{"id":20115,"date":"2022-06-27T07:00:20","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T07:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=20115"},"modified":"2024-10-18T17:50:47","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T17:50:47","slug":"navos-program-is-a-safe-space-for-lgbtq-individuals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/navos-program-is-a-safe-space-for-lgbtq-individuals\/","title":{"rendered":"Navos program is a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Navos chemical dependency professional Ronald \u201cRon\u201d Fitzgerald remembers hiding his sexuality at an early age and turning to drugs and alcohol.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGrowing up, this was my experience \u2014 if other men find out you&#8217;re gay, they think you&#8217;re less of a man,\u201d Fitzgerald shares. \u201cSo I would always hide it, and I would always feel less than. I never found my niche to fit in at school. When I found drugs, I thought I found my best friend. It gave me a mask.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, Fitzgerald\u2018s story is not uncommon. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.addictioncenter.com\/addiction\/lgbtq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Addiction Center<\/a>, it\u2019s estimated that 20 to 30 percent of the LGBTQ+ community similarly struggles with <a href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/services\/behavioral-health\/behavioral-health-programs\/adult-programs\/substance-use-disorder\/\">substance use disorders (SUD)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>After a long history of pain and substance use, Fitzgerald sought a new path.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just got sick and tired of being sick and tired,\u201d he explains. \u201cI decided I was going to get some education, help myself and do something with my life. I wanted to make sure I set myself up for success because I lived the first half of my life for everybody else \u2014 trying to buy friends to be comfortable in my own skin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During his recovery journey, Ron cultivated an attitude of gratitude and was inspired to give back by becoming an SUD counselor. He enrolled in school, earned his bachelor\u2019s degree from Highline College and joined Navos\u2019 donor-powered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navos.org\/get-help\/adults-older-adults\/care-for-adults\/housing\/\">Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT)<\/a> in March 2019.<\/p>\n<h2>Channeling lived experiences and connecting with clients<\/h2>\n<p>Evidence-based PACT is a lifeline for 90 adult clients who come to the program from houselessness, hospitalization or incarceration. Using integrated care and harm reduction models, peer support specialists, vocational specialists, SUD specialists, therapists, nurses and a medical provider offer therapeutic and medical care in the comfort and safety of clients\u2019 own homes. At Navos, individual studio apartments are provided, so clients can focus on living independently, getting well, finishing degrees, reuniting with family and improving their overall quality of life.<\/p>\n<p>As a chemical dependency professional, Fitzgerald\u2019s day-to-day at PACT involves a lot of work in the field. From taking clients to the store, helping them learn how to clean their apartments and giving basic life and coping skills to directing them away from substance use, he describes his job as \u201cfighting the good fight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s also an open book when it comes to his SUD \u2014 including his relapse \u2014 and his identity in hopes of creating a safe space for clients.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re serving people that come from all different walks of life, and when they find out there\u2019s someone who has something in common, they feel safe and happy they have a person to connect with,\u201d Fitzgerald says. \u201cWhen I get people that have addiction issues, they may want to work with me because they know I have past addiction issues. If they\u2019re gay, they may want to work with me because they know I\u2019m gay, too. You understand more where they\u2019re coming from. I feel lucky my clients can feel comfortable talking to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For LGBTQ+ individuals grappling with SUD or other mental health challenges, Fitzgerald has this message.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want them to know that somebody loves them, and there\u2019s always a way,\u201d he assures. \u201cThere\u2019s somebody that will listen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Inclusive, wraparound behavioral health programs like PACT are made possible by community generosity. You can support life-changing treatment services in King County and beyond with a gift to the <a href=\"https:\/\/support.multicare.org\/site\/Donation2?df_id=2261&amp;mfc_pref=T&amp;2261.donation=form1\">MultiCare Behavioral Health Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Navos chemical dependency professional Ronald \u201cRon\u201d Fitzgerald remembers hiding his sexuality at an early age and turning to drugs and alcohol. \u201cGrowing up, this was my experience \u2014 if other men find out you&#8217;re gay, they think you&#8217;re less of a man,\u201d Fitzgerald shares. \u201cSo I would always hide it, and I would always feel [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":103,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-behavioral-health","category-profiles-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - 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