The following article was submitted by Highland Rivers Behavioral Health

Marietta, GA:

Twenty-one women graduated from Highland Rivers Behavioral Health’s Mothers Making A Change (MMAC) program this November in a graduation ceremony that celebrated substance use recovery. MMAC is a highly structured, gender-specific, trauma responsive program that offers intensive services to women 18 years and older who have substance use disorders. The majority of women in the program are either pregnant and/or have children and have made a commitment to long-term recovery.

More than 75 people attended the ceremony, including Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid and Cobb County District 1 Commissioner Keli Gambrill, at Worship With Wonders Church in Marietta.

“Women come into the MMAC program and heal parts of themselves that have been broken and hurt for many years,” says Princess Odom, MFT, YT, CAMS-II, Clinical Program Coordinator of MMAC. “With the faith and hope that these women have held in their recovery, we were able to celebrate 21 women in this graduating class, 63 children whose lives were touched by their mother’s recovery, and five drug-free, healthy babies born in this graduating class,” continued Odom.

Through MMAC, individuals are empowered to get treatment and maintain their recovery, obtain and maintain employment, and consistently meet familial responsibilities. Highland Rivers, who has two programs for women (Cobb County & Floyd County) assists in treatment, recovery and therapeutic childcare. They also help in resolving legal obligations, and make referrals for safe, affordable housing to set up a seamless transition when individuals complete the program.