Drug-Treatment Facility for Women Opens in Newark

Integrity House, the substance abuse rehabilitation center with locations in Newark and Secaucus, last week opened the Joan Riddick House, a new women’s residential treatment center, with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony that honored the late Joan L. Riddick. 

The Women’s Residential Treatment Services building is located at 43 Lincoln Park.
 
“We are extremely proud to unveil the Joan Riddick House, which will be dedicated to providing the utmost care to those women of the community who are working hard to live a clean and healthy life,” said Robert J. Budsock, president and CEO of Integrity House.

During the ribbon-cutting, featured speaker Virginia Long, a retired New Jersey Supreme Court Justice, spoke about the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment.  Also speaking was former professional basketball player for The New York Liberty, Kym Hampton, who delivered a motivational message on weight issues and her own personal challenges in overcoming them.  Honored and recognized at the opening were Integrity House trustees Lois Goldring and Matthew Chanin, whose financial support helped to make the Joan Riddick House a reality.
 
The facility is named in honor of Riddick, a licensed social worker who joined the Integrity House staff in 1991.  Riddick became the first African-American woman to serve on the internal leadership team of Integrity House. Riddick died in 2009.
 
 Through the Joan Riddick House, a dedicated treatment facility for women, Integrity will be better able to serve the specific needs of women in their recovery from substance abuse, the orgnization said in a statement.  Providing proper facilities and supportive services for women in recovery will aid them in their successful transition back into the community, enable them to better care for their children during the process, and assist them long-term throughout their personal recovery process.
 
For more information on Integrity House and the ceremony, please contact John Lonsdorf at 908-722-5757, ext. 107, or at jlonsdorf@randjpr.com.