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For a mother who needs residential treatment, the first question is often not about cost. It is about who will keep the children.
A new nonprofit program in western Kentucky removes that question, and it is one of a small number of low-cost rehabs in Kentucky where a mother can bring her children with her.
Volunteers of America Mid-States opened Freedom House in Owensboro on June 26, celebrating the completion of a residential recovery facility where mothers can receive treatment without being separated from their children. The organization expected to begin admitting families by August 1.
Who the Program Serves
The Owensboro site will serve roughly 30 mothers and their children at a time. Five transitional apartments across the street are available for families who need additional support before returning to independent living.
Volunteers of America Mid-States has run Freedom House in Louisville since 1993 and in Manchester since 2020.
Jennifer Hancock, the organization’s president and chief executive, said the program takes care of the whole family and described it as the only organization that allows a mother to bring all of her children into treatment. She said that is sometimes the difference between a mother getting help or not.
What Is Included at No Added Cost
Families receive 40 hours of weekly clinical programming to start, along with medical care, peer support, parenting classes, trauma-informed services for the children, and life skills training.
Treatment plans are individual. Some families stay a few months, others longer. That bundle matters for anyone comparing free and low-cost options.
Childcare, children’s counseling, and parenting education are usually separate costs, or simply unavailable, at programs that admit adults only.
How This Program Is Funded
Volunteers of America Mid-States is a nonprofit. The Owensboro project was built with private philanthropic support, including a $300,000 investment from the Hager Educational Foundation that helped the organization acquire the properties in 2023. Groundbreaking followed in January 2024.
Rosemary Conder, a board member with the Hager Educational Foundation and Kentucky Youth Advocates, was recognized at the opening for helping launch the project through a community needs assessment.
The facility will also co-locate veterans services and partner with the local Family Recovery Court, which means some families may arrive through a court referral rather than a self-referral.
Who Qualifies for Free or Low-Cost Treatment
Eligibility for publicly funded residential treatment in Kentucky generally runs through Medicaid. If you are enrolled, ask a program directly what your share of cost is.
If you are not enrolled and think you may qualify, ask whether the program’s intake staff can help you apply, since many nonprofit providers do this as part of admission.
Pregnant and parenting women are a federally recognized priority population for publicly funded substance use treatment, which can mean faster placement.
How to Access These Resources
Referrals to the Owensboro program were already coming in from community partners at the time of the opening. Practical steps if you are seeking care for yourself or someone you love:
- Contact the provider’s intake line directly and ask about current bed availability
- Ask what the program accepts as payment and whether there is any out-of-pocket cost for Medicaid members
- Ask whether children of all ages can come, and whether school or childcare is arranged
- Ask about transportation, which some Kentucky providers offer statewide
- Call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential referrals to nearby options
Free and Low-Cost Rehabs in Kentucky
Speakers at the opening described substance addiction as generational in Kentucky, a state hard hit by opioids and methamphetamine.
Daviess County Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen spoke about his own family’s experience and said addiction cycles affect people across all demographics.
Volunteers of America Mid-States plans two additional Freedom House locations in Kentucky to improve regional access.
Rehabs.org lists free and low-cost treatment options nationwide, including programs that accept Medicaid and providers that admit parents with children.
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