Who We Serve

Meta House Stories

Please read some of our women’s stories to gain a deeper understanding of who we serve.

Why Women?

Recognizing that there were very few programs for women addicted to alcohol, Meta House was founded in 1963 to serve women in the Milwaukee community. In response to our clients’ needs, Meta House developed one of the first and finest, truly gender-responsive treatment centers to address the needs of women in recovery.

Children

Children whose mothers abuse substances face many challenges and require comprehensive services to battle the effects of maternal substance abuse, and women who are involved with their children during treatment tend to be more successful. Meta House was one of the first treatment centers in the country to allow children to stay with their mothers in a residential substance abuse treatment setting.

In our Residential Treatment Program, children, up to 10-years-old, can reside with their mothers. Our Housing Facility allows children up to 18-years-old stay with their mothers. The Meta House Outpatient Services Program provides services and child care to our clients’ children.

Co-occurring Mental Health Disorders

Women who abuse substances typically suffer from co-occurring substance abuse disorders and independent mental health disorders. When mental health and substance use symptoms appear at the same time, it is often difficult to distinguish between the two. Alcohol and drugs can cause mental health symptoms in anyone. If there are existing mental health problems, alcohol and drugs can make the mental health symptom worse. Therefore, individuals with mental health disorders often face misdiagnosis and cannot access appropriate support and treatment. Meta House is uniquely equipped to support women with mental health disorders.

Social Stigma

Women battling addiction to alcohol or other drugs typically face enormous challenges (i.e. poverty, lack of education, homelessness, mental health disorders and difficulty with parenting) which are confounded by the social stigma and discrimination attached to substance abuse, especially maternal substance abuse. Women internalize this stigma and tend to experience self-loathing. Meta House embraces each client with respect, and a non-judgmental ethic pervades the agency. Meta House is dedicated to reducing the social stigma of women who are addicted to substances through advocacy and education.