Jaime Santiago knows what it's like to battle addiction.

He went through it and turned his life around.

Jaime (pronounced "HI-mee") is the founder and executive director of Restart Training Center Ministry (RTCM), an organization that aims to assist those who are facing situations similar to the ones he encountered.

Jaime and his wife, Pam, have dedicated their lives to helping men who have undergone trauma and adverse childhood experiences as well as the men's families.

Jaime said RTCM, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, helps men who experience anxiety, depression, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, and attachment issues.

He noted that these issues can make the men more susceptible to getting involved with life-control problems. "As a Christian resident discipleship mission, we provide housing, 35 hours of clinical and pastoral counseling, and education," Jaime said. RTCM also provides marriage and family counseling in its leased building at 2324 Leaman Road, Lancaster.

"People say, 'You're a rehab,'" said Jaime, who is an ordained minister and has a degree in licensed professional counseling from Liberty University. "I say, 'Oh, we're not a rehab. We're a residential recovery support program.'"

Men can learn more about RTCM by visiting https://restartministry.org or calling 717-304-3341. "The only criteria for us is, 'Do you want to improve your life?'" Jaime said. "And if they do, they get better. If they don't, they're never going to get out of the wilderness."

RTCM is a family venture. Pam is RTCM's office manager, bookkeeper, and events director. Jaime and Pam's daughters, Cassie Santiago, the graphic designer and marketing manager, and Querida Carrington, the social media manager, are also part of the team. Jaime's brother, Pedro, is on the board of directors. Many of the staff members graduated from the treatment program.

Jaime has first-hand experience with a treatment program. He said there was "a lot of chaos" in his childhood home in New Jersey. "Whatever childhood trauma one could mention, I experienced as a child growing up in a dysfunctional home," Jaime said. "That led me to not being taught how to function in life."

As he got older, Jaime abused alcohol and experimented with drugs. "By the time I was 13, I was addicted and committing crimes to support my addictions," he said.

Jaime was incarcerated for eight years. He became a born-again Christian 38 years ago during a stint in Lancaster County Prison.

Early during his time in jail, Jaime said he was consumed by dark thoughts before a cellmate convinced him to go to the chapel. "The first thing he said to me was, 'Do you want to go to chapel with me?'" Jaime recalled. "I said, 'Huh?' but I eventually figured out what chapel was. I told him, 'I will go one time, but if I don't like it, don't ask me again.' I went, and that was the first time I heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was blown away."

Jaime stated that a pastor helped him realize, "God loves me, and He wants to have a relationship with me and forgive me for my sins." That message resonated with him.

"Something physically just lifted off me," Jaime said. "For the first time of my life, at the age of 20, I gave my life to God, and that was the first time I had peace and the first time in my life I felt loved. I knew from that very moment I would never be the same again."

After getting out of prison, Jaime participated in Teen Challenge, which provides addiction treatment programs. Jaime established RTCM in 2015, and men first entered the building on Feb. 1, 2016. "You learn how to better help people," he said. "You learn what doesn't work and what does work. You have a lot of great celebrations, and you have ones who complete the program, but unfortunately don't apply what they learned, and they relapse. It's a mountaintop or down-in-the-valley experience."

Jaime said 78 men have graduated from the program, which charges clients $3,000 for a six-month stay. Fundraising efforts help defray the costs.

RTCM, which currently houses 12 clients, recently began a capital campaign to raise money for a new location, which would house up to 24 men. A second phase of the campaign would provide additional housing for graduates of the program, who would pay rent.

Anyone wishing to donate to RTCM can visit https://rtcm.givesmart.com. RTCM is introducing a peer-to-peer fundraising program, which encourages contributors to create a personal fundraising page and invite friends and family to donate.