Arc Milwaukee Women's Program sits in a renovated three-story duplex in Milwaukee's Walker's Square neighborhood and looks after women who need both substance use treatment and help with daily living. The place has 13 beds and focuses on giving women a safe and supportive space and has been running since 2014. Women living here can be involved in the criminal justice system, may be pregnant, might have young children, or have experienced difficult things like prostitution or human trafficking, and the staff use trauma-informed care to make sure no one feels retraumatized or judged. The program accepts adults 18 or older, with special attention to young adults, seniors, women, military veterans, and those in the LGBTQ community, and you'll find people here with all kinds of backgrounds getting help. Residents get private bedrooms and can use a rec room, and there are different activities you can do such as group and individual therapy, recreational therapy, hiking, horseback riding, basketball, tennis, and even art or mindfulness programs, as well as family therapy and child visit programs if you've got young ones.
For those who need it, the program offers detox, inpatient treatment, outpatient support, partial hospitalization programs, dual diagnosis care, sober living, interventions, and aftercare. Care plans always get updated, and the counselors and case managers work with each woman, her family, and others like probation or parole if needed, to set and meet goals. The approach is holistic and strength-based, meaning staff don't just treat substance use, they also help with anger management, self-esteem, family and relationship therapy, trauma education, parenting support, and lessons for independent living such as budgeting, finding housing, and vocational training. Being licensed as both a community-based residential facility and a medically-monitored AODA (Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse) residential treatment center means they can care for women with different needs, including those under Department of Corrections supervision or who need more structure.
Everybody here has flexible payment options, including private pay, insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, financial aid, a sliding scale, military insurance, and even the possibility of free care. The team at Arc Milwaukee employs women who act as positive role models, and the environment puts a steady focus on dignity and safety. There's a stage system where you earn more freedoms as you move forward in your recovery, and they'll help you with things like continuing care groups, community referrals for domestic violence or assault issues, and wraparound case management. You'll find programs designed for many groups, like those for pregnant women, women with children, teen and adolescent programs, adult programs, alcoholism and opioid treatment, and both inpatient and outpatient rehab, so everyone gets something that matches where they are in life. Arc Milwaukee Women's Program takes care to recognize how women's experiences differ and provides care that's made to fit those needs in a simple, steady way.
