30 September 2020
Honorable Providence City Solicitor Jeffrey Dana
Office of the Providence City Solicitor
Providence City Hall
25 Dorrance Street
Providence, RI 02903
Honorable Solicitor Dana:
I hope this message finds you well. One of the things I appreciate about you is how quickly you respond to messages.
You might remember a while back I wrote the Director of the Rhode Island Health Department about challenges we would face during the pandemic regarding mental illness and substance abuse. Turns out the spike is worse than we ever imagined. However, some folks are trying to counter that. Just a week ago, the Woonsocket Police engaged in a “Fentanyl bust” and brought social workers along. Mayor Elorza has also shown leadership on these issues. I was wondering if we could take an ever more aggressive step.
Two things happened right earlier this month that told me I wasn’t doing enough. A couple of Sundays back, the Rally for Recovery was held at the Warwick Mall. I ran into old friend Tommy Coderre. Long before there was an Anchor Recovery Center, there was Tommy calling me on the phone saying,”You gotta meet this Jim Gillen guy.”
At the Rally, we talked about my frustrations with not being able to help people since that means almost automatic quarantining. He gave me some ideas that I am starting to run through now. We both agreed I have to get off the bench and back in the game somehow.
Last Wednesday, I celebrated my 18th clean and sober anniversary without a relapse. I started to think about the folks who helped me in the early days. I also thought about all the people I’ve helped along the way. I know I’m not supposed to take credit for it, but it’s great to hear somebody speaking and magically they say, “Yeah, I was having the worst day of my life and then I met this Bobby O guy . . . “
That all got me to thinking. We are taught, going back to the ‘39 literature, that we should never try to bring someone around when they are on the spree. The ideal time to catch somebody is right when they wake up the very next morning. That is usually the moment of “bottom”. If social workers can be brought in after an arrest, can those of us living the life be brought in the next morning as the person who just committed a crime under the influence is on the way to court??
This is nothing against the fine folks who do social work. My sister is a court advocate in Massachusetts working for their Department of Social Services. Many people choose social work because at some point in their life, they have had to watch a family member or a friend self-destruct.
While they offer excellent services, many times the person suffering from addiction won’t buy into the social worker because said social worker hasn’t “lived the life”. The easiest way for me to gain trust from any “newbie” is to mention my 32 arrests and tell a few stories about the times I woke up in places that I didn’t remember going to bed in.
The other issue is timing. By the time the addicted person goes to their first court mandated meeting or treatment session, the bottom has disappeared and that opportunity has been lost.
I understand at the outset that there could be challenges to implementing such a program. Defense Attorneys may not trust it, it could open up liability and insurance issues from the city, some members of the public who do not like those of us who suffer from addiction might rise up with, “Why are we spending more money on them, AGAIN??” I believe that the potential benefits, bringing more folks into recovery quicker at their moment of “bottom”, outweigh whatever we may have to work through.
Because it is what keeps me clean, sober, and in recovery I stand ready at any time to talk to anyone who may be suffering. I know many folks who feel the same way. Because I’ve been arrested 32 times, including one in Mexico, jails don’t throw me off. I well tell you that whenever I speak in a prison and the doors close behind me, that can be a tad unsettling. That’s one of the reasons I keep trying to do it.
If you believe this is a conversation worth starting, please tell me where to send the next communication to. Because people are people, and 2020 is 2020, I think talking about the cost savings of getting more people into recovery sooner is the way to begin.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Robert T. Oliveira
315-864-1229
Warwick, RI
Quahogs United 