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A criminal record or an outstanding warrant can block someone from housing, jobs and treatment long after substance use ends. On Oct. 17, Southern Arizonans can chip away at those barriers in a single morning for free.
The Fresh Start Expo returns to Tucson, with free legal services for people in recovery, practical support like clothing, haircuts and childcare along with on site connections to free rehabs and other resources all under one roof.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona at 1940 East Silverlake Road.
This marks the first time organizers have held the expo at the Goodwill campus. Officials say the move will expand access for more people.
Who Qualifies for Free Help
The short answer is anyone. The expo targets people rebuilding their lives after incarceration or legal trouble as well as anyone facing obstacles that keep them from moving forward.
There is no cost to attend. There’s also no insurance requirement and no need to prove you deserve a seat at the table.
What the Expo Offers
Legal representatives from the Pima County Attorney’s Office Pima County Justice Court Southern Arizona Legal Aid and other partners will help attendees resolve warrants, restore voting rights and file marijuana expungement petitions.
RaSa, which stands for Restoration and Reentry Services Arizona, will run free background checks and share information about rights restoration.
Attendees can also connect with resources for health care, housing, education, addiction recovery, behavioral health and employment. Organizers will provide free clothing and haircuts.
Food trucks and complimentary beverages will be available on site. The Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona will watch children while parents meet with providers and fill out paperwork.
“The Fresh Start Expo is one of Southern Arizona’s most important public safety events because it puts prevention into action” said Pima County Attorney Laura Conover.
“Connecting people with resources in a supportive nonjudgmental environment can be truly restorative.”
Why Legal Help Belongs in Recovery
An untreated substance use disorder can lead to charges warrants and criminal records, which can later block access to the housing, employment and licensing that stable recovery depends on.
Clearing a warrant or expunging an old marijuana charge does not treat addiction but it removes obstacles that keep people stuck. Events like this one address those obstacles as part of the recovery process.
How to Access These Resources
The Girl Scouts will watch them while you meet with providers. Arrive early if you can because morning appointments at legal tables tend to fill quickly. If you cannot attend Southern Arizona Legal Aid and RaSa offer services year round rather than just on expo day.
Roughly 400 people attended the first expo in 2019 and more than 3,000 people have received help since the event began, according to the County Attorney’s Office.
Finding Affordable Treatment
If the expo connects you to the next step and that step involves treatment, you have more free and low cost options than most people realize.
Arizona residents can search for free and low cost rehabs in Arizona on Rehabs.org to compare programs by payment type and location. Call
800-914-7089
(
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to find affordable care near you.
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