“Odyssey House Louisiana, Inc. Provides a Direct Response

to Recovery by Re-Opening Facility.”

Odyssey House Louisiana, Inc. is open for residential substance abuse treatment services after 2 months of recovering from major damage caused by both weather and vandalism. Odyssey House is determined to be at the forefront of the recovery process, both in the capacity of post-Katrina rebuilding, as well as in regards to substance abuse treatment. Our facility is one of few in the Greater New Orleans area to resume services, and remains the only program to provide residential services to women with children. With the help of nearly 50 volunteers from across the country, our facility may now provide a direct response to the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Odyssey House will continue to serve as a supportive environment to allow for a successful transition back into the community, while empowering people to conquer addiction.

Odyssey House has 50 beds available for our successful long-term Therapeutic Community program, with 5 clients currently enrolled. Within 30 days, an additional 50 beds will be available for short-term treatment services. Also within 30 days, our Family Services Program will open to provide 6-10 beds for women with children, with an expansion to 20 beds in 60 days. Special thanks to United Way of New Orleans, Metropolitan Human Services, Unity for the Homeless, and The Department of Addictive Disorders for support during this difficult time. We are also indebted to the numerous volunteers from Center Point, West Care, and Cenikor; great friends who boosted our confidence and energy. We would like to express our gratitude to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) for allowing us to reallocate our funding. Without this crucial support, our service to the community might have taken an additional 4-5 months. With many thanks to CSAT, Odyssey House is one of the few substance abuse treatment facilities open in New Orleans.

Odyssey House is currently focused on increasing the access and recruitment of clients. We are accepting and transporting clients from around the state of Louisiana, recognizing the increase in community needs after the disaster. Many individuals have taken refuge in shelters around the state, remaining in perpetual danger of expulsion in the event that their substance abusing behaviors are discovered. Instead of the potential loss of temporary accommodations without other options, Odyssey House is struggling to locate these individuals before their substance abuse leads to homelessness or an increase in negative alternatives for survival.

For additional information on the Odyssey House Therapeutic Community, please contact Robert Chandler, Admissions Coordinator at 504-239-0441 or Alvin Hunt, Program Coordinator at 504-874-6323. Visit us at www.odyssey-house.org.