Volunteers of America break ground for Family Recovery Center

What used to be a former church and neighborhood school will soon become a Recovery Center for expectant mothers and their children who’ve had a history with trauma and substance abuse.

Volunteers of America Oklahoma (VOAOK) broke ground Thursday morning for a new Family Wellness and Recovery Center at 2303 NW 49th St.

The Center will accommodate 30-60 mothers and their babies providing trauma-informed, evidence-based clinical treatment services while focusing on recovery and maintaining the family unit, according to a press release. Medical care, substance use treatment, mental health services, employment and comprehensive family support services will be offered.

“We really look forward to serving moms who are pregnant and parenting,” Pam Richardson, President & CEO of VOAOK said. “There are a number of challenges from a social service perspective that we’ll be addressing, specifically as it relates to women who are unfortunately challenged by substance use disorder, female incarceration and child welfare. We’ll be trying to keep the families unified.”

Once the women are in recovery, the Center will help them find things like employment and housing, Richardson said.

The Center is made possible through a partnership with Humana Healthy Horizons in Oklahoma, the release said. Mothers and children will stay together during the mother’s recovery and return to stability once everything’s ok.

“We anticipate, hopefully, a full renovation by the end of 2025 so we can open our doors in 2026,” Richardson said. “This has been something we’ve been working on for over four years in concert with our friends at Humana Healthy Horizon.”

The fact that the Center will be here at all is very important, Richardson said.

“We did our research,” Richardson said. “We know there is a need for these services in Lawton. Our teams came together, partnered with the city, local social service agencies and Humana Healthy Horizons and decided this was where we wanted to stand it up. The community’s been blessing us left and right. It’s a program that we do in our Kentucky location that we’re replicating.”

Behavioral health treatments from substance use disorders, mental health treatment, wellness and nutritional classes, parental classes and related resources are available at the VOAOK Outpatient office at 502 NW Sheridan Ave.{p class=”p1”}“This is a residential treatment center,” Richardson said. “The women will be provided a place to stay while they are in recovery in the center.”{p class=”p1”}“It’s not institutionalization, it’s really a loving, caring environment to help the women overcome their abuse and disorders and learn to take care of their children in a positive way,” Richardson said.