On episode 5 of the ARCast we dive in with Anne Jump. Anne Jump is the Corporate Quality and Risk Director at ARC. She began working at the center as a receptionist about five years ago and has continued with the organization since it opened. Anne is a vital component of the company, the go-to professional that anyone can lean on when there’s a problem that needs a fast solution. Her goal is to consistently monitor the organization’s processes and ensure they’re being met so that the best quality of care is provided.
Why She Came to Work With ARC
Anne was a math teacher before she came to work at ARC. She offers some advice for dealing with teens, specifically high school students, who are learning about addiction. She believes in treating them like any other adult. Many teens have already faced addiction in some way. They’ve seen it in friends, family, or the community. Specifically, she says, make sure they know it’s not something to feel shame about.
There’s no doubt it’s a scary world for young people with the fentanyl epidemic and the challenges they face on a daily basis. It’s scary, and being a teacher right now is even more complex. Even though it’s something that people should talk about, teachers are not encouraged to do it, says Anne. Education on drug addiction and drug use is very important, but continues to face limitations.
With the COVID epidemic and many children being home with their parents or alone, many turned to drugs and alcohol. Now that they’re back in school, many are facing turmoil and struggling to cope, which makes it even more likely that they’ll turn to substances for help. With the constant connectivity to social media, the ease of using vapes for even hard drugs, and social pressures, many of these teens have it much worse than previous generations.
Anne’s History
Anne is currently 19 years sober. She grew up in a “picture perfect family.” While things seemed glossy on the surface, everything underneath was rotting, she says. She grew up in a very small town about 20 miles from Mexico. Drugs and alcohol were very accessible. She was molested when she was 8-years old by a neighbor. It wasn’t talked about then. She started drinking when she was 13. By the time she was in high school, she was surrounded by friends who were doing meth, crack cocaine, and heroin. Everyone was drinking. At the age of 15, she was crossing the border into Mexico.
She moved out of home at the age of 19 and moved to Tucson. She was alone, and that made it even harder for her to stop using. Everyone she knew was doing drugs or alcohol and was abusive. She got married to a “massive user” who abused everything.
She knew she needed to get away with her one year old when her husband hit her. She moved out, and on New Year’s Eve, found herself engaging in sexual behavior with someone she did not know. She learned to overcome the challenges she faced and says she has stopped giving up her power. After doing that, she got a lot stronger.
The biggest change in her life came about six years ago when her husband was diagnosed with emphysema and COPD. She tries to focus heavily on positivity to overcome those changes in her life.
Why Is She at ARC?
Anne’s passion when she was younger was to become a doctor. Though that didn’t happen, she found that being a member at ARC allows her to fulfill the need to help people and play a role in giving them the support they need.
