‘They saved my life’
One young man goes from jail cell to college classroom —
with a little help from Oaklawn, The Children’s Campus
A
t 17, Gus Martinez was
on a destructive path. He
had been convicted of a
nonviolent sexual offense,
violated his probation and
had a severe substance abuse problem,
which landed him in jail.
That’s when his probation officer
referred him to Oaklawn, The Children’s
Campus.
“If I wasn’t in treatment, I wouldn’t have
seen my 19th birthday,” Gus said. “Every
day I think about it. They saved my life.”
Those honest words are a far cry from
the feelings Gus, 19, had when he first
arrived at TCC in November of 2012.
Gus, like many addicts, didn’t think
he had a problem. But Gus is one
who accepts his circumstances, so he
participated in treatment and became a
leader among the others on his unit.
Six months later, he was doing so well
that staff considered releasing him —
until he failed a polygraph. Gus admitted
to having relapsed several times. He had
to stay, but he was glad for it.
“He just said, ‘I don’t feel safe enough
to go home. I think I’ll relapse,’ ” said
Adrienne Sailor, a team leader for
TCC’s care facilitators. “So, even though
he didn’t get to go home, he was still
positive, he was still appropriate and
he was still encouraging to the other
residents.”
Several months later, Gus moved from
the residential unit to a group home,
where he had more responsibility and
autonomy.
“That’s when it really started hitting
me,” Gus said. “I realized, ‘I do have a
problem with drugs, and I do have a
problem with relationships.’ ”
Gus vowed to get better for himself
and for his family. With the help of
TCC’s therapists, skills trainers and care
facilitators, he did. They helped him
develop a plan for success to take with
him after treatment: “Keep my faith
strong, be selfish in my recovery and
keep my supports.”
Today, Gus has successfully completed
treatment, has his own apartment and is
the first person in his family to graduate
from high school. And he isn’t stopping
there. Gus is enrolled in a four-year
college studying social work. He wants to
help others battling addiction, the same
way the professionals at TCC helped him.
“The staff were very kind,” Gus said.
Without them, he wouldn’t be here, he
says. “That’s an honest-to-God blessing.
It took me a long time to realize it, but
they really did save my life.”
*Name changed to protect the client’s privacy.
4
Advocate
Summer 2014