Volunteers of America - Fresh Start Recovery Center at Evansville House

Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana is a ministry of service dedicated to helping people reach their full potential, as a national nonprofit, faith-based organization established locally in 1896 with nearly 1,000 professional employees serving almost 11,000 individuals from 65 program locations across 16 communities in Ohio and Indiana.

Our mission is to offer hope, restore dignity, and transform lives, guided by core values of Respect & Trust, Integrity, Ministry of Service, and Creativity & Innovation, envisioning a world where all people live in safety with social, emotional, and physical well-being, spiritual fulfillment, justice, and hope.

We provide evidence-based human services programs focusing on health, housing, and human services to address community needs, including affordable housing solutions like shelters, emergency housing, senior independent living, permanent supportive housing, and transitional housing for homeless individuals, families, veterans, and those with disabilities or mental illness.

Our mental health and recovery services offer comprehensive, trauma-informed treatment through residential programs like Fresh Start Recovery Center for pregnant women and mothers with children, Turning Point for men in the criminal justice system, outpatient care, and recovery housing, emphasizing medication-assisted treatment, counseling, parenting skills, and aftercare.

Specialized veterans programs provide employment training, housing support, suicide prevention via the SSG Fox program, and supportive services for veteran families (SSVF) to promote stability and well-being for those facing unique post-service challenges.

Criminal justice and reentry initiatives deliver case management, counseling, job readiness, and skill development to help ex-offenders reintegrate productively.

Youth and family services include prevention, early intervention, crisis support, and programs like Operation Backpack for educational supplies and Welcome Home Kits, fostering positive development and self-sufficiency.

Through community enrichment efforts such as food pantries, thrift stores, and partnerships, we enhance local communities while maintaining CARF accreditation to ensure quality and accountability in all services.

What we treat

Treatment & Programs

Levels of Care

The Evansville location of the Fresh Start Recovery Center provides ASAM Level 3.5 residential treatment, ensuring 24/7 support for mothers in early recovery. The continuum of care later extends into intensive outpatient services and dedicated aftercare, allowing clients to step down safely as they transition into long-term independence.

Therapies

Clinicians utilize evidence-based modalities like motivational interviewing and gender-responsive care from a deeply trauma-informed perspective. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is fully integrated into the program for those who require it, supported by regular individual and group counseling sessions tailored to the nuances of motherhood.

Addictions

Treatment specifically targets opioid and other severe drug dependencies, with a strong proactive focus on preventing and mitigating neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). The clinical team supports expecting mothers through the physical and psychological complexities of long-term substance use disorder recovery.

Conditions

Beyond treating the addiction itself, the clinical team addresses the underlying mental health struggles that often accompany chemical dependency. Their trauma-informed care model helps women navigate the emotional toll of their past trauma while equipping them with the tools for lasting behavioral health stability.

Issues

Securing sobriety often requires resolving complex external stressors, such as profound housing insecurity and complicated legal battles. Case managers actively provide court advocacy for DCS, family, and criminal court matters, alongside helping residents secure long-term stable housing and job readiness opportunities.

Homelessness/Housing Insecurity

Programs

The flagship Mother & Child Program operates on a philosophy that seeks to end the generational cycle of addiction without tearing families apart. By utilizing an evidence-based, peer-led recovery community model, the program ensures mothers do not have to choose between seeking immersive treatment and raising their babies.

Mother & Child Program Trauma-Informed Evidence Based Court-Mandated Program Veterans Program Peer-Led / Recovery Community Model MAT Integrated / Medication-Friendly Therapeutic Community (TC) Model

On-site

Amenities

This residential facility is intentionally designed to support the physical and emotional bonds of families. The home-like environment features dedicated rooms where mothers and their young children reside together comfortably, backed by on-site childcare and 24-hour staff supervision for a secure, nurturing stay.

Coverage

Payment

To ensure life-saving care remains accessible to the mothers who need it most, the center accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and military insurance such as TRICARE. They also process in-network claims with several private health insurance providers, highlighted by an innovative partnership with Humana.

Humana

Eligibility

Who We Serve

Volunteers of America - Fresh Start Recovery Center at Evansville House is exclusively built for pregnant women and mothers struggling with addiction in the Evansville, Indiana community. A defining hallmark of this population focus is the welcoming of infants and young children, allowing families to remain united throughout the entire residential process.

Age Groups

Children (Under 13)

Populations Served

Veterans

Additional Services

Wraparound support is distinctively family-centric, featuring pregnancy and childbirth education alongside extensive parenting skills coaching. Staff members are specially trained in crib safety and facilitating age-appropriate activities, ensuring that young children are nurtured and safe while their mothers participate in daily clinical programming.

About

Facility Info

Operating as a critical extension of the faith-based ministry of Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana, this nonprofit organization is situated on Buena Vista Road. The local Evansville site leverages its long-standing regional network to provide a compassionate, ministry-driven human services environment for vulnerable families.

Credentials

Accreditations

The organization maintains rigorous clinical and operational standards, proudly holding a Gold Seal of accreditation from CARF International. Furthermore, their residential programs are fully certified by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction, meeting the intensive requirements of ASAM Level 3.5 criteria.