'Never too late': 50 people graduate from Tulsa County Alternative Courts Program

TULSA, Okla. — After 15 months, Lindsay Gantz graduated from Tulsa County's Alternative Courts program, clean and in recovery.

"I started meth at 17 years old," said Gantz. "I'm now 34. First time I ever got clean was two months before I got into this program."

Gantz is one of 50 people who graduated from the program, which gives those struggling with mental health or drug abuse problems a different path versus going to prison. The program caters to both first-time offenders and individuals re-entering society from prison, guiding them toward recovery.

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"I was introduced to drugs at a young age by my stepdad," said Gantz. "He's the first one who ever kind of got that into my life, so it was just a normal thing for me and my childhood. My parents were both on drugs so I'm breaking a chain for the first time."

Director Ericka Jeffords says the program is not easy by design.

"We intentionally make it to where they have to feel the effects of the program in many ways because we all know it's hard to make a simple change in our life," said Jeffords. "So making a huge change like they do, it has to be challenging."

Many graduates who spoke at the ceremony said the Alternative Courts program was not their first choice because it was not the easy road. Gantz was among them — but now her family is getting to see her live life sober for the very first time.

"I was on probation and then I got in trouble again and I just kept using, hiding it behind my families back," said Gantz. "They offered this to me and I took it and I ran with it. I thought it was dumb and it was the greatest thing that I could've ever done."

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In the three decades the Alternative Courts program has been an option in Tulsa, it has graduated 10,000 people who would have otherwise gone to prison.

Gantz says she is grateful for the fresh start.

“Getting to do this program, I was like I’m gonna get in and get out as soon as I can," she said. "Then I realized that there is life after addiction and I didn’t know there was. I always thought this was gonna be, I was my DOC number, my addiction, I’m an addict, it’s too late to change, but it’s never too late. For the first time I’m living.”