Wine Country Times

After a driving under the influence (DUI) offense, April Davis was imprisoned. While in jail it was recommended that she seek treatment for alcoholism.

Davis landed at Women’s Recovery Services (WRS) where she became clean and sober.

“I wasn't really thinking that it was going to help much, but Women's Recovery Services brought my family back together,” she told Wine Country Times. “Me and my husband were about to get a divorce.”

It was losing her home in the 2017 Tubbs wildfire that sank Davis into a downward spiral of alcoholism.

“It was just a really bad point in my life,” she said. “Counseling at Women's Recovery Services, the support they gave me, the friendships I've developed with women that I'm still friends with today has changed my life. I just want to be sober and help others.”

WRS is among the 14,809 residential treatment centers in the U.S., according to Statista, but it’s different in that it specializes in treating drug addiction in mothers and pregnant women.

“Women's recovery services changes lives,” she said. “It changed my life.” 

Davis resided at WRS for substance abuse treatment with her 18-month-old daughter.

“When I would go to classes, she would be in daycare on-site at WRS,” Davis said. “I was allowed to visit her in between classes.” 

Under normal circumstances, about 78% of the women who complete the four-month program remain clean and sober, but the COVID-19 has added unexpected pressures to WRS clients, many of whom have had difficult childhood and teenage years.

When Davis relapsed in March, it was only for a day but she picked herself back up again and immediately returned to WRS for 30 days. This time with all three of her children. 

“It was the pandemic and the schools were closed,” she said. “My husband had to work and WRS was completely open to them coming. They welcomed all three of them. Clementine is 8, Sawyer is 6 and Winslow is 3.”

These days, Davis is attending school for human services and behavioral science and is preparing to start an internship as a counselor at WRS.

“There's nowhere else I would rather go for an internship than to give back to WRS,” she said. “I'm finishing up my bachelor's at Sonoma State and I got approved to attend UC Berkeley for my masters.”