Treatment and Peer Bridger Services Break Cycle of Incarceration and Addiction
Our peer bridger team of certified peer support specialists in Spokane is happy to share Art’s story. Pioneer’s peer bridgers’ work with clients across the state of Washington while they are in treatment for substance use disorders and/or mental health issues, and continue the services for several months after the client is discharged from the treatment program.
As certified peer support specialists, the peer bridger functions as a role model by sharing his/her own lived experience with behavioral health issues in a way that will inspire hope, encouragement and help to foster recovery and resiliency for the people they serve. The peer bridger also provides trauma-informed, strength-based services and supports to individuals transitioning and integrating back into their communities after being discharged from Pioneer’s residential treatment centers.
Receiving services from peer bridgers is completely voluntary - the choice is always in the hands of the client who may need the services. Peer bridgers then personalize their services to each individual participant. Besides sharing hope and encouragement, a peer bridger often functions as a role model, ally, advocate, mentor and/or trusted guide in the recovery process, and a community connection liaison.
Misty Gerard, peer bridger (pictured right), shared, “I met Art when he was in residential treatment at Pioneer Center East in Spokane. I started by helping Art learn how to ride the transit bus system here in Spokane as he has been in prison for most of his life. As time went on, I introduced the various community resources to Art so he could get the help he needs.” Misty continued, “We meet a few times per week to discuss his goals and recovery plans. While on probation, he has been an active participant in his intensive outpatient (IOP) treatment classes. He is also the lead of his Oxford House where he lives in a clean and sober environment. Art is doing an amazing job!”
Art has been in treatment before, but unfortunately he relapsed. This last time, Art engaged in a 60-day residential treatment program at Pioneer Center East (PCE) and he has been clean and sober for over six months with no relapses.
Vince Heatwole, residential treatment specialist (RTS) lead at PCE, stated, “When Art arrived at PCE, he was a little rough around the edges. He was jokingly referred to as the “Pod Boss. As time went on, Art realized that he would have minimal ability to help the lives of others, if he did not have control of his own. Art then hunkered down, worked the program, and shifted his focus from thinking about what day he would be completed with the program - to working on his own recovery.”
Vince added, “Art was then able to obtain housing at Oxford House due to his peer bridger, Misty Gerard. It was a pleasure to watch the lightbulb come on for Art. He was suddenly able to see his opportunities and really focus on his future – and he continues to excel to this day. Art continues to “pay it forward” when he returns to the facility to greet residents and share information with them. He gives personal updates on his recovery a couple times a month. It is nice to see a past client from the program continuing to stay on track and striving for success in his recovery journey.”
Art (pictured left) commented, “I learned a valuable lesson this time. I learned that I don’t know what I thought I knew and I had to take one day at a time.” He added, “I’m not going to lie to you, I do have thoughts of using every single day. However, I thank God for the opportunity to now be clean and sober from what I learned. I see drugs everywhere I go – it’s constant exposure when I go out into the community. But, I stay strong and don’t want to waste my time on it again.”
Art added, “In my clean and sober living housing program, I am considered an advocate and a mentor to some of the other residents. I want to take that advocacy to another level and be a guest speaker at Pioneer Center East one day to talk to the men in treatment and give them hope and motivation with my story,” He also said, “I don’t think that I would have made it this far staying off drugs if I didn’t have the constant support of Misty, my Peer Bridger. She sees me twice a week and helps me navigate the community. Misty keeps me motivated to be the better person that I am today and I couldn’t do it without her constant support.”
Lauren Hixon, peer bridger supervisor, shared, “Art has made tremendous progress during his time in our program and he speaks very highly about Misty and how she has contributed to his success.” Art told Lauren, “I would not be where I am today and doing so well in my sobriety without Misty’s help.”
Lauren stated, “Art shared that he wants to become a peer specialist and hopes to work for Pioneer in the future. Many of our clients are so inspired by the value of peer support that they develop an ambition to help others, just as our peer bridgers’ helped them. It’s a great way to show how peer support can have a lasting, transformative effect even if we just work with them for a few months.
Recently, Art was given the opportunity to talk with one of the state representatives for Washington and shared some of his achievements. Art commented, “I shared how my wonderful peer bridgers from Pioneer Human Services have helped me. I strongly feel if it wasn't for Misty, Ryan, and Kat, I would be back on the streets hooked on drugs or on my 14th trip back to prison – or dead. Those are the facts. I can never thank them enough for all the support and understanding they have given me. And that also goes for all my family and friends out there too.”