DICKSON, Tenn. (WTVF) — We've heard from so many of you about the struggles of addiction. According to recent estimates, at least 48 million Americans deal with addiction in some form.
That's why we wanted to highlight a unique program in Dickson County — one forged by an unlikely friendship that turned into an equally unexpected partnership aimed at helping others.
Our story begins Shawn Baker never thought he'd make this walk again — into the Dickson County Jail to stand in his old jail cell.
We asked if Baker would be willing to revisit a painful chapter of his story, in the hope it might inspire others.
"It’s kind of hard to believe, it’s been 20 years," Baker said. "Kinda sad, thinking about everybody that was in here. Some of them aren’t alive, some of them are doing life in prison."
The turning point
Back then, Baker said he was a much different person: constantly on the wrong side of the law, fueled by a debilitating drug and alcohol addiction.
"I was in bad shape. I was trouble from the word 'go,'" Baker told us.
But it was an interaction with the Chief Jailer at the time, Tim Eads, that changed everything.
"There was a fight in the trustee room," explained Eads. "[Baker] was minding his own business, I think he was reading a book, or at least it looked like what it was doing. This guy came over and just nailed him and Shawn got back up and just defended himself."
Baker assumed he was about to be blamed for a fight he didn't start and didn't have a lot of faith in law enforcement believing his story. But much to his surprise, Eads called him into his office and told him, he believed his account of the events. "He just touched my heart," said Eads.
"Instead of him looking at my history, he followed his instincts and followed his heart," recounted Baker.
That really was a turning point for Baker.
He was eventually released from jail, got into treatment, started working towards sobriety and even got a job.
But to keep that job, Baker would need another favor from the Chief Jailer.
"The big ask was for Shawn to get his driver’s license reinstated," said Eads.
"I thought about him and I said 'He’s helped me once before, maybe he’ll do it again,'" said Baker.
Despite any reservations, Eads advocated for Baker's license being reinstated in front of a judge.
"[The judge] kind of took a swipe at me and said, 'If this kid fails, I’m putting you in jail, Eads,' That’s what he said. I think he was tongue and cheeky, but knowing the judge at the time, I wouldn’t put it past him," said Eads.
Paying it forward
Baker then had a new beginning, a new opportunity, and quickly realized how he wanted to use it — to help others find sobriety too.
"I immediately identified a need for housing for people who were leaving treatment, that didn’t have a safe place to go," said Baker.
There was just one problem. Baker was back living with his mother which meant he had to ask her quite the question.
"'Can I start bringing people in here to help them get sober that are getting out of treatment for sobriety?' And she said yes. So literally, they were there with me and my mom," said Baker. "Yeah, that was a big ask."
Eventually, Baker moved the operation out of his mother's home and into a home he purchased on Freeman Avenue in Dickson.
That street name is what gave Freeman Recovery Group their official name.
Alongside his wife Tabatha, they've created a full service recovery system.
"We’re doing outpatient, we’re doing inpatient, we’re doing detox, we’ve opened a clinic," explained Baker.
Freeman offers in-house counseling, group sessions and drug testing.
They also have their own crisis and consultation call center.
Baker and his team are also working to add dozens of inpatient and sober living beds throughout the Dickson County community.
"That we’ve been able to affect change in the way that we have and provide opportunity in the way that we have," said Baker. "There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing."
Full circle moment
Perhaps the program Baker is most excited about brings him back to his now friend Tim Eads.
Eads is now the Dickson County Sheriff and the two are partnering together to bring more addiction recovery resources inside the jail.
"If these folks can get their life back and become law abiding citizens again, then you have a safer and healthier community," said Eads.
Baker and Eads have a vision of eventually establishing a program where inmates at the jail help build sober living and transitional housing for those after their incarceration, and those inmates could receive paychecks for their hard work.
Both men also hope to eventually hire a full time case worker, that will identify inmates ready for addiction recovery services.
The idea is, as soon as those inmates are released from incarceration, they can immediately begin their treatment services.
If you'd like to learn more about the services Freeman Recovery Center offers, click here.
And to be perfectly clear, Sheriff Eads says this isn't an exclusive partnership.
The jail also refers addiction services to other recovery groups around Dickson County and invites in-jail collaboration with other organizations as well.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
One of the best things about Tennessee is its beauty. Reporter, Chris Davis, certainly makes the most of it as an avid hunter and fisherman. When he turned the spotlight on the potential funding shortfall the TWRA is facing - it hit a nerve with many of our viewers. To find out more, make sure to watch this story.
- Carrie Sharp
