TLC is one of the few programs in Arizona that will accept any addict or alcoholic who asks for help – whether they have money or not.
And while we lose a lot of money because of this policy, it has also helped us to become one of the largest recovery programs in Arizona.
We started doing this back in 1992 when we discovered we had empty beds and decided to take a chance on letting people come in with no money. It's a policy that a staff member came up with, one that has worked to our benefit. By following this procedure we went from five beds to over 100 beds within 15 months. But at the same time, we started losing about 25% of the money we charged people to be in our program. Today we house 900 people or more, depending on the season.
In 1992 we charged $80 a week to be at TLC. For that $80 the client received housing, food, peer counseling, job search assistance, and even job training if they were working on TLC projects.
Because we're one of the few programs in Arizona that operate without state funding this policy of accepting anyone who asks for help has put a lot of strain on our resources. Even so, we've never turned anyone away who is serious about change.
And it also has given us independence in the way we operate. Because we don't depend on grants or state funding to keep our doors open we also can be stricter about the way we expect people to behave. We have zero tolerance for drug use, chronic bad attitudes, threats of violence, or violence. And this strict policy has sometimes put us at odds with other agencies. It also has given us a bad reputation on the prison yards, in the jails, and on the streets.
In fact, we have such a bad reputation on the prison yards that convicts say that you shouldn't go to TLC unless you are serious about staying clean and sober and changing your life. And what they're saying is the truth. It's also a reputation that we are proud of.
Addicts helping addicts is what has made this a tough program. Those who are serious about being in recovery and staying sober won't tolerate people who try to use in the program. They know that they only have a chance of staying clean and sober themselves if they're not around people who are actively using. Being around people who are high can be a trigger for many people who are new to recovery.
In 27 years we've had nearly half a million people come through our doors. And while a lot of them are not clean and sober today because we're not magicians who have a magical cure, there are many men and women today who are living clean and sober lives – enjoying the promises of recovery.
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