More doors are opening for those recovering from addiction, and Eastern Kentucky Volunteers of America has expanded its freedom House program in Clay County.

The program provides treatment for pregnant and parenting women while allowing them to remain with their children.

And now has more onsite housing to help with that mission.

Jennifer Hancock, the president of Volunteers of America Mid States, spoke with us about the program and efforts to expand it across the state.

We know that access is.

Critically important for.

Women.

Who are parenting and who are.

Pregnant.

We need to be.

Right there, available.

To them at the moment.

They need us.

We know that this is a debilitating disease that, if left untreated, can be fatal.

And so as soon as someone reaches.

Out for help, we.

Don't want to.

Deliver a message.

That there's a waiting list that she must sit on.

For a period of.

Time.

So by expanding.

Our services.

And.

Expanding our capacity.

In.

Manchester, we're going to be.

Able to essentially meet the need not just in Clay County.

But in the region at large.

One of the the real gems.

Of our program.

Is that.

We provide recovery.

Housing, and that enables families to stay with us.

Even longer after they leave treatment.

They're still part of a recovery community.

They're still able.

To access case management.

And other peer supports.

We know that that additional time to stay connected to us.

While they're living.

In housing.

Returning to the.

Community is often the difference between, success and maybe having.

Some harder struggles.

After they leave us.

That is really allowing us to see.

More people returning to the workforce and appropriate.

Consumption of public benefits.

That really meets.

The needs of that particular family.

And overall.

Community health and wellness, which is truly what this is all about.

It's really what's in it for every member of the Commonwealth.

And by producing these positive results and having families stabilize that, our communities.

Do better and thrive.

We did receive.

Generous funding from the General Assembly.

And, the 2024.

Budget.

Session.

And we are forever grateful.

For that investment.

We also have gone to foundations.

And corporations.

And asked them to join with.

The General.

Assembly and investing in these families in Southeast Kentucky.

So for every government dollar we receive, we are committed.

To going out and doing private fundraising so that this can.

Be a true public private partnership.

You know, as.

Our community.

Came.

Together last.

Week.

To celebrate the grand.

Opening.

I saw the.

Women we are serving.

Crying.

Both during the grand.

Opening.

Celebration and afterwards.

And what I know about those.

Tears.

Is that they.

Were a response.

To the.

Outpouring of.

Community.

Support.

We know that.

For women pregnant.

They experience, shame and guilt.

Around.

Using during their pregnancy.

They also experience, the challenges of being.

Pregnant and detoxing from drugs.

And and knowing.

That there is a. Physical element to that.

There is a psychological and.

Spiritual.

Element to that.

And so the complexity.

Of their needs are very different.

Than someone who's not.

Experiencing pregnancy or parenting.

By offering these services, we're.

Also destigmatizing this issue in a way that.

Can be very powerful and disruptive.

Of some community.

Norms and familiar norms, which.

Sometimes is about keeping it quiet and keeping it hidden.

We believe that addiction is best beat when it comes out of the shadows and into the light.

And we do that as a community when we.

Offer these services.

And make it okay to come.

Forward and.

Acknowledge that women need us.

And to do that in a way that.

Offers.

A judgment free zone, a lot of compassion, a lot of love and support.

Not just from our staff.

But from the community.

At large.

Hancock says with this expansion, Volunteers of America will be able to serve an additional 300 women and their children annually, not just in Clay County but across the region.

She also says there are plans to open a freedom House in Lincoln County and Davis County.