Since 1992

TLC is one of the oldest recovery programs in Arizona, having been founded January 9, 1992.

It is a 501(c)(3) corporation and has been raising its own funds for around 30 years.  Most funds come from service fees paid by clients, the remainder coming from several small businesses that TLC operates.  Among these are a state-licensed treatment program, an air conditioning company, a labor group, and several small convenience stores.

It is unique in the respect that it started out with five donated beds in an old shack in Mesa and now has some 40 buildings in various cities across the valley.  The interesting thing is that all of this expansion was created by addicts and alcoholics who were trying to get their lives together and built TLC as a team effort.

In the early days all of the recovery was through peer driven groups and attendance at 12-step meetings. Only later, when we started the state licensed treatment program, TLC would begin hiring professional therapists, doctors and nurses to help clients with their recovery.

In the early years TLC was the object of a lot of criticism from the recovery community.  And that's because we had older buildings that were nothing like the Betty Ford Clinic.  TLC is probably, in terms of aesthetics, one of the ugliest programs in the state.

But our mission is to help recovering addicts and alcoholics rebuild their lives, something we're very effective at.  We never planned to provide beautiful buildings and luxury surroundings as many programs do.  We were just about helping addicts, working together to create an environment where we could all stay sober – not that everyone did.  However, we feel that we are the equal of any program in the state in terms of our success in helping addicts rebuild their lives. 

And because we have some 850 beds available we are able to serve a much larger population of homeless addicts and alcoholics who are seeking help.  The kind of addicts who come to our program are like me: I didn't give a shit what kind of accommodations I had - I just wanted the pain to stop.  And that's what happens at TLC, because addicts are able to stop the pain they're willing to put up with our accommodations and to work on themselves.

And it works.

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