Helping Fathers in Recovery through His Place, A New Treatment Home in Marion County

On April 12, Marion County Commissioners attended a celebration and ribbon cutting for His Place, a new county-run home to help fathers in recovery reunite with their children.

“This has been a dream for so many people for a long time,” said Marion County Commissioner Colm Willis. “We’ve had so much success reuniting families and helping women recover with Her Place, and it’s so encouraging to now be able to offer the same support to dads and their kids.”

His Place is modeled after Her Place, which has been in Marion County for more than 25 years. Marion County Health and Human Services has operated Her Place since July 1, 2009, serving pregnant and parenting women in need of transitional housing and substance use disorder treatment services.

His Place provides substance use disorder treatment services and transitional housing with onsite childcare for fathers with dependent children. Children up to age five years at the time of admission may reside in His Place structured housing with their father.

Residents staying at His Place have access to outpatient services, onsite childcare for treatment groups, onsite parent/child therapy sessions and onsite staff supervised visits with DHS involved children. Additionally, participants have access to living skills services and peer delivered services.

His Place gives men a home where they can support each other, feel connected, and be part of a community. It helps them maintain and sustain their sobriety, while allowing them the opportunity to continue parenting their children.

“Children being placed with their fathers and those fathers having an active role in their child’s lives increases their opportunity for success, and reduces the risk for continued trauma,” says MCHHS Program Manager, Teri Morgan. “We not only intervene to help people find recovery from substance abuse, but we are also keeping families together.”

“It was really a conversation with Peter Davidson at Pacific Source a few years back that made all this possible,” said Commissioner Willis. “Pacific Source contributed $500,000 toward the purchase of the property to help us get this program going, and we’re really grateful for that.”

Peter Davidson was present for the celebration.

Commissioners Kevin Cameron and Danielle Bethell also thanked all the staff who were present for their contributions to Her Place over the years and for getting His Place up and running.

“I’m honestly surprised that Marion County is the only county in the state that has adopted this model of care for individuals in recovery,” said Commissioner Danielle Bethell. “We frequently meet with and hear from individuals who went through Her Place about how it transformed their lives being able to be with their kids during treatment. This is huge, and it’s something other counties and even the state should implement.”

“Just seeing the excitement in these father’s faces and the hope they have here in this program is inspiring,” said Commissioner Cameron. “They’re working to have a better life for their kids, and to see their enthusiasm and be able to help them achieve that and positively change future generations—it reminds us why we’re here.”