Cohen Announces More Than Half a Million Dollars for Memphis-area Women's Services

Press Release

Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that Serenity Recovery Centers in Memphis has been awarded $520,000 in funding to expand and enhance substance abuse and HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention services for low-income African American women. The grant comes through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will be used on Serenity's collaborative Memphis Substance-Using Women's Action Team (SWAT) project.

"This funding will help Serenity Recovery Centers and other local organizations continue providing important health services to low-income African American women throughout Memphis," said Congressman Cohen.

The Memphis Substance-Using Women's Action Team (SWAT), a collaborative effort that in addition to Serenity includes Friends for Life and CHOICES, aims to capitalize on a unique citywide coalition to expand substance abuse treatment and outreach capacity as well as enhance treatment services for low income African American women who are infected with, or at risk for, HIV/AIDS but have multiple barriers to accessing substance abuse treatment and other support services. The program involves community based outreach, pretreatment, and the delivery as well as implementation of key services at times and locations where high-risk activity occurs.

Serenity Recovery Centers began as "Serenity House" in 1971 when a group of recovering alcoholics founded a safe haven for alcoholics seeking treatment. For 40 years, the organization has offered counseling, education and advocacy to more than 15,000 individuals and families in the Memphis community who are struggling with addiction -- regardless of their ability to pay.

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