BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO)– As many individuals understand, a life with addiction is a difficult one to let go, and among the important things that typically features addiction is taking part in the sort of activities that offer somebody a rap sheet or land them in prison. That’s a truth for numerous women in Kern County, however one company, Minnie Marvel’s, is working to ensure they have another possibility.
Getting women whose lives have actually been affected by addiction reintegrated into society is the objective of Minnie Marvel’s Sober Living. Owner and CEO Janice “Jasmine” Marvel understands what it resembles to be addicted to drugs, and the requirement of those dealing with dependencies to have individuals who will never ever quit on them.
Now, with financing authorized previously this month by the Board of Supervisors, Minnie Marvel’s is helping AB 109 customers to be restored.
” They never ever provided upon me, and I’ll never ever quit on these ladies,” stated Marvel.
Offering women another possibility to get tidy, and for some, getting their kids back into their lives, is what Minnie Marvel’s is providing for women throughout the nation.
” I remain in healing myself,” states Marvel. “My tidy dade is 2/6 of 98. I have 24 and a half years tidy. I have actually been where these women have actually been. I’m an ex-heroin addict. Altered my life totally.”
Marvel established the program back in 2011 since she understands what a number of these women are going through. Women like Monica Moreno, an AB 109 customer of Minnie Marvel’s.
” I ended up backsliding into drugs, and they unlocked for me,” stated Moreno.
Moreno has actually been down this roadway prior to. She is back in the program under AB 109 financing after having actually fallen back into old routines.
” I was currently on probation and what occurred was that I fell back, and I simply cameback Prior to, it was … I think I was so into the addiction that I began hallucinating and vandalizing things,” stated Moreno. “It was truly psychological.”
With assistance from Minnie Marvel’s, nevertheless, Moreno states she’s back on track.
” I’ve in fact repaired my license, I have actually gotten my Social Security card, I have actually obtained the alcohol and drug program at CSUB, and like I stated, on the 7th of December, they alerted me that I was accepted into the program,” Moreno stated.
Moreno is not alone. Samantha Riley finished from the program in 2018 after handling drug abuse problems.
” I began truly young. I began doing drugs at 9 years of ages. I was continuously in and out of jail, in and out of Juvenile Hall,” stated Riley. “I was simply type of an item of my environment.”
Riley states it wasn’t up until she struck her all-time low and desired her household back in her life that she discovered the ling on the other side through the company.
” I’m a supervisor at a shop, and I have actually got custody of my niece, and I got my kids back in my life, which’s the most significant one right there,” stated Riley.
Jerrilee Hickman is another female handling the fallout from addiction, consisting of a stint in prison.
” My entire criminal history was violence, and this last time was attack with a fatal weapon with a car, and my hubby and I were attempting to restore our lives, and I was simply done,” stated Hickman.
With the assistance of the program and Janice Marvel, Hickman seems like she’s getting the assistance she requires to take advantage of this 2nd possibility.
” Part of the issue when you initially leave prison is not understanding where to go to get things done, and she was a terrific assistance simply directing me in the ideal location, her and her personnel, and ladies that had actually been here prior to me,” stated Hickman. “It’s simply a terrific support group.”
Among those previous customers who is now part of the group at Minnie Marvel’s is Cecilia Juarez.
” I have actually discovered a great deal of obligation,” stated Juarez. “I have actually discovered to live every day, like, a typical life. Getting up, having a regular, getting my kids all set. Simply things I didn’t carry out in my addiction.”
Juarez includes that Minnie Marvel’s was among the last locations she might rely on, and they existed when she required them most.
” It simply makes my heart melt. It’s the last location I might go to. I had actually burned all my bridges and this was the last location I needed to go to,” stated Juarez, keeping in mind how rapidly Minnie Marvel’s assisted her accomplish a lot.
Among the methods the program assists women find out the type of obligation that Juarez discovers makes her life feel typical is through a young puppy promoting collaboration with Marley’s Mutts.
” I strongly think that dealing with Marley’s Pooches, it teaches the ladies obligation, compassion, empathy,” stated Marvel. “And they get a certificate at the end of their remain here.”
Eventually for Marvel, the objective of rehab is individual.
” This isn’t a task to me,” stated Marvel. “This is a life-long journey. I do this since I like helping women and kids.”
The financing for the AB 109 rehab program lasts through December of 2025. The board likewise authorized financing for male AB 109 customers with New Life Healing and Training Center.
Other sober living centers in Kern County serving AB 109 customers:
Flexibility Home Healing House
Bakersfield Healing Solutions, Inc. (Jason’s Retreat and Capistrano Neighborhood for Women)