ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
The City of Liberal’s Treatment Court program saw its latest graduate recently.
Isaac Gonzales received his certificate for completing the program, a program Treatment Court leader Kim Clinkingbeard said is continually supported by the community.
“We’ve had many generous donations from individuals in our community and local foundations, and that’s to ensure this program continues to thrive in our community,” she said. “We have truly been blessed.”
In a brief speech, Gonzales said he is confident Treatment Court works for those battling addictions.
“I strive to be better, better than I was yesterday,” he said. “I have that hope I didn’t have two years ago.”
Gonzales said he learned much in the program, but one particular thing stood out to him.
“A winner does not only know how to win, but a winner knows how to lose,” he said. “He picks himself up and keeps on fighting.”
Clinkingbeard then introduced Municipal Court Judge Jason Maxwell, whom Gonzales chose to speak at his graduation, and she explained why the judge was chosen.
“He felt at the time he entered the program, he didn’t have anyone in his corner, no one to help him,” she said of Gonzales. “The judge offered him the help he needed. He believed in Isaac, and that was the start to a promising future for Isaac, just having that person who cares so much.”
Maxwell began his remarks by saying Gonzales started Treatment Court the way many people do.
“This isn’t something you walk into normally,” Maxwell said. “When someone comes into Treatment Court, they’re struggling, and they’re in a bad spot. Isaac had just been revoked on not one, but two cases. His probation was being revoked, and he was facing some pretty serious consequences.”
Maxwell said this is not the only reason Gonzales entered Treatment Court.
“He knew he needed help, and he wanted to work on it,” he said. “That’s always helpful. It makes our job so much easier with the Treatment Court when we have somebody who really wants to put in the work and really wants to change.”
Maxwell said this made for a good start for Gonzales, who at the time was 23 years old.
“He went through inpatient treatment, went through outpatient treatment, quite a bit of treatment along the way,” he said. “He had some challenges. So many people do, but he stayed sober. He had some trauma issues to work through, and in addition to the other treatment, he worked with Dr. Huddleston on trauma treatment and getting through those things.”
Emotionally and mentally, Maxwell there are many things people have to work through in Treatment Court.
“There’s a lot of work that has to be done,” he said. “Even when you get through the substance abuse disorder issues, you still have a lot of work to be done, and Isaac put in the hard work. He stayed sober. He put up with a lot of testing, and I think there were times when he was frustrated with how much we loved him.”
As with other cases in the program, Maxwell said many hours were put in with Gonzales.
“There are scheduled tests,” he said. “There are random tests. There is urine analysis testing, sweat patch testing. We’ve got sprain and ankle monitors and hair follicle testing. There’s a lot of things they put up with we put them through, and Isaac handled it like a pro. He handled the curfew check, the treatment, the moral recognition therapy, which is taught by the probation officer.”
In the beginning of his treatment, Gonzales had court every two weeks, but eventually, those appointments slowed down. Maxwell said one thing he noticed about Gonzales is how he stuck with the program through the entire process.
“He obtained employment early on, and I think he may have switched jobs once or twice,” he said.
That employment, Maxwell said, was maintained throughout the program as well, and Gonzales even earned promotions.
“What’s neat and what we’ve been able to watch is what Isaac has become through this,” he said.
Maxwell did say, though, Gonzales is careful when answering questions.
“He’ll pause, and he’ll think,” he said. “He’ll give a true answer he takes the time to process and make sure that’s really what he thinks. He really processes it and thinks about it.”
With this, Maxwell said he is not simply getting lip service.
“They’re actually thinking about it. Isaac became a positive force,” he said. “When there were meetings, when we were in the Treatment Court, I knew we had somebody positive who would lift up the program and lift up the other program around him, and it was special. Isaac was always very polite and very caring.”
As part of Gonzales work life, he uses public transportation, and he showed the Treatment Court team what that was like as they took a tour with him.
“He was our guide and showed us what it was, and we got an idea of the struggles he had in trying to make that work,” Maxwell said. “As we went along, we developed trust. We certainly got to where we trusted Isaac, and I think Isaac got to where he trusted us. That made things work so much better.”
Maxwell ended his remarks by announcing Gonzales will be helping launch a new Treatment Court alumni group.
“He’ll be active in that, and we’re super excited as well,” he said.
Treatment Court Probation Officer Michelle Contreras-Soto then presented Gonzales with his two-year sobriety certificate and coin, and Maxwell presented him with his diploma.
