Celebrate Endings for They Precede New Beginnings

Patricia’s first experience working with substance abuse clients was at a local substance abuse recovery center where she worked for three years as a Resident Advisor. Her engagement with the clients and seeing the positive work that was being done made her want to start her own company providing substance abuse counseling for women. In August of 2021, Patricia attended the Back-to-School outreach event at the University of Michigan-Flint and stopped at the GST Michigan Works! table. She spoke with Angel, a Career Coach, and inquired about the services GSTMW offered. She learned that GST had funding for short-term certificate programs and shared with GSTMW staff that she was looking to become a substance abuse counselor. To do so, she would need a certificate to work full-time, however did not have the money to go back to school. During this brief encounter, Patricia did not anticipate that this was the beginning of a vision coming true. 

Within a month, Patricia was at GST Michigan Works! taking assessments and completing paperwork to receive funding for the Substance Abuse Certificate Program at Mott Community College. In January of 2022, Patricia started her first semester. GST MI Works! was able to pay for Patricia’s books as well as provide a laptop for her schooling. Though the certificate program was supposed to take only one year, the classes Patricia needed were often canceled due to low enrollment. Unfortunately, this delayed her progress. However, Patricia did not give up! She was informed in November of 2023 that her last class would be delayed until Winter of 2025, but she could not wait another year. Patricia knew she needed to advocate for herself; so she spoke with her advisor, and they were able to put her in another class to complete her program. On May 3, 2024, Patricia received her Substance Abuse Certificate from Mott Community College. Patricia was so elated and thankful, that she visited GST MI Works! so her Career Coach could see her in her cap and gown. 

While in school, Patricia purchased a 5-bedroom home and started an LLC. She is in the process of trying to obtain more funding to complete her own substance abuse recovery home for women. Her social worker colleagues are anxiously awaiting the completion as they are ready to send clients to Patricia.  Patricia boasted, “GST Michigan Works! was always there when I needed them. There were never delays in my requests, specifically when I needed a laptop for class. At 27, I had a neurological disorder that caused me to be in a coma and I came out with short-term memory loss. This caused me to get on disability assistance, but I wanted a full life and a career. There was a time when my memory didn’t work and now it does, and it allowed me to get an education so I can pursue my career goals.”