NAPLES — David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC), Collier County’s only comprehensive, not-for-profit behavioral health provider serving children, adults and families, received a $5,000 grant from Bank of America. The funds will be applied to the capital expenses needed to purchase and renovate DLC’s first certified recovery residence: Hope Home.

Hope Home is a six-bed recovery residence for men located in Naples — less than one mile away from the DLC Main Campus on Golden Gate Parkway that opened in June 2020. The cost to purchase the home and complete the renovations for the 5-acre, five-bedroom residence totaled over $630,000. To date, 63 donors contributed $400,000 including in-kind furniture contributions from St. Matthew’s House and the former home owner. The Bank of America funds will be applied to the remaining $200,000 needed to cover the remaining costs.

Due to a lack of certified recovery homes in Collier County — which are often full — DLC staff and its Board of Directors saw a great need to help ensure the best possible treatment outcomes for individuals in substance use recovery, especially in light of the opioid epidemic where relapse rates and overdose risk are higher for those in early recovery. DLC’s Hope Home is one of only four Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR) certified homes in Collier County. FARR-certified homes provide accountability, a structured and healthy new environment, skill-building, goal setting and peer support.

Hope Home is supported by recovery support specialists with sustained recovery and provides a substance-free and affordable living option for individuals in early recovery. The home is designed to help individuals transition from DLC’s Crossroads residential treatment program or other substance use recovery programs into daily life in the community.

The mission of Hope Home is to enable personal growth and powerful life transformations in a safe, sober and peer-led environment where individuals foster connections with the recovery community, thrive in their responsibilities and work toward fulfilling and successful independent living.

“It is an honor to partner with Bank of America and donors from throughout the community to add the Hope Home transitional recovery residence into our full continuum of care,” said Scott Burgess, DLC president and CEO. “Our goal is to address the ongoing, changing needs of individuals, and Hope Home offers those in need enhanced time to build long-term recovery. These are community issues and they require community solutions. It is critically important to ensure care is available for all those in need, and we humbly welcome others to partner with us as well to fund the remaining costs for Hope Home. No donation is too small, and every contribution matters.”

To donate to Hope Home, visit DavidLawrenceCenter.org, call 239-354-1455, or e-mail donorcare@dlcmhc.com. For more information about DLC’s Hope Home admission criteria, e-mail HopeHome@dlcmhc.com, call 239-455-8500 or visit DLCHopeHome.org.