We had some anxiety. For one thing we were wondering if we could keep the men and women separate. Plus, we knew we didn't know how to manage women.
So an early challenge was to find strong women to take charge.
After some trial and error, we were fortunate to find women willing to do the demanding work of helping others.
A strength of women in recovery is that they seem more emotionally bonded than the men. At the women's houses there's a tone of family-like support and inclusion. They openly show concern and love for each other - an important part of recovery.
It was refreshing on Thursday to see women receiving awards. Expressing gratitude for their recovery. Caring about one another.
And the wonderful part of the women's program is that it now functions on its own. It's a long way from 2004.
Today there are around 75 beds for females, divided between Mesa and North Phoenix. And these beds wouldn't be available without the dedicated women who manage them.
