ABOUT MARY HALL FREEDOM HOUSE
In the northern suburbs of Atlanta, nonprofit Mary Hall Freedom House (MHFH), founded in 1996, offers residential and outpatient treatment plus sober living facilities for women. MHFH aims to break the cycle of addiction, mental health problems, poverty, and homelessness for women and women with children. The center also operates Elizabeth’s Place, a dedicated program for veteran women and their children.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
For clients struggling with a dual diagnosis, MHFH residential treatment offers education on mental illness and how it contributes to substance abuse, as well as tools for anger management, coping skills, and relapse prevention. Specific groups address domestic violence, sexual trauma, and relationship issues.
The center aims to provide its residential clients with life skills, job readiness and education programs, such as its Freedom Academy, and training in topics including financial literacy and health/wellness. Medical care — including physical exams and pediatric care — is available.
For mothers, the program includes parenting classes, family counseling, and reunification services in collaboration with social service agencies. For children, MHFH offers psychological assessments and counseling services. In Georgia, this center is among 4.1 percent of substance abuse treatment facilities that provide child care for clients’ children – licensed daycare and after school programs.
Outpatient treatment includes a partial hospitalization program (PHP) and intensive outpatient programming (IOP). MHFH also offers housing options, including transitional and permanent locations.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
MHFH is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). The center’s founder, Lucy Hall-Gainer, lost her mother to addiction as a child, and went on to struggle with addiction herself before embracing recovery. She holds national credentials as a substance abuse counselor. Several reviewers told Best-rehabs.com that many staff members are in recovery.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
MHFH seeks to provide a safe, nurturing environment for women and children, but has not at the time of this writing published details about its living conditions. According to its website, the center, through its seven programs, “can provide housing and services to over 200 single women and over 75 children on any given day.*
.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Of the two alumni reviews submitted to Best-rehabs.com to date, one was highly positive and one highly negative. Alum B.K. awarded perfect five stars for the facility’s treatment effectiveness, as well as for the facility’s conflict resolution, connectivity and visitor policies, facility cleanliness and upkeep, holistic offerings, quality of individual and group counseling, safety, staff experience and training, and staff support. “I think the program I attended was a great one and I highly recommend it to any addict,” B.K. shared with Best-rehabs.com.
In contrast, B.R. attended the center for “a short period of time.” As strengths of the facility, she listed “a couple of decent counselors.” However, B.R. wrote: “It was good until i got kicked out for nothing i would never suggest that any one go there.”
At the time of this writing, secondary review sites yielded mixed reviews, skewed to the positive: 4.6 out of five stars based on 74 reviews on Facebook, which the center can manage; 3.9 stars based on 23 reviews on Google; three one-star ratings on Yelp; and a two-star rating and two one-star ratings on YellowPages.com.
Favorable reviewers (alumni, loved ones, staff, others) cited caring staff and leadership as well as achievement of life-changing results, expressed in a representative review by Hope on Google: “My personal experience was life changing…Mary Hall Freedom House helped me become a self sufficient Godly woman again.”
Negative reviews cited rude and angry staff, forced religion, and unscrupulous practices, echoed by Mia W. on YellowPages.com: “As a recovering addict I can say it was mhfh that made me never want to use again knowing I would have to back to a place like this it was awful. Staff uses with clients same sex relations like crazy.”
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
A loved one polled by Best-rehabs.com to date, Kathy, provided extremely favorable feedback, offering five-star ratings for counseling options, facility cleanliness and upkeep, family participation, leadership, and staff support. “They worked hard to educate the clients on abuse and keep the minds on the lord. Offered a family day,” Kathy wrote, indicating she would recommend this facility.
WHAT STAFF SAY
On secondary review sites, MHFH drew mixed opinions to date from staff: 2.8 out of five stars based on 20 reviews on Indeed. Reviewers wrote positively about their colleagues and work with clients, such as a former addictions counselor: “The most enjoyable part of my job was helping clients set and reach their goals.”
Others complained of long hours and low pay, stressful work, disorganization, poor management, and lack of job stability and advancement.“Working with the clients was very fulfilling. I learned that I can work in total dysfunction. Management was the main source of the dysfunction…,” one reviewer wrote.
FINANCING
MHFH does not currently offer information online regarding its costs. However, the website notes that services are provided to uninsured and underinsured women.