Recovery Center Grant

The first addiction recovery community center in the Northeast Tennessee region is now in operation at 513 East Unaka Avenue in Johnson City and staffed with individuals who know exactly what clients are experiencing.

The Johnson City Recovery Center (JCRC) is the brainchild of Dr. Dorothy “Dottie” Greene, JCRC Executive Director and Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at ETSU. It is guided by an advisory board with members from throughout the region.

Those who turn to the JCRC will be supported by individuals who know firsthand what they are going through.

“All of us who work here, from me all the way to our board members and staff, are people with lived experience in addiction and recovery,” Greene said. “We really do have a unique perspective and ability to support folks, because we’ve ‘been there, done that.’ I entered addiction recovery at age 21, and ever since, my life has been dedicated to supporting those striving for recovery and/or training professionals to become addiction counselors. This is my life’s work.”

Currently, the JCRC hosts several recovery support groups, but once it is fully operational, it will host up to three different mutual aid groups daily, recovery coaching services, linkages to community resources, and recovery information and education groups. Operating hours will include evenings, and eventually Saturdays, to best serve working clients, and all services will be free of charge.

“It is a safe haven or a refuge – a sanctuary for people in recovery,” Greene said. “We provide a safe, non-judgmental, and recovery-oriented environment for people – particularly those early in recovery, who often don’t have a sober support network. They can come here if they’ve just come out of treatment and find themselves with idle time, and we can support them, link them up with necessary support services, and provide recovery coaching. “But what we really wanted was for it to be like a home to people. We want folks to come in and feel welcome, relaxed, and supported. We also wanted to be easily accessible to the community and to those who will need us the most.”

The Unaka Avenue location is on the Johnson City Transit route and is near area recovery homes, ETSU Health’s Johnson City Downtown Day Center, and Turning Point, an addiction recovery organization operated by Frontier Health.

The JCRC was recently approved for $1.2 million in funding from Washington County. Until funding arrives, ongoing fundraising to procure donations and grants is needed to help the new center provide services and cover expenses. The JCRC is a 501(c)(3) organization, and tax-deductible donations may be made online at jcrecoverycenter.org/.

Jennifer Hill is a Marketing and Communication Specialist in ETSU’s Office of University Marketing and Communications.