Message from the CEO

Dear Friends,

A graduate of Cenikor once told me that he knew that he was at the lowest point in his addiction when he looked up one morning from the corner store and saw his wife and kids driving off to church with another man, who had replaced him as husband, father and provider.

Addiction strips away every aspect of life from addicts, causing them to lose everything-their self worth, self-respect, families, homes and employment. The Cenikor program helps addicts gain and maintain their sobriety while preparing them for productive lives. It is my goal for Cenikor graduates to return to their communities with improved skills that will help them get better jobs. Cenikor is able to do this because it is a longer program that provides residents with a work therapy program during their 18 to 24 month stay.

Once residents complete Cenikor's orientation program they begin structured routines that include household chores, going to work and attending evening counseling sessions. The Cenikor staff guides residents through the work therapy program, which teaches them self-respect, boundaries and appropriate responses and behaviors. Cenikor has also partnered with local school districts to offer GED classes at its facilities in Deer Park, Fort Worth and Baton Rouge. Approximately 100 residents end their days attending GED classes that empower them to compete for better jobs.

Many of Cenikor's residents have little work experience or a checkered work history because of their addictions. They may also have criminal records and backgrounds that make it difficult for them to find jobs. This puts them at risk of returning to a life of drugs and crime. Cenikor has developed partnerships with companies to provide residents with jobs that give them real-world experience. During the primary treatment stage, residents forgo their wages to offset the cost of their treatment at Cenikor. While Cenikor's business partners would hesitate to employ its residents, our work therapy program gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their new work ethic as a sober and dependable employee. Companies that work with Cenikor train residents and are often open to hiring them permanently because they have had positive experiences with them. Eleven out of 12 residents from Cenikor's Fort Worth facility recently accepted positions with companies that hired them through the work therapy program when they reached the re-entry stage of their recovery.

In the re-entry stage of Cenikor's program, residents keep their wages in order to save money for their lives after treatment. Completing the re-entry stage requires residents to have permanent jobs, an approved place to live, at least two months worth of living expenses, appropriate transportation, a GED or certifications for future vocational jobs.

Cenikor's mission to help people develop the necessary skills to become responsible citizens free of substance abuse is a process that requires education, building positive behavior, teamwork and making changes that will transform addicts into better people. Cenikor provides the necessary means to help residents succeed and become Cenikor graduates who remain clean and sober, which confirms that our program is working. Their success is Cenikor's success. And, while addicts come to Cenikor with nothing to lose, it is inspiring to see them leave as strong, sober individuals with everything to gain.

- Bill Bailey, President & CEO