News & Press

March 12, 2014

 

MACON — Persons seeking treatment through River Edge Behavioral Health Center can now advance their educations while advancing their recoveries, thanks to an agreement between River Edge and Central Georgia Technical College. CGTC’s Adult Education Program will provide free assessments and adult education classes to River Edge clients seeking recovery from substance abuse or mental illness.

 

“One of the key components in any recovery journey is building new skills for success,” said Shannon Terrell Harvey, chief executive officer of River Edge. “Often, active mental illness or addiction interrupts education.  This agreement helps individuals build educational and job skills to help recovery and life success.  At River Edge we say, ‘Treatment is effective, and recovery is to be expected.’ With great partners like Central Georgia Tech, we are better able to make good on that pledge.”

 

As part of the agreement, River Edge will identify clients desiring to improve literacy skills, earn a general equivalency diploma, or prepare for entrance into post-secondary education. River Edge will also provide transportation to classes and reinforce classroom work.  CGTC will provide orientations, assessments and courses to persons served at River Edge through its Adult Education Program and work with River Edge to help individuals achieve success.  

 

“We all realized the value of this experience-River Edge, Central Georgia Technical College, and the clients, too” said Sallie Devero, assistant vice president of adult education with CGTC.  “Clients can help their recovery by developing the skills they need to secure employment and sustain themselves.  This is a total win for all involved, which means it’s a win for the community as well.”

 

The partnership will open first to individuals receiving River Edge services through Grove Park Village, Billingslea Recovery Residence and LifeSPRING. Grove Park provides permanent housing for 40 individuals now in recovery but formerly homeless due to untreated mental illness or addiction.  Billingslea provides residential drug and alcohol recovery services for men. LifeSPRING, or Life. Shelter. Purpose. Recovery. Including the Next Generation., provides residential and outpatient chemical dependency recovery services for women of childbearing age and their children.  

 

About River Edge

River Edge has provided comprehensive mental health, addictive disease, and developmental disabilities services and supports in Central Georgia since 1950. Through multiple locations, River Edge currently serves more than 12,000 youth and adult residents of Bibb, Baldwin, Jones, Monroe, Putnam, Twiggs, Wilkinson and surrounding counties annually.  With special expertise to assist individuals with intensive support needs, River Edge empowers, encourages recovery and strengthens resilience. River Edge accepts Medicaid, Medicare, most private insurance and offers a sliding scale fee for individuals without insurance. River-Edge.org