Walking a mile in the shoes of others has for many years been a daily part of the job and passion of Lydia Goodson. Her own struggles in life have helped her give voice to others who seek to better themselves in recovery, and now a new opportunity will connect empathy with the ability to help in a new way.
This week, Goodson started in a new role at the Polk County Sheriffs Office meant to help those who have been incarcerated undertake the steps to reintegrate into regular society with a program approved earlier in the year by the County Commission.
Her new title as Offender Services Coordinator has one main focus in mind: help those who find themselves as part of a revolving door of recidivism at the jail end the cycle. A job she’s well-suited for after helping hundreds of people who came to Mosaic Place in Cedartown seeking the same kind of help, only with ending the cycle of addiction.
Especially since she’s been involved for many years in the lives of those who end up in the cycle of incarceration, and knows their struggles intimately having gone through her own battle with addiction and remains in long term recovery. She brought these personal experiences toward the work of running Mosaic Place through Highland Rivers Health for the past several years.
When the new opportunity came about, Goodson saw it as a way to move to the next level of helping people who are struggling to find their footing in life.
“Moving into my new role with the Sheriffs Office is truly a full circle moment for me personally,” Goodson said. “Professionally I look forward to serving those experiencing incarceration, with compassion, education and hope.”
The concept for her new role came about through a combination of factors, but the idea came to fruition in the past months and was presented to the County Commission back in January by Jail Administrator Major Rachel Haddix.
The goal of the new program and position is to work with people who have faced repeat or long-term incarceration at the jail stay out of the facility in the future by working with individuals, organizations and businesses to find jobs and housing for those coming out of jail.
Keeping those repeat offenders out of jail ultimately saves the county taxpayers money in housing and medical fees that are increasing by the day at the Polk County Jail. Money that Haddix believes could be better spent elsewhere by taking a new approach to the problem.
Haddix sought the County Commission’s permission to create and fund the new role of Offender Services Coordinator to run the new program, one they approved and funded.
“The biggest factors those experiencing incarceration face when being released is gaining employment and stable housing,” she said. “Without these basic needs, they are set up for failure. They also need the basic life skills to function in today’s society.”
She went on to add that “With this program we are able to work with those individuals while they are experiencing incarceration and give them the opportunity to gain these skills and connect them with proper resources so they are set up for success once they re-enter the community. Programs like these are shown to decrease recidivism and save money for communities.”
Goodson sees her first goal is to put into the mindset of those who are going to take part to look at their next steps toward moving forward with their lives, instead of the previous pattern of getting out and returning to a cycle that lands them back behind bars.
“Polk County Commissioners and the Sheriffs Office is using re-entry services as a strengths-based approach, rather than focusing on the ‘problem,'” Goodson explained. “That way of thinking instills hope in those experiencing incarceration as well as the the community as a whole.”
Another step as they determine how to get those incarcerated involved and inspired to better their own lives, is to also find partners who want to help.
“Using my Forensic Peer Mentoring certification and my Certified Peer Specialist certification will enable me to connect with those I serve,” she said. “I will also be obtaining other certifications in order to provide the quality services that the Commissioner’s and the Sheriffs Office envision for this role.”
“I look forward to collaborating with many of the existing resources, businesses and other community partners we have that I know want to help our efforts,” Goodson added.
