Overcoming addiction to “give back”
TWELVE years ago, Wellington-born man Jeff Amatto had been released from prison and was struggling to adapt to life on probation while also battling drug and alcohol addiction.
After growing up in the central west region, Mr Amatto had witnessed drug and alcohol use, domestic violence, and mental health issues from a young age. For him it was his ‘normal’. However, when the now 42-year-old met with a probation officer, he was given a lifeline that would go on to completely change his life’s trajectory.
“It came to the point when my mental health was having a big impact on top of my addiction and I knew I couldn’t go back to jail because I knew I wouldn’t walk back out of the gates,” he said.
“I was grateful I had a probation and parole lady from Dubbo who really cared. She said jail wasn’t working for me but there was a rehab centre called Glen Rehab.
“She said I could either go there or go back to jail. I thought I’d tell her what she wanted to hear and come to the rehab on the central coast for three months.
“But something happened there.” Mr Amatto said he had become disconnected from his indigenous culture and through The Glen Rehab, he developed thew tools to become “a productive member of society”.
“I was taught a way to live that I didn’t know was possible,” he said.
“They gave me a mentor who had lived the same lifestyle. He showed me his story and that there was a light at the end. He gave me hope.”
After three months, Mr Amatto left The Glen Rehab a changed man with a vision for his future.
He now travels the country as a drug, alcohol and mental health speaker and speaks with schools.
“My mob from Wellington and surrounding areas, reached out to me (to share) how I’d gotten clean and sober and broken the cycle of incarceration,” he said.
“I started to do it for a week and here I am four years later.
“I’ve been a key note speaker at Magistrate conferences, juvenile justice conferences, schools, services, you name it.”
On March 1, Mr Amatto announced he had partnered with
The Glen Rehab – where he holds workshops and talks once or twice a month.
“I feel proud to be partnering with the place that saved my life,” he said.
Mr Amatto is an advocate of a rehab centre in Dubbo, as well across the country.
“It’s 25 years overdue (in Dubbo). Statistics says if we commit a crime, there’s a bed in jail for us that night, but if you need support for drugs, alcohol or mental health, sometimes you have to wait for eight to nine weeks,” he said.
“I’m presenting my story to magistrates and a lot of services in the community, doing a lot of advocating for and helping with rolling out mental programs.
“We’re rolling out a mental program in Wellington for the youth and for inmates being released from jail (in) a cultural men’s group facilitated by myself.
“I’ve travelled this country three to four times, up and down, side to side, and every community I’ve travelled to has a prison within a 200km radius but they have to travel a day or two to get help.’
“I’d like to spark the minds of big decision makers to come on board.”