah, yeah So I don't know and I just they also like the same recovery core models will do for veterans sometimes not here But like they have like a veterans court where it's similar they have mental health Like um, they call it treatment court now. It used to be called drug court, but now they're calling it like recovery court or treatment court good Um, so yeah, it's super cool. That's a really cool model um And then yeah, and then getting into the mafia county jail and it's just been Um, what I love about The work that I'm doing is we're really rebuilding people's lives from scratch, you know, which is like That's my jam, you know, and you know, because you did it. Yeah, exactly, you know and um Like I went to Florida with like $20 in a backpack, you know With a couple t-shirts or something like I had nothing when I went to Florida and then the same when I came here You know, I like um. I really didn't have anything and there's something that's so Like Bad ass about it when you when you do get to build your life from scratch like that that I think um Yeah, I think people feel really proud of themselves when they come back from nothing. Yeah, that's right. Yeah What do you see that you're doing the most help with? Uh housing housing yeah housing for sure So is it people coming from jail getting out? Yeah, and getting a place to live. Yeah And like the sober livings and Craig have been huge and even like the sober livings here in steam, but have been huge Um, it's a lot of sending people to treatment. It's a lot of Um, weirdly, it's like a lot of government documents is a big thing like helping people get their socials and get their IDs and You know, they're moving around so much in their in that end of their addiction or before they go to jail That they wind up losing all their government documents which makes it so hard to get a job so hard to just You know kind of Get back into society legitimately So that's a big thing that we help people with too is yeah getting their government documents and that's not just that like men or women and and jail Right now anyone in the community can reach out to you for help with documents. Yeah, for sure. Yep. So like um We basically screen people when they when they get referred to us to make sure they get connected to the right program So like if they're not justice involved Um, they might go to the recovery program instead of mine I'm typically taking people that are justice involved. Yeah Not everyone that I work with has substance use disorder But I will say that probably 90 to 95 percent of the people I work with have substance use disorder And then sometimes there's people that just need care coordination like they're not just as involved But usually care coordination between care coordination and recovery they can do similar things that I do I'm just it's just unique with judicial because I'm really Helping these people build their life from scratch, you know And where do you see this program going next like do you have dreams for where you want to take it? Yeah, for sure. I like I don't I don't see it like expanding out of this area um as much as just developing you know like I'd really like to have Um like somebody embedded in each jail. That's just there helping everybody transition out You know, I'd really like to have because recovery court It's 14th Judicial, but it's one in Moffit and one in route their separate programs Different judges same like probation same team, but different judges different participants So I'd like to have like one person focused in Moffit one person focused in route and basically have like Special like specialty people on the team where it's like your whole thing is jail or your whole thing is recovery court Um because it's a it's hard to scramble, you know like for for a few years I've been just driving back and forth to say it's right you know throughout the counties Doing it all, you know, and so I think having people that can really like develop in their niche Would be what I would want to see. Yeah, that's fantastic. Yeah, so what is the probation? Program, how does that tie in? Probation people on probation. Yeah, for sure. I just get referrals from them um And so it's it's up to them basically like their probation officer can make a referral to me And then it's they're just it's the same as recovery court in a sense. They're just um not as high needs You know like they there are some people they just might need help with a month's rent or they might need help find in you know some support groups or Um, it's so it's so individualized. It's really like whatever they need helping them come up with some goals and connect in their resources So it could look so different for everybody. Right. Yeah That's also a lot of a lot of addiction. You guys are like angels. Oh, thank you Really a little health partnership, I know But now on that note though of of you being an angel and doing it all and driving back and forth tell me what you Well, you know, it's just my mind automatically goes to like what do you do to take care of yourself your mental health and well being because I'm sure these stories are hard and heavy and yeah, you take these home with you. So how do you refuel your mind soul body? Yeah, for sure. I like I must psycho about my recovery like it comes first For sure, so I hit a lot of Support group meetings throughout the week, you know, I have um I have people that I meet with, you know, to like for my recovery I also have people that I help with like outside of work, you know, like for my specific I'm in like one of the anonymous fellowships, you know, and um, so I help people that way too, which is also like um It's different because it's for free. So I get something different out of it spiritually I think you know, and I guess my question to you is you kept you keep saying spiritual yeah, the spiritual encounter What where is your heart without like Do you are you? Spiritual yeah for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I pray I meditate I believe in God for sure I pray I meditate read a lot of spiritual literature and Oh, but you weren't always like that. No, so that came with like you can recover different things and for sure And you know like looking back looking back I can like see these specific experiences I've had that have been like unexplainable without Like a higher power god that make you just you know you have to believe yeah like I Mm-hmm. Yeah, so I've had some crazy experiences where like it's just felt like God winking at me or something, you know um, and so That's what's kind of like helped me develop my face and my spirituality and then I like Yeah, I pray every day a lot. I I meditate every day is a big part of myself care for sure I also Like I do therapy if I need to you know, um, not I In my early recovery, I did therapy like regularly now. I'm like doing spot checks, you know if something comes up. I'll do that Um, I play the drums, you know, I paint and draw and stuff like that. So definitely having like some artistic outlet that I can do um spend in time as my kids, you know spend in quality time as my family we go to hot springs and Um, the health partnerships are really good. They give us like Wellness cards. They're basically like credit cards that we have to spend on self-care. That's great Yeah, and so it's so smart. What a great kind of yeah, I feel like a gym membership We're going to the hot springs or a massaged chiropractor like, you know, and so having the ability To take care of myself physically and ways I would probably neglect myself if I didn't have that, you know Because it's like I have to spend that money on that so you know, it encourages me to do it Yeah, for sure. I'd have no problem. Yeah, no problem then. Yeah I yeah, I like have to force myself into that kind of stuff, you know, it's uh, well It's not like you grew up doing those kinds of things for yourself. So I'm sure it feels kind of for a weird. Yeah, yeah um So yeah, I like boundaries or something. I've had to really like hone in on over The years because I think getting into this work for me It's like like I'm super empathetic. I'm a bleeding heart. I really want to help people and then uh, like early in my career I would go out of pocket for people, you know, like if I couldn't find the resource I would just buy somebody groceries or you know things like that which It leads to burnout for sure, you know, because if they're not grateful enough Um Then like then I get resentful or yeah, they start expecting it and you know Um, it's just a slippery slope and so I've had to learn the hard way through like trial and error and realize and like Oh, this is not sustainable like if I if I want to do this work long-term, I have to Develop better boundaries and yeah, you know um, which helps in your personal life. Yeah, for sure Yeah, it helps in every aspect Yeah, for sure Yeah, and learning how to say no, you know, like this um This guy said something I'll never forget he said Uh Every time you say yes to something you're saying no to something else. Mm-hmm. And I was like Man, it's like a light bulb experience, you know where it helped me Really be intentional about what I'm saying yes to so like when I have to say no to a client Where it would have been hard now I can frame it in my mind like well, I'm saying yes to my daughter You know, I'm saying yes to my wife. Yep. Um, this other thing. That's that's important. So um learning how to say no has taken years I think you know, yes I know I like that. That's a really good perspective. Yeah, every time you say Yes, you're saying no to something else and I come for the place where I'm like, oh, yes. Yes. Yeah Oh shoot, like, you know, I gave too many yes I'm out of yeses. Yeah Well, and I noticed this pattern where I would like pile my plate and then I'd get overwhelmed and then I would have to like Cancel and like back out of things which doesn't feel good and I would feel guilt and shame And then I'd kind of be bored because I took all the stuff off my plate So then I pile stuff on and I was like how many times are I gonna do this? I know like I have to figure out a way to like Make the sustainable and have balance and things like that. So Um, I feel like as addicts and times we get addicted to Um, occupying our mind and other ways or our energy. Yeah, and what I've learned the last year particularly to the last two years Is to be able to be okay with the peace. Yeah, it's hard that's it was hard But it's a new way of living. Yeah Yeah, and I like it. I like it almost too much now. I'm like uh-oh I'm by a river. Yeah Never gonna get me out. I'm like what happened really on it? We're moving the studio. Yes down by the river. Yes in a band. No, yeah It's that comfortable Comptability of being uncomfortable whatever that uncomfortability is to you And when we're comfortable in chaos that we have it is so hard to find comfortable and comfortably in peace For sure, yeah, it's really important. Yeah, so nice. Well, and even like when I worked in child welfare. It was like That addiction to chaos But it was like you know neck deep in it and then I'd get to go home where it was peaceful But like work felt it gave me that like chaos that I had kind of been looking for You know that I've been used to in my addiction and I still get a sense of that at work You know working with the judicial population like there's a little bit of that definitely not as much as child welfare But I There's definitely a part of me that's like um Still drawn to it and you know in some ways, you know and so I have to just be mindful of that and Sounds like you're doing a fantastic job in your personal life and in your work balance life Yeah, thank you. I've really enjoyed. I know you guys have I'm speaking for y'all your story Thank you. You're overcoming so many obstacles. I just think you Have really rose to the occasion. I'm so I'm like so proud of you How does your family feel about your success? Yeah, I might like my family back home. Yeah, they're super proud of me You know super they should be yeah, my mom's super proud of me and just for her to not have to worry about me and Um for my siblings to be able to call me and ask me for advice is huge, you know like I've had to make a lot of amends there too Um older than my siblings by a lot. So they were little when I was a teenager and in my 20 So I put them you know, I put them through it to a little bit Um, and yeah, just it's really having my kid when my kids came and then like my My family will come out when they can and that's it's really nice to bring them out here and like um You know, I own my house so they can stay in our spare room and the fact that I have a spare room is yeah Yeah, yeah, today is bigger than now. The fact that you have a garage I was like I tell my mom all the time like you keep it out you'll be sleeping in the garage, but I You know They're super proud of me. It's it's nice and you know the one thing that it's probably worth mentioning and it's like Um my recovery makes them uncomfortable too as proud of me as they are like it makes them uncomfortable Yeah, it's like a mirror for them or something I noticed that they get really defensive about whatever they're doing or not doing and they kind of are justifying or rationalizing or lying And so that is a bummer for me because I don't want that at all like I don't want them to feel uncomfortable. I don't Um, like it doesn't matter. I love them regardless of what they're doing. It doesn't matter to me Obviously, I want them to be healthy and like and well But um that is kind of a bummer. You know when I notice that my recovery makes them uncomfortable It might be just them wrestling with the same thing that you wrestled with when you were Um getting high and going to school for recovery Yeah, so it's I think it's probably along that same uncomfortable ability. Yeah for sure. In that inner Dialogue. Yeah, which isn't a bad thing but I but I am Your mom's a hero for for putting your life above hers. Yeah, and it seems like she's That's important to her. So she's everything to be proud about yeah And if it's you that has to lead that way But I mean, that's what we'll have to happen, but she'd made that move. Yeah, she Now is a hard thing for her to send your son away. Yeah, for sure And I think that's really cool. Yeah, it's so it's so crazy like she and I Uh, we were calling treatment centers and we were basically waiting for commercials to come on TV You know, they would have those commercials. It was you know back in like 2015 or whatever So we're like calling 800 numbers and my mom talks to this guy. I forget his name But um, he basically like told my mom his story and he helped us find the treatment center So um, my mom loved him, you know, like he was you know, he was so sweet to her and and just reassuring her through the process and all that stuff Um, so then I'm in Florida and I go to a meeting where they it's a speaker meeting and it's him He was speaking and I was like what are the fucking? Yeah, I'm sorry Um, what are the odds of that? Yeah, and uh, after the meeting, I was like, dude, my mom loves you Like you talked to it, you know, I explained it Yeah, well, I don't I'm not sure if I talk to a million people, but I was like dude, you you helped me get in the treatment and my mom loves See that's gonna be someone coming up to you someday. That's right. You know, all right. This is so crazy So I spoke at the co-ag conference um at the end of October and I just did like a they wanted to do like 10, 15 minute 10 talks of um, people was lived experience with the opiate crisis and who are doing this kind of work now So I told my story and I talked about that social worker in Florida um, and basically how like You know, we never know who we kind of plant the seed for and like who we impact So the next week I go into work and I get this email from this woman who is like hey, I saw you speak at the co-ag conference I also became a social worker in recovery. She was like, but um You helped my son six years ago and like uh And then sent me a picture of him and I've or like I didn't remember his name But I saw the picture and man I started crying. I remember him She's like she said that he's doing really good. He's like working in Delta and you know still Clean and sober and all that stuff and that was like yeah makes it worth a while. Yeah Yeah, I would have never known that I had that kind of impact. Yeah without her telling me, you know It's important to share some of that stuff for people. Yeah for sure. To know that what you're doing Why you still do that? It's a difference. Yeah, it matters. Yeah, so that was powerful And I think all of these events that the health partnership helps coordinate is super important Especially this time of year can be really tough for people communities important plugging yourself in Making yourself uncomfortable putting yourself in uncomfortable positions You never know who you're gonna meet. Yeah, and it's just going to keep you focused and going in the right direction. Yeah, for sure And especially people you know that might be struggling or new in recovery or struggling Um, it can just feel like a lonely time of year maybe and so there's definitely like you connect with us and we'll connect you with With other people and, you know Absolutely. Thank you I would just like something fun to do. Oh my god, the Pusara. Yeah, go girl Yeah, we're gonna meet some new people. Yeah, that's fun It is sure the bowling events are super fun like I've actually been wanting to go to that we should go you guys Yeah, we should go we should do that. Yeah, super fun. It, though She's really competitive now see this cute little angel right here She's not so cute and sweet when she's trying to beat you or in a board game or Yeah, it's brutal. Yeah, thank you for coming and thank you time, you know sitting down with us We appreciate it and I was really excited to find out all that you did and health partnership in general offers so much So we'll have you on again Check out cool. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Bye everybody. Thank you listeners (upbeat music)