Tito Rodriguez: Supervisor, Outreach Specialist and Old School Dope Fiend
Richard Zombeck and Dennis Doris in Gloucester, MA talking to Tito Rodriguez, P.A.A.R.I Recovery Coach Supervisor, Outreach Specialist, and, in his words, an “old school dope fiend.” He was one of the first coaches of the Gloucester Police ANGEL Initiative, collaborating with volunteers, communities, family members and treatment centers to build the successful, nationally recognized program.
For more than 40 years, Rodriguez has been involved with helping others access treatment for the disease of addiction. While at City College of New York in the 1970s, he established a drop-in center for Vietnam veterans struggling with addiction. Twenty years later, he co-founded Casa Esperanza, a bilingual, bicultural residential treatment home. This program first encompassed a 25-bed facility for men, but has now grown to include a program for women with children, a family center and a long-term sober living home. Most recently, Rodriguez worked with the City of Lynn as the police department’s Jail Diversion Coordinator, where he focused on outreach and providing treatment options to those struggling with addiction and substance abuse, as well as residents with mental health issues.