Paying It Forward
NYCHA Residents Receive Scholarships for Substance Abuse Counselor Training
NYCHA Residents Receive Scholarships for Substance Abuse Counselor Training
Julian Brooks, a resident of Beach 41st Street Houses, credits his desire to become a substance abuse counselor with the assistance he once received from one. “I was an addict and somebody helped me, so it’s my duty to help somebody else and the community,” he said. “I want to do something good. Plus, I have two kids who look up to me, and I have to show them a better way in life.”
He and 16 other NYCHA residents or Section 8 voucher holders got a considerable leg up in their quest to become substance abuse counselors—they received scholarships for free training to receive their Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) Trainee certification. Thanks to funding from the Robin Hood Foundation, tuition for the eight-month training program from the Outreach Training Institute is covered, as well as the cost of books, the exam, and related fees. In addition to classroom training, participants intern in the field and receive job placement assistance.
Zenae Pearson, a Section 8 voucher holder, found out about the opportunity through an email she received from REES. “I was immediately interested and knew it was for me, because I was looking forward to going back to school and working in human services.” Ms. Pearson knows the toll that substance abuse can take on individuals and families, because her brother suffered from alcoholism. She wants to work with adolescents in particular. “Not a lot of people have patience for them, but that’s where it starts. If we can intervene at a young age and get people to recognize that they’re going down a destructive path, we can stop it there.”
Ms. Pearson enjoys all the elements of the training—the lectures, reading assignments, and the knowledgeable professors. “We’re learning how to work with the entire family, through family therapy, and that’s been really interesting and something I want to focus on.” Ms. Pearson has an associate degree and plans to apply her CASAC credits toward a bachelor’s degree once she completes the training.
Liliane Drago, director of the Outreach Training Institute, believes participants are poised to do a lot of good in the community. “There’s a high need for trained substance abuse counselors,” she said. “Through this program, we’re enabling people who are concerned and interested and living in the community to participate in the workforce and contribute to the solution of the problem of drug and alcohol abuse.”
On top of his training, Mr. Brooks interns as a recovery coach at an outpatient drug program in Queens. After receiving his counseling credential, he hopes to help addicts currently in prison. Although balancing his internship, training, and parenting is not always easy, he finds it all very gratifying. “I’m a single parent. I’m doing a lot, doing what I have to do to show my kids that education and a positive path matter. It’s not always easy, but I get it done!”