Ascensa Health

Overview of organization/services provided/population served Ascensa Health, Inc., a private nonprofit 501(c)3), has been serving the metropolitan atlanta community for over 50 years. Ascensa is committed to rebuilding lives, reuniting families and restoring communities. By providing a comprehensive system of care that sustains long term recovery from addition and co-occuring mental Health disorders, we are making a difference in our community. Ascensa uses the recovery oriented system of care and evidence based on best practices. Services include: intake and assessments, treatment planning, addiction and mental Health treatment, life skills training, Health and nutrition education, job readiness, and medication management, individual and group counseling, 12-step education and groups, parenting education, continuing care/relapse prevention, and family and children services. Ascensa partners with mercy care for primary care services and emory/grady for psychiatric services. Treatment services are based on the belief that addiction is a disease and must focus on the whole person. Programs and services are designed to support the client over a life time of recovery. Ascensa owns and operates seven facilities in metropolitan atlanta, serving more than 1,000 clients annually. Ascensa operates a 8m balanced budget. Ascensa is one the largest nonprofit addiction treatment centers in Georgia. It is also one of atlanta's few licensed and accredited long term treatment programs serving homeless and low-income adults and families. The agency is licensed by the healthcare facility regulation division of the department of community Health and accredited by the commission on accreditation and rehabilitation facilities (carf). Brief history of the organization founded in 1962, Ascensa was atlanta's first long term residential treatment program for male alcoholics. In 1993, the agency expanded to create a comprehensive continuum of care to treat a broad range of addictions for men and women. Emphasis was placed on healthcare services, adopting gender-specific treatment models, and implementing community outreach, education and prevention programs. Description of facilities Ascensa Health, Inc. Owns and operates seven facilities in metropolitan atlanta. St. jude's programs include: detoxification, men's and women's residential treatment, residential treatment for women and their children, day outpatient service, halfway houses, and permanent housing. Ascensa also operates a permanent housing program which serves homeless veterans. Population served Ascensa primarily provides substance abuse treatment and support services to primarily homeless and low-income men and women in metropolitan atlanta. Of total clients served, 70% of all program participants are male, 29% are female, and less than 1% are transgender; approximately 49% are african american and 47% are caucasian, with less than 4% being from other ethnicities. Approximately 70% of the clients served are homeless when entering treatment. All clients are low-income and would not be able to afford services elsewhere. Of the agency total population 60% suffer from co- occuring mental Health disorders. Ascensa primarily serves fulton and dekalb county residents, but also serves men and women throughout the metropolitan atlanta area.