Volunteers of America (VOA) Mid-States on Friday officially broke ground on the Owensboro location for their Freedom House, a rehabilitation center aimed at helping pregnant women and new mothers recover from drug addiction while also protecting their children.
Freedom House addresses the cycle of addiction using an evidenced-based clinical services model of recovery. Through individual, group, and family therapy, the program aims to help mothers build long-lasting foundations for a substance-free life for themselves and their children.
The Freedom House will be located at 1111 Frederica Street, formerly home to Fuller Muffler and Brake. Renovation is expected to take 12-15 months.
VOA’s Freedom House started serving pregnant and parenting women struggling with substance use disorder in Louisville 30 years ago and has since expanded the program across the Commonwealth.
“We know that getting into a dark place of addiction takes a while; getting out of that and back into the community also takes a while. So we (offer) this prolonged care that really takes care of the entire family and make sure that when they’re ready to return to the community, they’re equipped with all of the skills and the stability to be successful for the long term,” said VOA Mid-States President and CEO Jennifer Hancock.
Hancock said they were able to open the Owensboro location — their first in Western Kentucky — through support from the General Assembly and state legislatures like Representative Suzanne Miles.
“This is a critical addition to our community and our efforts to address substance use disorder. The women who pass through these doors will have a second chance and an opportunity to live healthy, fulfilling lives. I’m so pleased to see VOA use our efforts in Frankfort and the resources of so many incredible sponsors to help Daviess Countians,” Miles said.
When the recovery center opens, it will focus on serving Owensboro-Daviess County women and families. However, Hancock said it can serve the entire region.
“Not every community gets a Freedom House, so this is going to be the Western Kentucky version of Freedom House,” she said. “We’ll prioritize families here first, of course, and then we’ll determine really what the needs are if we get to a capacity situation we’ll look to expand, but for now, we’re going to start with about 30 families at a time.”
