Statements
Mission
Healing Housing is a nonprofit residential recovery program serving women with limited resources throughout Middle Tennessee who are healing from addiction. We provide a stable home and extensive support services, rooted in love, acceptance and the power of community, to women transitioning from drug and alcohol treatment.
We seek to provide women the tools, structure, and loving environment in which they can remain sober, find mental health and financial stability, and develop their own spiritual path.
We presently offer a comprehensive residential recovery program for women across Middle Tennessee with two homes housing 18 women at a time, approximately 30-35 yearly. We also serve as a referral resource for families and individuals seeking recovery support as well as provide educational outreach to our greater community.
Women coming to HH must complete a drug treatment program prior to admission, have 30 days of sobriety, be without financial resources and willing to commit to a 6-month minimum stay. Residents arrive extremely vulnerable-newly sober, but without jobs or financial skills, in poor physical health, and with undiagnosed psychiatric conditions. Most have experienced abuse or trauma in childhood, and their addiction has damaged family relationships - including loss of custody of their children.
HH takes a whole-person approach to help each woman meet her goals, including case management, individual and group therapy, medical management, psychological evaluation and follow-up, a female-specific Intensive Outpatient Program, medical and dental care, plus career training. Residents also participate in financial planning, relapse prevention, workshops and spiritual formation classes. This holistic treatment model is rare for marginalized women in our community.
HH serves women of all ethnicities and orientations. The average age is 33. Referral partners include The Next Door, 21st District Recovery Court, Buffalo Valley, and Mirror Lake.
Background
In 2015, founder Olivia Smith became aware of a growing crisis in the Nashville area: the lack of housing and supportive services for women in substance abuse recovery who have little financial means. Whether coming from prison, through drug court, or an addiction program, women completing drug treatment had few options for affordable and safe housing.
After diligent research and conversations with experts in the recovery community, Olivia and a team of aligned volunteers decided to begin a recovery residential program to provide women the security and support they needed to grow in sobriety.
Choosing to locate in Williamson County, Tennessee, which had no affordable options for women in recovery, a strategic plan was drafted, the Board of Directors was assembled, and the search for a house began.
In January of 2017, Olivia found two houses located next door to each other available for lease. With the help of the Cal Turner Family Foundation, the Brentwood United Methodist Church Foundation, and individual donors, Healing Housing opened as the county's first and only nonprofit recovery residential facility for women.
Impact
Since launching in 2017, HH has served more than 500 women, housed more than 200, and celebrated more than 75 graduations from our program. Over 80% of women have remained sober at HH. By the end of their stay, 100% of graduates have completed IOP and are employed. All residents report significant decreases in anxiety, PTSD, depression, and increased overall emotional, spiritual, dental, and physical wellness. By the time they leave, 75% of women have started the process of regaining custody of their children and restoring damaged family relationships. A built-in HH program holds 60% of resident fees in savings for them to receive upon graduation.
In 2022, HH graduated 15 women who completed 6-12 months of the residential program and welcomed 46 new residents to the program. Over $23K was gifted back to our graduates after depositing $75 of their weekly rent in a savings account. We received over 157 new applications from women wanting to become HH residents and provided 39 residents with comprehensive services such as medical and dental care, case management, therapy, safe and stable housing, recovery programming, and more.
39 of our residents completed our in-house intensive outpatient program, 21 residents and staff were trained on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We assisted 2 residents complete their GED, and provided 163 counseling sessions to women. 74 children were positively impacted by the services we provided their mothers.
In 2022, 16 residents graduated from the UpRise Nashville vocational training program and started jobs with employers such as Optum, JourneyPure, Integrative Life Center, Vanderbilt, St. Thomas, Williamson Medical, and WorldPac.
We also received the United Way of Greater Nashville Community Impact Award from The Center for Nonprofit Management for our partnership with UpRise Nashville last year.
In the first half of 2023, 10 women graduated the program, and 32 were housed. We received 78 applications during this time, and answered question, provided resources and referrals to over 130. During those 6 months, we provided 156 therapy sessions, 78 doctor or dental visits, and 79 psychiatric visits. We also had 18 alumni participate in HH programs, and we provided 8 graduates with continued therapy.
Our overall goal is to provide a program that is rich in recovery resources and that fosters a loving, supportive community essential to healing from substance use disorder. Specific annual goals include:
32 women will receive a supportive place of residence while working on their individualized treatment plan.
29 of 32 women will complete 30 days of the program, an important milestone in sobriety.
29 of 32 women will complete our in-house Intensive Outpatient Program.
20 of 32 women will graduate the program.
15 will receive vocational training at the UpRise Nashville career development program.
15 women will choose to stay one full year at HH.
100% of graduates will maintain sobriety, find stable employment, and have gained a work history with marketable skills.
100% of graduates will have a savings account with a minimum of $1550, create a budget, and receive coaching in debt reduction.
Needs
We maintain an extensive waitlist of women wanting to enter the program and therefore are looking at ways to serve more residents. Presently our current houses need upgraded fire sprinklers, monitoring and alarm system, and ADA updates. We are always looking for donated cars for residents and graduates. Step down housing for graduates is an ongoing challenge due to the high costs of rentals in the Nashville area.
CEO Statement
Since we opened our doors in March of 2017, our leadership team, board, volunteers and partners, have welcomed vulnerable residents with open arms. We have watched lives change before our eyes. What started as a dream to provide safe and affordable housing to women seeking recovery has evolved into a program with full wrap-around services that provide a supportive, immersive recovery community.
Through our built-in savings program, residents are able to purchase their own cars, and build nest eggs to help them start fresh when they graduate our program. As the women of HH heal, they leave the court system, contribute to the local workforce and economy, and change the lives of their children, families and community.
Being able to walk alongside and cheer on a woman as she changes her life is a gift to all who have been a part of the journey. We believe each woman is deserving of grace and a new beginning. The need is great, and we stand ready and excited to see what the next phase of this journey will take us.
Board Chair Statement
Since its inception, Healing Housing has grown and expanded in terms of its collaborative impact partners, community awareness, recovery partners, and services offered to the many women who have graced our doorsteps. I'm proud of the life-changing work the HH team does providing a stable, loving home, trauma therapy, vocational training and psychiatric care. We look forward to serving many more women in the years ahead.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Housing, Shelter - Temporary Housing |
| Secondary Category: | Human Services - Personal Social Services |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
We accept women from across TN (with a particular interest in the Williamson/Davidson areas) as well as referrals from other parts of the U.S.
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Hickman |
| TN - Houston |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Davidson |
