Causes: Crime & Law, Human Services, Mental Health, Rehabilitation Services for Offenders, Substance Abuse Dependency, Prevention & Treatment

Mission: Free at Last's community-based programs break the cycle of addiction and incarceration, rebuild families torn apart by intergenerational addiction, provide alternatives to incarceration, and foster economic self-sufficiency, and contribute to a healthier, safer community.

Programs: Programs and Activities Street Outreach: Point-of-risk contacts by bilingual teams that offer HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and STD prevention information to high-risk groups--IV drug users, at-risk youth and the medically uninsured individuals, many of whom are immigrants. Collaborates with County Health and the AIDS Program to recruit people for HIV testing and health screenings. Outreach workers link high-risk clients to detox and to drug treatment services. Neighborhood Recovery Center (NRC): Open 7 days a week for drop-in, the NRC is a point of entry to recovery and provides assessment and referral services to an average of 6 people every day as well. The NRC also offers daily12-step meetings and a First Offenders program Community Justice initiative: Advocacy for treatment as an alternative to incarceration. Court and custody liaison provides pre-release and post-release support services to drug offenders into structured treatment programs. Treatment Programs: Six to nine-month bilingual outpatient or residential treatment programs based on 12-step recovery for 180 to 200 men and women each year. The treatment process includes classes on life skills and pre-employment readiness and prepares clients for transition to self-sufficiency. Childcare, child developmental assessment, and parenting services for families torn apart by addiction is offered at Malaika House. Youth Services: Youth intervention services for youth at highest risk of incarceration, drug dependency and HIV. Provide positive change through peer support and behavior modification. Empower personal change and achievement. Long-Term Success: Ongoing aftercare support services for alumni. Transitional housing provides supportive, low-cost shared housing for single men, and for women or families.