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The Pima County Jail is an expensive institution. To book an inmate costs $495.94 and each day costs the city or county $125.09 per day, which can add up. The jail also has issues like understaffing and an abnormal number of deaths. A proposal to build an entirely new $800 million facility failed.
It is also a failure when inmates who have done their time and are released into the community make choices that result in another arrest and return to jail.
To stop this unfortunate revolving door not only helps the individuals, but is a cost-saving measure. That’s why the Pima County Transition Center was created – to curb inmate recidivism.
 The exterior of The Pima County Transition Center on Silverlake Road.
Ward 3 staff recently toured the Transition Center along with Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar and Ward 6 Council Member Karin Uhlich. It’s located just east of the Pima County Adult Detention Center (jail) on Silverlake Road. The unassuming modular building contains a remarkable team of caring specialists, led by Justice Services Director Kate Vesely. They help recently released individuals find resources as they make their way back into society, providing tools to help people break the cycle of incarceration.
Director Vesely showed us how her team works to help connect people with basic needs such as housing or treatment. Sometimes they even give them a ride to where they need to go after their release (one of the two Tucson employees embedded in this County program is a regular driver). The Center is a conduit for community services and a "nexus of information for loved ones." They can help with warrant resolutions and guide to make it back to their next court appearance. Through their hard work and efforts, the center has diminished the rate of recidivism from 30 percent to 20 percent, which is saving the City and Pima County an estimated $80k in booking and housing fees a month.
 Assistant TPD Chief Mickey Petersen, TPD Chief Chad Kasmar, Ward 6 Council Member Karin Uhlich, and Ward 3 Council Member Kevin Dahl.
Diversion programs such as the Transition Center can change behavior at a much lower cost of additional incarceration. Furthermore, it lessens the burden and the need for more staff inside the jail and eliminates the demand for a larger facility. These measures also minimize disruptions to the lives of those arrested and released by streamlining the process and making it easier to navigate.
 Ward 3 Office Administrator Shannon Jenkins. TPD Police Chief Chad Kasmar, Ward 6 Chief of Staff Diana Amado, Justice Services Director Kate Vesely, Ward 3 Council Member Kevin Dahl, Assistant Chief Mickey Petersen, and Ward 3 Council Aide Naomi Lee.
If you or anyone you know need help after being released from the Pima County Adult Detention Center, please reach out to the Transition Center, located at 1204 W. Silverlake Road. Kate Vesely and her team of Justice Navigators can be reached at 520-724-2463 or jstransitioncenter@pima.gov.
I stumbled upon Tucson Accupuncture Co-op (TACO)after a google search. It wasn’t the first accupuncture clinic to pop up, but it was the closest to my house. I had never had an acupuncture treatment before, but my neck and back were in constant pain keeping me up at night and keeping me grouchy. Advil and massage weren’t really doing the trick. So I gave it a shot. I am so glad I did.
TACO is located at 204 E Ft. Lowell and is the only non-profit acupuncture clinic in Tucson. They have provided over 85,000 acupuncture treatments since they opened in 2013. What is especially appealing is they offer a sliding scale for treatments. The average price for a single acupuncture treatment in the U.S. ranges from around $100-170. The Co-op ranges from $30 to $60 depending on what you can afford and your income level, allowing TACO to provide low-cost health care services for all walks of life at all income levels. Because TACO does not work with insurance, they are able to offer this sliding scale and often times below ($30) to those who would otherwise be unable to afford treatments.
 Cate Maxon Executive Director of Tucson Acupuncture Co-op.
The mission of Backyard Healthcare Project (the non-profit behind Tucson Acupuncture Co-op) is to provide affordable, accessible, and easy-to-use healthcare options for everyone in the community through acupuncture and herbal medicine. Their stated purpose is to improve the quality of life for patients and their families by providing substantial support for their health, including relief of pain; reduction in the frequency, duration, and intensity of distressing symptoms; and prevention of the onset of acute and chronic diseases.
 Tucson Acupuncture Co-op at 204 E Ft Lowell.
I spoke with Cate Maxon the executive director of TACO. Cate says that after living with chronic back pain, acupuncture changed her life. She came to TACO as a volunteer back in 2013 who received treatments in exchange for volunteering at the front desk (another perk of being a non-profit). She likes to point out that TACO is the only acupuncture clinic in Tucson that is starting an auricular (ear acupuncture) training program (to train non-acupuncturists in ear acupuncture to treat trauma, addiction, stress) and is starting up a low-cost weekly ear clinic ($15-20) in the next few months here at TACO. Ear acupuncture is super gentle, activates the nervous system and is extremely helpful for people with addiction issues, stress, PTSD or who are trying to quit smoking.
Cate also emphasizes that the clinic is truly grassroots and adheres to their mission. In addition to the sliding scale, they provide a lot of care to the queer and trans community and are entirely queer run. They don’t spend money on advertising and patients are referred by word of mouth (or a lucky google search), or by varying chiropractors, naturopaths, surgeons and doctors in town. While TACO has an extensive informal referral network they are looking to partner more directly with both the neighboring community and community health initiatives including El Rio Healthcare and writing grants to offer even wider access to services. TACO is always looking to do more outreach to the community and are always asking for donations to help widen their scope of access, which includes AZ tax-credits! (Please see below how to help).
 Cate Maxon and Anai Ghabrial, Admin Assistant at TACO.
As for me, my neck and back are much improved and now my treatments are focusing on my painful right knee which suffers from osteoarthritis. If you are curious about TACO please check out their web-site here https://acupuncturecoop.com.
HOW TO HELP!
If you would like to help support this great organization provide more affordable healthcare to the Tucson community please consider directing your Arizona State Income taxes to TACO instead of the State this year at no cost to you! They use these donations to keep their doors open and for their community fund, which offers FREE treatments to patients. TACO is usually able to offer between 100-300 free treatments a year because of this program. You can redirect up to $470 if you file individually, or $938 if you file jointly! Check out more about AZ tax-credits: https://acupuncturecoop.com/donate-tucson-acupuncture-coop/ [acupuncturecoop.com]
 Study Session included a discussion on State and National Legislation, Executive Orders, and Agency Orders.
Regular Agenda included authorization and approval of renaming Columbus Park to Danny Lopez Park. Discussion on amending the Tucson Code to rename Cesar E. Chavez Holiday to "Cesar E. Chavez and Dolores Huerta Holiday."
For the complete Study Session and Regular Agenda please click on the buttons below.
To watch the full coverage of the Mayor and Council meeting on February 19, 2025, please click on the button below.
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