program from the Office of Minority never created realistic goals for their measured in small steps. Still, when Health, which gives organizations futures. Most will tell you they have you see a young person step in front like Fortune the financial resources to struggled all their lives to “fit in” to of a judge and say “I completed my assist young people with their health the traditional classroom settings, to mandate and now I’m participating in needs—from connecting them to no avail. Others admit that substance Fortune’s transitional work program,” basic healthcare and tools it reminds you that you’re in to successfully reenter the “Through ReLINK, Fortune is able to the right field. community, to enveloping them in mentorship and ask participants “What do you want out In the words of one of supportive services—all in of life?” We work outside of the court our youngest participants, “People, places, and things an effort to prevent them mandates to help young people truly got me here. It got me a from returning to prison or jail, and increasing their determine what matters most to them, charge, and it put me in personal well-being. and then walk them through the steps of a program. Now, I gotta rethink everything. And I Through ReLINK, Fortune building a plan of action.” gotta try something new.” is able to ask participants To which we say: When “What do you want out of life?” We it’s time to RETHINK, it’s time to use makes it challenging to engage in work outside of the court mandates ReLINK. ATI programming. But with Fortune’s to help young people truly determine holistic services and staff support, For information on the Fortune what matters most to them, and they are beginning to envision a better, ReLINK program, please contact ATI then walk them through the steps healthier future for themselves. Program Supervisor Michael Perez at of building a plan of action. It’s miperez@fortunesociety.org or not easy, particularly when many Fear of success is real in many of 347.510.3441. of our ReLINK participants have our ReLINK participants; progress is This publication was supported by Award No. CPIMP161133-01-00 from the Office of Minority Health (OMH). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of OMH. VOLUME LI • JUNE 2018
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