The No wrong Door Policy was proposed to help those trying to recover from addiction, it all started from one Wisconsin woman whose son was denied that choice because of his address.
“We were trying to keep him alive, I mean because we knew he didn't want to stop using, and he told us that,” said Julie Flood.
Flood’s son was beginning to show odd behaviors, and getting reports from school of him starting to steal.
Julie says Austin was 15, when he first experimented with drugs, going from over the counter drugs to harder drugs like cocaine, and prescription opioids.. it got so bad that Austin was arrested, in and out of jail for stealing from stores and using drugs.
“Police would find him passed out in ditches, but yet couldn't do anything, it was a yearly occurrence, using and theft, violating probation and parole,” said Flood.
When Austin turned 21, he wanted to get treatment in Green County where his parents live but the county wouldn't pay for his treatment because there wasn't a residential program available in that county.
“It was just devastating because was this the moment that he really could've done it and had a good head start, probably not, but maybe better than any other time before,” said Flood.
Julie went to a recovery rally with Austin where she met A.J. Ernst, a mental health and substance abuse specialist he referred Austin to a facility at the Tellurian Treatment Center, but was turned away, because he wasn’t a resident of Dane County.
“When an individual is ready to change we don't want to shut down that opportunity, and in the state of Wisconsin that opportunity is easily shut down because we are in a county run system and counties can decide if a person will be treated or not based on residency,” said A.J. Ernst a behavioral specialist.
Ernst proposed a policy that could potentially help addicts, in our state get the help they need.
The pilot would provide an emergency seven day period for anyone seeking, help at any county in Wisconsin.
Austin wasn't interviewed for this story as a request. He is currently not living with his mom or family.
To find out more about the No Wrong Door Policy, click here.
