Toyana’s Story

Toyana did not have the advantage of growing up in a home that was safe or without drugs. At the age of 5, she witnessed her mother, an addict, being thrown out of a window and killed. The impact of that incident was far-reaching, affecting her life in ways that she could not have imagined as a young girl.

Her father was not in the picture until she was 7 or 8, at which point she moved to New York state, then returned to the Toledo area. At the age of 17, she “started experimenting with drugs and went on a ten-year binge.”

The mother of four, she lost everything that was important to her – her home, her cars, two of her children, her peace – as a result of her drug use. It was her choice to seek inpatient treatment through COMPASS in October, 2009, followed by housing at Aurora beginning 12/21/09. Toyana’s younger children, Dario and Darrion, accompanied her.

During her time here, she completed parent education and attended life skills. Services included intensive case management, life skills, relapse prevention classes, transportation, education, and advocacy/referral for mental health services, education, housing placement, employment assistance, and child care. She also secured Medicaid, food card benefits, day care assistance, and grants to pursue a college education.

Following approval of a six-month hardship request through Lucas County Job and Family Services (LCJFS), Toyana moved to one of Aurora’s Step Up units, a bridge between congregate living and permanent housing in the community, on 8/12/10. She had also been approved for Medicaid, food card benefits, and day care for her children. Four days after her move to Step Up, she began her education and pursuit of a four-year degree through Owens Community College

Toyana achieved additional successes during her stay at Aurora, including the termination of her probation on 10/5/2010 and reaching the one-year milestone of her sobriety.

Other agencies that provided service include: FOCUS, EOPA, Unison, Toledo Area Ministries, Toledo Adult probation, and Owens Community College.

Upon discharge, when completing her exit questionnaire, she writes,

“Aurora is awesome! I want to thank you all for everything. I have a lot of gratitude toward Aurora.”

Toyana currently resides in a townhouse, has a car, continues to attend Owens Community College, is working on getting custody of her other two children, and participates in Aurora’s aftercare services.

In a recent interview, she says of Aurora,

“Aurora helped me to learn to live, to budget my money, with better parenting skills, to know that I don’t have to pick up again. They showed me a different way of life and I don’t ever have to return to that old lifestyle.”