Newly appointed U. S. “Drug Czar” Gil Kerlikowske recently made his first trip outside Washington since becoming Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). The Next Door was honored to be one of two stops he made during his visit to Nashville on May 20. Director Kerlikowske also visited the Davidson County Drug Court and addressed a gathering of law enforcement officials earlier in the day.  

During his visit to The Next Door, the Director toured the downtown transitional residential facility and listened thoughtfully to the stories shared by three women whose lives have been transformed by participating in The Next Door’s six month program. Linda Leathers, Chief Executive Officer of The Next Door, Inc., shared the history of the agency, which celebrated its Fifth Anniversary earlier in May, as well as the significant outcomes achieved through the program. April Ban, TND Director of Clinical Services, and Theresa Boyd, TND Program Director, gave the Drug Czar an overview of the women we serve, their needs, and the programs and services provided by The Next Door. 

“Director Kerlikowske’s visit to The Next Door was a tremendous opportunity not just for us, but for all gender specific recovery support providers in our nation. The ONDCP has been a great partner with The Next Door, and we eagerly welcomed the chance to host the new Director”, said Leathers. “I was so impressed with Director Kerlikowske’s willingness to listen and learn about the work that we do, the importance of gender specific programs, and the outcomes that are important in measuring real transformation in women’s lives.”  

A number of dignitaries from the State of Tennessee shared their favorable views with Director Kerlikowske about the effectiveness of The Next Door’s programs, including Department of Correction Commissioner George Little, Board of Probation and Parole Chairman Charles Traughber, Patricia Dishman, Director of the Tennessee Office of Criminal Justice Programs, Bruce Emery, Assistant Commissioner of Alcohol and Drug Services in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (TMHDD), and Gary Tullock, Director of Field Services for the Board of Probation and Parole.

Angie McKinney Jones, Director of Prevention in TMHDD’s Division of Alcohol and Drug Services, spoke about the positive impact being a graduate student intern at The Next Door has had on her current administrative role, and April Stewart, Director of TMHDD’s Access to Recovery Program, shared with the Drug Czar the importance of ATR funding to continue the successful work of The Next Door. 

At the end of the visit, Leathers summed up this important visit from Director Kerlikowske. ”Our country’s new Drug Czar is clearly committed to treatment and prevention services”, she stated, “He sees the importance of  investing in programs and services that help break the cycles of addiction and criminal behavior among both men and women. The Next Door looks forward to continuing to collaborate with the ONDCP and our valued partners here in the State of Tennessee.”