“I used to work in health care. I was proud to serve my community as an employee of Alameda Health System (AHS), living out the mission of caring, healing, teaching, and serving all,” said CJ Brissette, AHS patient. “I never imagined I’d return to AHS, not as an employee, but as a patient in recovery.”
After years of struggling with addiction and cycling through 27 different treatment programs, Brissette said he was handed certificate after certificate with no follow-up, no long-term care and no hope for lasting recovery.
According to Brissette, everything changed with Medi–Cal, California’s version of Medicaid and with AHS.
“Thanks to Medi-Cal, I found the Road to Recovery program and the Bridge Clinic at Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus,” he said. “At AHS, I received more than a short-term fix. I received real support, continued therapy, medication-assisted treatment, and consistent follow-up care. I wasn’t just treated, I was healed,” he emphasized.
Brissette added that healing extended beyond him. “My family was restored. My daughters, who stood by me through the darkest times, are now in medical and nursing school, determined to serve others the way AHS served us.”
Today, Brissette is in school to become an EPIC analyst and many of his peers in what he calls the “Sober Squad” are working toward master’s degrees in counseling and social work, returning to help others walk the same path.
“That’s the power of recovery; it turns survivors into contributors. It transforms pain into purpose and all that would not have been achievable had it not been for the coverage I received through Medi-Cal and the care I received at AHS.”
Brissette’s story shows us that Medi-Cal makes long-term recovery possible, it reunites families and builds a stronger, healthier workforce and community.
“Medi-Cal isn’t just about access to health care, it’s about outcomes. It’s about second chances. And it’s about healing, not just individuals, but entire communities,” said Brissette.
For more information about Alameda Health System’s Road to Recovery and Bridge Clinic programs, or to hear other ways Medi-Cal has helped improve people’s lives visit our website at alamedahealthsystem.org/Medi-Cal