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If cost has kept you out of addiction treatment, you are the exact person a new Mississippi project is being built for.
Free rehabs in Mississippi are scarce, and a couple in Laurel is trying to add one. Brent Gilbert and his wife, Candice, are raising money to open Beautifully Mended, a women’s recovery shelter that would charge residents nothing.
The Gilberts are both in long-term recovery. Brent has been sober for 14 years and Candice for 12. Seven years ago they founded Restoring the Broken, a Christ-centered ministry for people dealing with drug and alcohol addiction.
Candice stated she felt called two years ago to build a residential program specifically for women. Her reason is one a lot of readers will recognize.
When she had tried to stop using, the least expensive program she and Brent could find ran about $5,000. They could not pay it, so she did it without a program, which she described as one of the hardest things she has ever done.
Why Free Rehabs in Mississippi Matter
Price remains the barrier that stops people first. A private-pay residential program can cost thousands of dollars up front, and many people who need care are uninsured, underinsured, or between jobs.
When the only visible option carries a five-figure price tag, plenty of people stop looking. Candice said she does not want the women in her program paying anything or worrying that an unpaid balance will put them back on the street.
That is the operating principle behind free and low-cost programs generally, whether they are run by nonprofits, faith-based ministries, or state-funded agencies.
Who the Program Is Designed to Serve
The planned program would run nine months. The first six months would focus on recovery along with life skills, communication, and employment readiness. The final three months would center on family reunification for mothers with children.
Unlike many residential programs, this one would allow mothers to bring their children with them. Candice pointed to a specific problem that arrangement is meant to solve.
Women often leave treatment and walk straight back into cooking, cleaning, and the full weight of household responsibility, and that sudden load is a common trigger for returning to substance use.
Giving mothers time to build routines with their children before going home is the point of the final phase. Brent described the same transition from the parent side.
When he and Candice stopped using, they had to learn how to parent in recovery, and their children had to adjust too.
How to Access Free and Low-Cost Care Now
Beautifully Mended does not have a building yet. The Gilberts are searching for a location and plan to build one if they cannot find a suitable space.
Their first major fundraiser, the Light the Path Gala, is scheduled for August 29 at Bethlehem Community Church in Laurel, with tickets at $50 per person and a ticket deadline of August 14. People who want to support the project can attend or make one-time or recurring donations through the ministry.
If you need help before this program opens, other options exist right now. Mississippi Medicaid covers substance use disorder treatment for people who qualify, and state-funded programs accept people with no insurance.
Nonprofit and faith-based programs, including the Gilberts’ existing ministry, often provide services at no charge. Sliding-scale clinics set fees based on income.
Finding Free and Low-Cost Rehabs in Mississippi
Start by checking whether you qualify for Mississippi Medicaid, which is the single largest payer for addiction treatment in most states.
Call SAMHSA’s free national helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for confidential referrals to treatment in your area at any hour.
Ask any program you contact three direct questions. What does this cost me out of pocket, do you accept Medicaid, and do you have a sliding scale or scholarship beds.
Rehabs.org lists free and low-cost treatment options nationwide, including programs that accept Medicaid and Medicare, sliding-scale clinics, and nonprofit and harm reduction services.
You can search by state to see what is available near you or call
800-914-7089
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to speak with a treatment specialist.
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