Outpatient Services Now Available to Women

We have expanded our outpatient services to aid female and male veterans who live in independent housing and can travel to and from Joseph House for meetings and classes.

“We have extended our outpatient program to serve more veterans,” said Joseph House outreach coordinator and clinical counselor Michelle Mattingly. “While we have a veteran population experiencing homelessness who benefit from the services of Joseph House, many more veterans are holding down jobs and maintaining residences while suffering from addition. We have a duty to help them, too.”

Due to building infrastructure and funding, outpatient services previously only were available to male veterans who completed the inpatient program. Restructuring of costs and program adaptations, as well as the addition of Medicaid funding, have paved the way for the recent changes.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to get women through our doors and into the outpatient program,” Mattingly said. “The female population is underserved and many often will not even identify themselves as veterans. We aim to change that.”

Outpatient treatment, on average, is a four-month program that focuses on providing tools to help maintain sobriety. It includes individual and family counseling, sober living skills development, case management services and assistance with housing, employment, education and financial planning.

Jay Wooten, an Army veteran who served from 1977 to 1982, currently is going through the program for alcohol addiction.

“Some of us return war-torn and carry a lot of baggage,” said Wooten. “I was using alcohol to dull the pain of the past.”

Wooten lived on the streets before coming to Joseph House. He is finding valuable tools through the outpatient program. Through his Matrix Model relapse prevention classes, he focuses on understanding and managing triggers, coping with cravings, learning to lead a healthy lifestyle and reintegrate into society following treatment. 

“This place has grounded me,” Wooten shared. “It has taught me not to push myself like that again. There are a lot of informative classes, and I am learning several coping skills. I am tired of struggling with addiction and truly believe that this year is going to be a fresh start for me.”

As a veteran-only organization, Joseph House clients often relate from shared experiences and form unique bonds. “Their connections allow them to really open up in our groups and classes and lean on each other for support,” Mattingly said.

“The comradery at Joseph House is great,” Wooten said. “It’s one soldier trying not to leave another soldier behind. And with places like this, we do have a chance.”

To learn more about our outpatient program, please email Michelle Mattingly or call (513) 241-2965.