30
INSPIRE
ASHLEY DAILEY AND JESSICA MOZO The Long Road to Recovery By Emma Vallelunga
T
here is no specific road to recovery. Some people don’t recover at all. But those who look for help when they need it most are taking steps in the right direction. At Prevention Network in Syracuse, Ashley Dailey and Jessica Mozo use their own experiences with addiction to guide others away from a path they were glad they didn’t travel. The Onondaga County treatment center provides support, services and opportunities to community members struggling with addiction and alcoholism. Jessica Mozo suffered from substance use disorder when her ex-husband was injured at work and became addicted to the painkillers he was prescribed by his doctor. “I had wisdom teeth problems, and I started taking it too,” she said. “Sooner [rather] than later, the prescription wasn’t enough. We started buying pain medication, and then money wasn’t enough, so we started taking money from the place we worked.” The theft landed her a minimum two-to-seven year prison sentence, but while in jail, Mozo was enrolled in Shock Incarceration, one of New York State’s toughest boot camps for young non-violent offenders. Convicted felons within Shock are given strict military regimens with a focus on substance abuse education. The program is designed to provide an environment that teaches involvement, self-direction and individual responsibility.
"Recovery in itself is a life-long process." —Ashley Dailey
August 2020
Recovery Edition
