by  Morgan Williams

photos by Renata Haidle

The grips of addiction are ruthless - and merciless. Promise was 24 when she hit rock bottom; she was pregnant, addicted to drugs, and “barely existing.” During this time, she witnessed a murder that rattled her to her core, and she quit using drugs on the spot, but she still had a long way to go. She was separated from her first son after giving birth and had no idea what to do next. Thankfully, she had an aunt who had been successful in recovery - her name was Theo, and she lived at the Hannah House. 

While falling into addiction seems all too easy - trauma, poverty, and early exposure are all signposts on the road to a life marked by drugs and alcohol - no one just happens to fall out of addiction. It typically takes a life-altering experience and a vision of what a life of sobriety could be like. 

The Hannah House is a nationally certified sober living home that has been casting that vision for women since 2012. Tucked under big, mature trees is a sweet home that has brought hope to hundreds of women and their families over the past twelve years. This year, a campus expansion is on the horizon, allowing the Hannah House to serve up to 20 women and their children simultaneously.

Getting sober is just the first of many hurdles when leaving a life of addiction, and Promise described what many former addicts experience when she said that leaving her ‘using community’ felt like “walking off a cliff. They were the only family I had ever known, and I struggled to imagine kind, good people ever wanting to be around someone like me.” While sober living homes are common, even in Billings, the Hannah House is distinct in a few important ways - one is the premium they place on building a new community. 

The Hannah House has adopted a tiered and unhurried approach with residents. In 2022, the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs reported that the average stay at a sober living home was between 166 and 254 days. At the Hannah House, residents are asked to stay at least 180 days (6 months), but most are staying much longer. 

Residents spend the first 30-45 days getting on their feet, much of which is filled with paperwork, obtaining social security cards and IDs, and finding work. Counseling and bible studies are interspersed throughout their week, and later on, residents begin working through the Genesis Process, a relapse prevention model that provides a biblical and neurochemical understanding of what causes self-destruction and a real plan for lasting change. 

After six months, residents can move into “graduate housing.” Here, residents begin to get a feel for what rent is like outside of the house. They also take on more of their own financial responsibilities, like cleaning supplies and toiletries. Currently, the Hannah House only has room for three residents in graduate housing, but the new expansion will allow for six graduate-level homes, all on the same campus, plus space for other onsite resources. Hannah House Supervisor Jessica Smith says this expansion will eliminate the need to rush residents through transitional housing, which gives women more opportunities to build a lasting, healthy community. 

The Hannah House believes strongly in a holistic approach to growth and is founded on the belief that each woman matters in the name of Jesus. They are one of the only places that make space for women to be reunited with their children, and if you enter the Hannah House, you can expect extensive 1-1 case management and your own room. Their reputation precedes them; this year, they anticipate having over 300 applications for their 15 beds. Many of their referrals come from judges, probation & parole officers, and local and statewide drug and alcohol facilities. They’ve even had national requests and inquiries. 

The expansion will cost $1.7 million overall and has been broken down into three phases. Phase 1 included purchasing two new lots adjacent to and directly south of the current house, of which one lot had to be demoed and was completed this year. Phase 2 will start in Spring 2025 and include two new homes. The front house will have an open living space on the main floor for bible studies and community gatherings, while the basement will house a trauma-informed care counselor and a child therapist. The Hannah House also plans to open an onsite daycare for residents, an invaluable resource that will be more affordable and practical given the odd hours that women typically work. The final phase will include campus-wide upgrades deferred over the past several years, such as radiator, window, and gutter replacements. 

Ultimately, this expansion is making room for more women like Promise to build a new life and actually say, “It feels good to be alive.” Many generous community partners and foundations have made this campus expansion possible. It will allow more women like Promise to begin to dream and experience a life of sobriety and community. 

If you want to partner with the Hannah House, please visit www.cldibillings.org or scan the QR code below. SLM

Originally printed in the September 2024 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Check this article out in the digital issue of Simply Local here!

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