New recovery home for women soon to open in southern Indiana

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A sober living house supporting women focused on recovery is soon opening in southern Indiana.

Courtney Tutt, Jennifer Vega, Erica Woodson, and Raymondy Ramothibe founded Medella House in Charlestown to help women coming out of rehab. The four friends have been working together to make the house feel like a home. 

It's designed to support women who are recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. The nonprofit hopes to prevent relapse by providing people a safe place to continue recovery before going out on their own.

"Our goal is to provide a safe place for these women after exiting rehab or jail," Tutt said. "A lot of times people come back into the community after rehab or jail, they've sobered up while they were in, and then once they get out, they're back into the same environment."

Tutt and Woodson both work in recovery. They were seeing a common theme as people faced addiction, so they wanted to do something, deciding to create a space for second chances.

"Recovery has affected all of us in different ways," Tutt said. "My brother died from a drug overdose here in Charlestown. After that, I wanted to do something. I want to help in whatever way I can."

Vega struggled with alcohol addiction, but she's now been sober for more than a year-and-a-half. 

"These women were really instrumental in helping me get rid of a lot of guilt and forgiveness and what I really needed to do in order to move forward and have been extremely supportive throughout my sober journey," Vega said.

Vega calls the nonprofit's mission the four friends' purpose.

Tutt says the home is focused on building personal relationships that will help people through their recovery experience. The model centers around people either working or volunteering, attending an intensive outpatient program or going to school. 

"There's a stigma around addiction, so if people don't understand the how and the why, they automatically think, 'oh you can stop,' that's not a reality for everybody," Tutt said. "Just having that background really helps us to have empathy toward our residents."

The home, which can hold up to six women, requires a person to be 28 days sober prior to living there to prevent people from actively detoxing in front of other residents. 

The nonprofit hopes to expand its services to eventually offering a "Mommy and Me" home, where children can stay with their mothers as they go through the process.

After six months of preparation, the grand opening is planned for Saturday, Sept. 24. 

To donate to the Medella House Support Fund on GoFundMe, click here.

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