When Dan Telgarsky was 26, it was a dark time.
Having used drugs as early as age 12, he descended even deeper into addiction after the death of his best friend and father.
“I started to inject drugs: heroin, meth, cocaine. There was no limits to what I would put in my body,” said Telgarsky. “I couldn’t keep relationships and couldn’t keep my job after eight years of working at the same restaurant.”
In 2012, Telgarsky got his first DUII and possession of oxycontin charges. They were followed by more charges, including possession and intent to deliver. By 2013, he was lodged in the Washington County jail where he detoxed from heroin, cocaine and xanax for more than 30 days. He hallucinated and was close to death.
While in court, Telgarsky recalls his conversation with the judge, “He told me that he didn’t see me as a criminal. He saw me as a drug addict and if I didn’t get help I was going to die. And he was right.”
Today, Telgarsky is a mentor and one of the dozens of people who attended a ribbon cutting in Southeast Portland for a new intensive outpatient treatment center with supportive housing. The program, which is run by the nonprofit Bridges to Change, aims to help people struggling with addiction, mental health and homelessness. It’s funded by Multnomah County’s Department of Community Justice and the County’s Mental Health and Addiction Services. Candidates for the program struggle with addiction. They may also be homeless and/or involved in criminal justice system.
Once released from jail, Telgarsky lived in his mom’s garage. His near death experience was enough for him to begin researching treatment centers. He found Volunteers of America’s Homebase Recovery intensive outpatient program with supportive housing like the Bridges to Change program.
As part of the program, he lived in a clean and sober home with nine other men. A house manager also lived on site. He was required to go to outpatient treatment and participate in outside community recovery meetings. He was assigned a mentor who visited with him at home and at treatment.
Monta Knudson, executive director of Bridges to Change and former Homebase Recovery manager says this program will operate the same way. It will provide basic needs like: food, water, shelter and create an environment of recovery so that more complex issues can be addressed.
“The basic way to think about it is these individuals already have challenges and barriers because of their addiction,” said Knudson. “Without basic needs getting addressed, like housing, we can’t take a deeper look at all the other issues.”
Knudson says the Bridge to Change program will serve up to 20 people at a time. Those who complete the program will transition back into the community with support systems in place.
As phases of Telgarsky’s treatment progressed, he formed strong relationships with his counselor and mentor. He was able to build trust. He had a more optimistic view of the future and didn’t feel alone.
He also learned how to communicate better with people, how to write a resume and perform interviews.
Once he completed a four-month stay, he transferred into recovery housing. Today, he has his own apartment and works at a restaurant.
“I’ve been to a point where life felt completely hopeless and I felt worthless and just a slave to whatever it was that was keeping me captive. Above all, I feel like this program gives you hope.”
While completing treatment, Telgarsky expressed an interest in helping people who suffered from addiction. Knudson, who was working at VOA at the time, said a position would be available for him, as long as he stayed clean.
Telgarsky has been clean since July of 2013.
“He said if my life was in order, he would have a job for me as a mentor to those in the Bridges to Change program, I feel really honored to be in the position that I’m at,” said Telgarsky.
“Ultimately, he continued, “it is up to the individual, but this program is really designed to create the opportunities to be successful when you’re ready to leave.”
