EASTON, Pa. — Brianna Aletras-Dunn has been where many others are now: slogging down a slow, painful road to nowhere.
Hers was a promising life shackled by uncontrollable urges to inject, sniff and swallow from dawn to dawn.
There were overdoses and blackout days and a head-on car crash while under the influence in Year 10 of addiction at age 25.
But only upon hearing her younger brother tell her he had tired of watching her slowly kill herself with drugs and wanted nothing more to do with her did an internal survival switch finally flip.
Today, five years after first entering drug treatment, Aletras-Dunn not only has remained sober but counsels the drug addicted as a Certified Recovery Specialist for Treatment Trends out of the Bethlehem Hope Center.
"I would say to anyone struggling with addiction that LETI is an opportunity to do something good for your life."Brianna Aletras-Dunn, former addict and current drug counselor
Aletras-Dunn stood inside Courtroom 1 at the Northampton County Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon as a poster person for the power of drug treatment.
She shared her story on a day when the county held a news conference to announce it has joined the Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative, or LETI — a collaborative program launched by the office of state Attorney General Michelle Henry and law enforcement to divert individuals in need to treatment services.
'Opportunity to do something good'
Northampton County becomes the 30th county to join LETI as Henry continues efforts to expand the program.
LETI is a law enforcement-led treatment initiative that enables Pennsylvanians in Northampton County seeking treatment for substance use disorder to contact probation and parole services, the sheriff's department, other county officials and community stakeholders, who then will contact the Northampton County Drug and Alcohol Program, Single County Authority.
“I can tell them from personal experience and having gone to treatment that life is valuable and worth living. Treatment is something that will help save your life.”Brianna Aletras-Dunn, former addict and current drug counselor
The LETI program was initiated in 2021 by then-Attorney General and current Gov. Josh Shapiro. The program has been adopted by 30 of 67 counties in the commonwealth.
LETI is a collaborative effort of law enforcement and treatment providers that enables individuals to be connected to treatment with no threat of arrest or prosecution.
Drug overdoses are the No. 1 accidental killer in Pennsylvania.
“I would say to anyone struggling with addiction that LETI is an opportunity to do something good for your life,” said Aletras-Dunn, who also is embedded in the Montgomery County Problem Solving Court.
“I can tell them from personal experience and having gone to treatment that life is valuable and worth living. Treatment is something that will help save your life.”
'Can't arrest our way out'
Henry was joined at the news conference by Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta, County Executive Lamont McClure, Bethlehem City Police Chief Michelle Kott and Northampton County Judge Craig A. Dally, founder of the county drug court program.
“The focus of LETI is on accessibility,” Henry said. “Sometimes, when people are suffering, they just don’t know where to get help.
"This policy enables other stakeholders in the community to make referrals for people who need help.
“The strategy of arrest and convict has not ended the scourge. Over the last 30 years we’ve seen troubling deaths that have been devastating to families. There is no racial, gender or socio-economic group immune to addiction.”Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta
“We can’t just arrest our way out of this problem. As a [Bucks County] DA, I’d see arrests for substance use, see them in court, see them plead guilty, see them convicted and sentenced.
"And then in a short period of time, I’d see them again on another charge. It was like a revolving door.”
Baratta’s hope is that the LETI program will work just as defined: Law enforcement will engage with people about drugs, then give them the option to comply with treatment.
In return, law enforcement will have the option to not pursue criminal charges.
“The strategy of arrest and convict has not ended the scourge,” Baratta said. “Over the last 30 years we’ve seen troubling deaths that have been devastating to families.
"There is no racial, gender or socio-economic group immune to addiction.”
Added Bethlehem Police Chief Kott: "Substance abuse treatment programs embody compassion and empathy. We recognize addiction is a disease, not a moral failing.
"LETI is a beacon of hope in the fight against addition.”
'Treatment saved my life'
Now 30, Aletras-Dunn has been free of the shackles of addiction; treatment turning the key.
She spoke of her road to sobriety and beamed mentioning her 1-year-old son.
“Treatment saved my life,” she said. “I only wish I would have taken that opportunity earlier and avoided a lot of heartache to my family and harm to myself.
“I hope people who are in the situation I was in would take advantage of what LETI can do to save them.”
The Northampton County Drug & Alcohol Commission treatment center is available 24/7 and can be reached at 610-829-HELP (4357).
