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The Hitchcock Center for Women held a groundbreaking ceremony today for a new 77,000-square-foot residential treatment and recovery facility. Leaders from Cleveland Clinic, the State of Ohio, the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County participated in the event at the center’s Ansel Road campus in the Glenville neighborhood.
Established in 1978 by Jayne Mazzarella, a nurse and addiction prevention advocate, the Hitchcock Center for Women is one of the oldest drug rehabilitation programs for pregnant and parenting women in the country. What began as a 10-bed women’s half-way house, has blossomed into a comprehensive residential treatment center staffed by a multidisciplinary team of licensed clinicians, counselors and social workers.
The Hitchcock Center for Women currently treats 300 patients each year, with a focus on keeping their families intact. In Cuyahoga County, the center is the only provider of residential substance abuse care that allows its patients to have their children – up to age 12 – live on-site with them throughout their healing journey.
The $27 million project represents a significant expansion for the Hitchcock Center for Women and will allow the center to double the number of mothers served annually. The project includes renovations to its current 95,000-square-foot building, and construction of 53 fully furnished permanent housing units and 42 residential treatment beds that will be adjacent to the facility.
“As we break ground on this new facility, we are filled with hope and determination,” said Jason Joyce, President and CEO of the Hitchcock Center for Women. “Our new addiction treatment and housing campus is designed to be a place where healing begins, and lives are rebuilt. We are deeply grateful for the substantial support and funding from our community partners that has made our vision a reality.”
The Hitchcock Center for Women offers comprehensive residential and outpatient treatment services for adult women struggling with addiction to alcohol, opioids and other illicit substances. More than 60% of patients seeking care at the center are mothers, with nearly one-fifth choosing to have their children with them during treatment.
Recognizing that many patients are affected by trauma such as homelessness, domestic violence and abuse, the Hitchcock Center for Women applies a wholistic approach to empower individuals to achieve and maintain productive, chemical-free lives at home, at work, and in the community. The recovery process starts with a thorough assessment to help create a personalized treatment plan tailored to each patient’s unique needs, goals and level of care required. Throughout their recovery journey, patients have access to individual, group and family counseling, peer support, medication-assisted treatment, job readiness programs, relapse prevention resources, aftercare planning and therapeutic programs such as art and music therapy.
"Cleveland Clinic is committed to supporting initiatives that help improve the lives of our community members, including addressing social determinants of health which are often impacted by substance abuse,” said Vickie Eaton Johnson, Chief Community Officer at Cleveland Clinic.
“We cannot achieve this alone and are proud to invest in the expansion of the Hitchcock Center for Women, which has spent decades helping women recover from substance abuse so that they can care for their families," Johnson continued.“Connecting patients with these services aligns with our Center for Infant and Maternal Health efforts to help reduce infant and maternal mortality in Cuyahoga, Lorain and Summit counties."
The Hitchcock Center for Women actively involved patients and residents in the design process. Through a series of focus groups and community sessions, participants provided valuable input on key features and reviewed initial designs to ensure that the new facility effectively meets the needs of patients and their families.
"The involvement of our current patients and community members has been instrumental in creating a facility that truly serves its purpose," said Joyce. "Their contributions have helped us create a space that is welcoming, functional and supportive for those on their journey to recovery."
Funding for the Hitchcock Center for Women's expansion, and support programs, comes from the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County, Cleveland Clinic, the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the Finch Group.
Construction is expected to be complete in June 2025.
Cleveland Clinic:
Alana Wyche, 216.346.0363, wychea@ccf.org
Hitchcock Center for Women:
Laura Harms, 216.232.2038, lharms@HCFW.org
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 81,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,743 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,160 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,690-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 276 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2023, there were 13.7 million outpatient encounters, 323,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 301,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 132 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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The Hitchcock Center for Women (HCFW), based in Cleveland, Ohio, is a comprehensive addiction treatment facility dedicated to caring for underserved women, including mothers and their children. Located in the Hough-Glenville neighborhood, the center offers a variety of services designed to help women break the cycle of substance abuse in a safe and supportive environment. The primary mission of the Hitchcock Center for Women is to support women and families dealing with substance abuse issues. The center aims to provide a stable and supportive environment for mothers and their children, offering treatment that is cost-effective compared to placing children in the foster care system. The center’s residential treatment program allows mothers to stay with their children up to age 12 while receiving intensive treatment, and its recovery housing program provides continued support for sober living. The center offers comprehensive care including counseling, on-site dining, fitness activities, job readiness programs and relapse prevention. For more information or help, contact us at (216) 421-0662 or visit hcfw.org.
