Our Story

In 1992 drug turf wars led to the murder of 42 people in the City of East Palo Alto and the media called it "the murder capital of the U.S." When the Urban Health Study reported that the city had the highest incidence of HIV infection among IV drug users of any city west of Chicago, another epidemic needed to be addressed. A small group of community residents decided that the community needed long-term solutions to reduce addiction and stop the spread of HIV.

David Lewis, a member of one of the first men's recovery groups in East Palo Alto, and Priya Haji, a student at Stanford University envisioned a community recovery center for substance abuse treatment, intervention and prevention services with special focus on those affected by incarceration, HIV/AIDS, and intergenerational addiction.

Free at Last—A Culturally Appropriate, Community-Based Approach

To treat the most marginalized, disadvantaged, and hard-to-reach substance abusers, ideally the service provider needs to be accessible and located within the community. In a small closed community like East Palo Alto, people are more open to treatment when the role models are people with whom they identify. According to a 1996 California Commission studying minority health concerns, “Neighborhood-based, community focused programs established and run by members of the community, located within the community, have much more positive results in meeting needs than state-run programs.”

Founded by members of the community with a vested interest in rebuilding their own community, Free at Last was designed to be “Of the community, for the community, by the community.” Community-based recovery works because it’s a program of attraction. Those still caught in their addiction see the transformed lives of people they grew up with, used with, and served time with. Recovery is bold and positive, and inspires other people towards the decision to make personal change. Free at Last is centrally located and accessible to participants who have no transportation. It is easy to reach by bus and offers a gateway to treatment, a resource for services, as well as a community center for recovering individuals to socialize and attend daily 12-step meetings.

There is a much greater likelihood of engaging high-risk people who are reluctant to seek treatment outside of the community. Free at Last is culturally/racially identified with the community: 85% of the 54-member staff are local residents, 78% African American and 16% Latino, 6% other; 26% of the staff is bilingual (Spanish/English). Cultural pride and an understanding of tradition are valued as part of the process of rebuilding self-esteem, as well as a commitment to community. Latinos and African Americans are also encouraged to develop a cross-cultural understanding and unity.

Peer Model

Sixty-five percent of Free at Last’s board and staff are in recovery. They form a core group of indigenous leaders, modeling and encouraging recovery among peers. Staff and clients often have similar histories, and easily relate to similar life circumstances that led to their addiction. Using a 12 Step orientation, Free at Last’s treatment services are based on the social model of one addict helping another in a community environment that supports the mutual help recovery process (Wright, 1985) The underlying assumption is that peers, rather than outside professionals, are able to provide more sensitive and relevant services and are less vulnerable to overt or subtle manipulation frequently associated with addictive behavior (Shaw, Borkman, 1990, Brunswick, 1977, Szapocnik, 1979).

Accomplishments

Free at Last’s community-based model of providing essential services is evidenced by:

• The stability and success of Free at Last alumni who have stable employment, act as responsible parents, serve in community organizations, and in some cases, become staff members at Free at Last after two years in recovery.
• A successful collaboration with county agencies in reducing the number of new cases of HIV and reducing risk behaviors leading to HIV/STD through outreach and education.
• The reunification of families torn apart by addiction, and the benefits to children who finally have a stable home with a present and caring parent.
• The availability of alternatives for young people who have dropped out of school.
• Programs that have earned the confidence of the courts that continue to refer clients to Free at Last as an alternative to incarceration for drug-related offenses.
• The decline in violence, drug traffic, and crime in the community, in part due to the presence of a strong group of people supporting recovery.

About Us

Mission Statement

History and Recent Accomplishments

Our Story

Staff Profiles

Board of Directors

Funding

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