Justin Volpe

You know, my own diagnosis when I was 22 or 23 years old really shaped that journey to want to give back to the community and help other people.

You know, my own diagnosis when I was 22 or 23 years old really shaped that journey to want to give back to the community and help other people.

You know, my own diagnosis when I was 22 or 23 years old really shaped that journey to want to give back to the community and help other people.

Yeah, absolutely, Tony. I live in Miami, Florida, and at 22 or 23 years old, I was struggling with substance use and alcohol issues. I was put into a rehab, and I thought that that was my problem. But When I stayed clean off the drugs and alcohol, those problems persisted, and it ended up being a diagnosis of what is now considered schizoaffective disorder. I was hearing voices.

Yeah, absolutely, Tony. I live in Miami, Florida, and at 22 or 23 years old, I was struggling with substance use and alcohol issues. I was put into a rehab, and I thought that that was my problem. But When I stayed clean off the drugs and alcohol, those problems persisted, and it ended up being a diagnosis of what is now considered schizoaffective disorder. I was hearing voices.

Yeah, absolutely, Tony. I live in Miami, Florida, and at 22 or 23 years old, I was struggling with substance use and alcohol issues. I was put into a rehab, and I thought that that was my problem. But When I stayed clean off the drugs and alcohol, those problems persisted, and it ended up being a diagnosis of what is now considered schizoaffective disorder. I was hearing voices.

I was seeing things that weren't there. all in all while working and trying to maintain my daily life. This disorder led to a lot of turbulent times in my life and ended up being incarcerated at 23 years old in 2007 in the Miami-Dade County Jail.

I was seeing things that weren't there. all in all while working and trying to maintain my daily life. This disorder led to a lot of turbulent times in my life and ended up being incarcerated at 23 years old in 2007 in the Miami-Dade County Jail.

I was seeing things that weren't there. all in all while working and trying to maintain my daily life. This disorder led to a lot of turbulent times in my life and ended up being incarcerated at 23 years old in 2007 in the Miami-Dade County Jail.

Well, you know, something about some mental health diagnosis is Everybody else seems to know that there's an issue, but to know inside that something's not adding up takes a level of awareness that I did not have at the time.

Well, you know, something about some mental health diagnosis is Everybody else seems to know that there's an issue, but to know inside that something's not adding up takes a level of awareness that I did not have at the time.

Well, you know, something about some mental health diagnosis is Everybody else seems to know that there's an issue, but to know inside that something's not adding up takes a level of awareness that I did not have at the time.

But it wasn't until I went into the judicial system, I was released from court, from jail, through a court program to help people with mental health and co-occurring disorders called the Jail Diversion Program. That's where I got introduced to Judge Leifman's program.

But it wasn't until I went into the judicial system, I was released from court, from jail, through a court program to help people with mental health and co-occurring disorders called the Jail Diversion Program. That's where I got introduced to Judge Leifman's program.

But it wasn't until I went into the judicial system, I was released from court, from jail, through a court program to help people with mental health and co-occurring disorders called the Jail Diversion Program. That's where I got introduced to Judge Leifman's program.

After I got released into this outpatient treatment program, I was given the support I needed to get back on my feet, given education, a lot of different types of therapy, and access to resources I didn't have before. After I started to take this recovery journey, I started to feel better. And then within eight months of being incarcerated, I was given an opportunity to become a peer specialist.

After I got released into this outpatient treatment program, I was given the support I needed to get back on my feet, given education, a lot of different types of therapy, and access to resources I didn't have before. After I started to take this recovery journey, I started to feel better. And then within eight months of being incarcerated, I was given an opportunity to become a peer specialist.

After I got released into this outpatient treatment program, I was given the support I needed to get back on my feet, given education, a lot of different types of therapy, and access to resources I didn't have before. After I started to take this recovery journey, I started to feel better. And then within eight months of being incarcerated, I was given an opportunity to become a peer specialist.

A peer specialist is somebody with lived experience in the jail diversion program. So As soon as I got it and understood what I had to do to maintain, I was given the opportunity to give service to others being released from the justice system.

A peer specialist is somebody with lived experience in the jail diversion program. So As soon as I got it and understood what I had to do to maintain, I was given the opportunity to give service to others being released from the justice system.