A new residential treatment program for women with substance use disorders opened Aug. 24 in Yankton, South Dakota.
Avera Sacred Heart Hospital built and owns the facility, located across from the hospital and called Park Haven Learning and Recovery Center. The hospital is partnering with Lewis & Clark Behavioral Health Services to provide programs and services. The South Dakota Department of Social Services awarded a $3.8 million grant to the hospital. Donors to the Avera Foundation also helped pay for the project.
The 18-bed center serves women, including those who are pregnant and mothers with dependent children. The rooms include private bathrooms, and the building provides common space, a shared kitchen and offices.
"This amazing and much-needed resource resulted from a vision, three years in the making, for a safe and supportive place for women to experience recovery and healing," Victoria Hanson, Avera Sacred Heart Hospital's regional president and CEO, said in a press release.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13% of women report using alcohol during pregnancy and of those, 40% report binge drinking. Women also make up around 41% of overdose deaths in the state, according to State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System statistics.
"This facility represents far more than a new building. It represents a transformational step forward for women, children and families in our community," said Thomas Stanage, executive director of Lewis & Clark Behavioral Health Services, in the press release. "It reflects what can happen when a community recognizes a need, comes together around a shared vision, and commits itself to creating lasting change."