Kirsten Johnson wanted to be a teacher.I have a high school diploma, and I have good social skills, she said. I also have multiple felonies.And that stigma has been tough to break. Just like her addiction, which began when she was 12 years old.I figured I would have been dead by the time I graduated high school, Johnson said.Its why she stopped making plans for the future. Its why she stopped thinking about consequences. Its why she stayed in a relationship she said was abusive.Ultimately, its why she spent three years behind bars on federal gun and drug charges.When I first got out, I couldnt find a job anywhere that would treat me like a human being, she said.Now, she works at the Fringe Coffee Shop in Hamilton.It felt like coming home, she said. The business is run by people whove been incarcerated. And their mission is to find solutions for people like Johnson.This has meant the difference between me relapsing and ending up incarcerated again or not, she said. Literally.It's why mental health officials in Butler County chose to meet here and bring resources together in the same room on Wednesday.I want people to know that we are trying hard in Butler County, but we also know that there is more work to be done, said Rachel Canepa, the grant project coordinator for the countys Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Board.Canepa put this meeting together. And when she tried to start it, she stopped and smiled because more people walked in. Those who attended included police officers, social workers and community advocates. It's part of a task force to help those who are re-entering society after prison. They talked about the need for more shelter space in the county. One woman said she got 54 voicemails from people who needed somewhere to sleep this weekend.They were all begging, she said.One meeting wont solve all the countys problems, but the coalition left with more connections and a better understanding of who can help make a difference.In another room, Preston Tucker swirls foamy milk on top of a drink.Its for the drive-thru so no one will notice, but it makes me feel good, Tucker said with a laugh. Were serving coffee. And as menial as it seems, we play an important role in the community.A role Johnson didn't think she'd ever play again. I feel like its going well, she said, before shrugging her shoulders and walking away.The 26-year-old started applying to community college this week. She wants to be a paralegal.