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Naples, Fl – David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC), Collier County’s only comprehensive, not-for-profit behavioral health provider serving children, adults and families, announced the opening of its first certified recovery residence: Hope Home.

Hope Home is a six-bed recovery residence for men located in Naples—less than one mile away from the DLC Main Campus on Golden Gate Parkway. Hope Home is supported by recovery support specialists with sustained recovery and provides a substance-free and affordable living option for individuals in early recovery. The home is designed to help individuals transition from DLC’s Crossroads residential treatment program or other substance use recovery programs into daily life in the community.

The mission of Hope Home is to enable personal growth and powerful life transformations in a safe, sober, and peer-led environment where individuals foster connections with the recovery community, thrive in their responsibilities, and work toward fulfilling and successful independent living.

Due to a lack of certified recovery homes in Collier County – which are often full – DLC staff and Board of Directors saw a great need to help ensure the best possible treatment outcomes for individuals in substance-use recovery, especially in light of the opioid epidemic where relapse rates and overdose risk are higher for those in early recovery.  DLC’s Hope Home is one of only four Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR) certified homes in Collier County. FARR-certified homes provide accountability, a structured and healthy new environment, skill-building, goal setting, and peer support.

Hope Home residents will have access to recovery meetings, weekly house meetings, and fellowship activities organized around recovery. DLC’s Peer Recovery Support Specialists will provide support, a direction of healing, and new relationships that can sustain residents through the challenges of early sobriety. In addition to being affordable and supportive, Hope Home reduces barriers to accessing housing for individuals who may have been criminalized or stigmatized due to their addiction.

Increasing supportive housing for individuals with substance use and mental health challenges is one of six priority areas outlined in Collier County’s new five-year strategic plan for mental health and addiction services. The plan was approved by the Board of County Commissioners in the Fall of 2019 and serves as a road map for community partners and government leaders as they mobilize responses to address associated current and future challenges.

A sober living environment was an important step in maintaining recovery from opioid-use disorder and managing bipolar disorder for Angela Delgado, who transitioned into a recovery residence after successfully completing the Collier County Drug Court program. There, she spent nearly three years living away from old contacts and temptations learning life skills, team work, self-respect, and responsibility from her peers – people who could relate to her challenges.

“It was helpful to be around other individuals with addictions who are on the same journey,” said Delgado. “There are rules, accountability, structure, daily meetings, and you have a curfew. I did the work, but had DLC not shown me the way and showed me compassion and love, I would not have gotten better.”

The cost to purchase the home and complete the renovations for the five-acre, five-bedroom residence totaled over $630,000. The property has land available to add additional residences as demand and funding become available. To date, 63 donors have contributed $400,000 including in-kind furniture contributions from St. Matthew’s House and the former home owner. DLC is seeking $200,000 in donations to cover the remaining costs.

“It is an honor to work with amazing donor friends to add the Hope Home transitional recovery residence into our full continuum of care. Our goal is to address the ongoing, changing needs of individuals, and Hope Home offers those in need enhanced time to build long-term recovery,” said Scott Burgess DLC President and CEO. “These are community issues and they require community solutions. It is critically important to ensure care is available for all those in need, and we humbly welcome others to partner with us as well to fund the remaining costs for Hope Home. No donation is too small and every contribution matters.”

To donate to Hope Home, visit DavidLawrenceCenter.org, call 239-354-1455, or e-mail donorcare@dlcmhc.com. For more information about DLC’s Hope Home admission criteria, e-mail HopeHome@dlcmhc.com, call (239) 491-7602 or visit DLCHopeHome.org.

Southwest Florida nonprofit David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) is a national leader providing compassionate, advanced, and exceptional mental health, substance use, and integrated healthcare solutions, available for children, adolescents and adults. DLC’s innovative treatment includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community-based services – a comprehensive system of care funded by community and government support.  Annually, DLC provides care to more than 9,000 people and in fiscal year 2020 provided over 290,000 treatment sessions. To learn more, please call (239) 491-7602.