OUR MISSION

Marin Services for Women (MSW) is committed to advancing community health by providing chemical dependency recovery services for women and their families. MSW's philosophy links recovery from addiction with relational, social and economic empowerment. We are dedicated to meeting the community's need to understand the nature, treatment and prevention of chemical dependency.

HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION

Marin Services for Women is a highly respected nonprofit community-based agency that has been providing licensed, women-specific chemical dependency recovery programs in Marin County for over 27 years. Since 1978, MSW has been the only agency in Marin County whose sole purpose is the provision of a full continuum of alcohol and drug treatment programs specifically designed to meet the needs of women and their families. MSW's empowerment-based treatment approach incorporates established best practice standards while integrating the latest research on trauma-specific services. Since 1978, MSW has assisted over 3,500 women and their families in recovering their lives from addiction.

In an effort to meet the community's growing need for services, MSW has focused on increasing service capacity. In December 2003, MSW acquired a new facility which allowed us to double the service capacity in all programs and consolidate the clinical and administrative services into one location.

Located at 1251 South Eliseo Drive in Greenbrae, our facility is situated on the banks of Corte Madera Creek with a panoramic view of Mt. Tamalpais. This serene setting creates an environment supportive of the healing process of recovery from chemical dependency. Visitors often remark about the welcoming, safe "feeling" of the facility and the sense of compassion and respect they experience among the staff and clients.

1. The Residential Recovery Program has capacity to serve 40 women. There is space for up to 10 infants and children (under six years of age) to stay with their mothers. There is an onsite Child Development Center with trained staff who provide assessments and referrals when appropriate in addition to a daily, age-appropriate curriculum for the children. The Residential Program provides round-the-clock staffing, including on-duty overnight staff.
2. The Outpatient Program has capacity to serve 30 women in each level of service. Childcare is available to Outpatient clients if space permits.
3. The Family Program and Continuing Care Group are integral components of both Residential and Outpatient Programs.
4. The Transitional Independent Living Program offers affordable housing options to women who have completed one of MSW's Recovery Programs.

Women in women-only recovery programs have been found to be more than twice as likely to complete treatment as women in mixed-gender programs, according to a study conducted by UCLA.