'God had other plans for me': Albuquerque opens up new trauma recovery center location

For the past six years, Elijah Chavez had been on the streets feeding his fentanyl addiction.

"I numbed myself," Chavez told guests at Sunday's Albuquerque Community's Safety's Trauma Recovery Center building opening. "I lost everything. My home, my stability, my relationships. I became a shadow of who I was once. ... I remember wandering the streets begging God to help me to take the wheel because I couldn't do it myself. Not long after, I found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time."

In March, he was shot in the leg in a drive-by shooting.

"I had every intention of leaving (the hospital) as soon as I could walk so I could go use again,' he said. "But, God had other plans for me."

As soon as Chavez, 33, was discharged, members from Albuquerque Community's Safety's (ACS) Opioid Education & Prevention Program took him to State of the Heart Recovery to get help. It is one of the programs available at the Trauma Recovery Center, 5006 Gibson SE.

ACS Violence Intervention Program deputy director Jasmine Desiderio said Chavez, who had been referred to ACS by the hospital, was willing to get the help, but added that it was important to get him to a clinic as quickly as possible because "waiting a day, a few hours, a few seconds, could allow them to change their mind."

Almost seven months later, Chavez spoke about his experiences at Sunday's Albuquerque Community Safety's grand opening for the Trauma Recovery Center.

The facility provides healing and support for victims of violence and trauma, Desiderio said.

"They fight for you when you're not willing to fight for yourself," Chavez said. "A lot of people out there, they give up, they don't care about themselves anymore. ACS reminds you that you are something."

'A second chance'

The Trauma Recovery Center opened at its new location in August . It was previously inside the Gateway Center, Desiderio said.

The facility serves as the headquarters for the Albuquerque Community Safety's Violence Intervention Program division.

It brings together outreach, care coordination, and healing-centered services under one roof, according to the city.

"This is more than just a building," said District 6 City Councilor Nichole Rogers said. "We are opening a door to healing for our community and that's the most important part about this."

Since it opened, ACS Director Jodie Esquibel said, about 200 people have been served.

"Two-hundred people have reached out for services and have come to this building (to take) financial literacy, GED classes, art therapy classes and Alcoholics Anonymous classes."

ACS peer support worker Ken Gonzales, who heads an AA class called Breaking Bad Habits, spoke about his sobriety and the importance of helping others dealing with addiction.

"It's an awesome thing because I was there, too, asking for help," he said. "... Somebody did it for me, so why can't I do it for somebody else?"

The facility houses six specialized teams:

• Community-Oriented Response and Assistance supports healing after traumatic events, helping victims of crime, abuse or trafficking access resources and regain stability, according to the city.
• Opioid Education & Prevention provides overdose follow-up support, connects individuals to recovery services, expands naloxone access and trains community members in naloxone use.
• The Violence Intervention Program offers support to those who are the highest risk of perpetrating or becoming victims of violence.
• The Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program partners with hospitals to provide trauma-informed care, safety planning and long-term support for victims of violent injury.
• The School-Based Violence Intervention Program helps at-risk youth through mentorship and intervention, addressing the root causes of violence in schools.
• The Youth Violence Intervention Program helps kids who are no longer in school due to being expelled, dropping out of school or being released from the juvenile detention center, Desiderio said.

"(ACS) gave a second chance to a mother to have a son and for a son to have his dad back," Chavez's mother, Elena Chavez said.