Ocmulgee ATCC

06/09/2026

🏆 ATCC Women’s Step Challenge Results! 👟💪

What started with 14 participants stepping up to the challenge ended with 5 determined women who stayed committed and finished strong!

This challenge was organized by our Treatment Coordinator, Sharika Hodges, as a fun way to encourage our female participants to become more mindful of their health and wellness while supporting their recovery journey.

🥇 Step Challenge Winner:
Cassie – an impressive 94,300 steps!
Cassie earned a $100 gift card for her outstanding effort and dedication.

🥈 1st Runner-Up: Nakita Hunt
🥉 2nd Runner-Up: Kelly Lightsey

🌟 Finalists:
Linda Dutton
Ameria Clemons

We are incredibly proud of these women for their commitment and perseverance. All participants who took part in the challenge will receive a gift bag in recognition of their participation and effort.

A special thank you to Sharika Hodges for organizing this challenge and creating a fun, positive way to encourage healthy habits and wellness among our female participants. Challenges like this remind us that recovery is built one day—and sometimes one step—at a time.

Congratulations to everyone who participated. Every step mattered, and every participant should be proud of the effort they put forth! 👏💙

06/02/2026

🌟 ATCC Team Spotlight 🌟

This week, we’re highlighting Vanessa Outlaw, one of our Treatment Counselors at ATCC.

Vanessa is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor with a unique professional background that includes previously practicing as a criminal defense attorney before transitioning into the counseling field. Her experience in both the legal and behavioral health systems gives her a strong understanding of the challenges many participants face and the importance of addressing the underlying issues connected to substance use and mental health struggles.

💬 Why ATCC matters to her:
“ATCC matters to me because it offers participants a slower review and specific attention to each participant’s underlying struggles. As a previously practicing criminal defense attorney, I can appreciate consistency and efficiency in the judicial system. However, people and circumstances can be very complex, especially when substance abuse hijacks a person’s life. ATCC permits the judicial system to slow down and give space to sort through that complexity. This gives participants a much greater chance to make important changes.”

💬 What she enjoys most:
“I love joining participants on their journey toward understanding and loving themselves without the blanket of substance abuse weighing them down. It’s brave work to remove one’s coping strategy and face struggles head on. It is an honor to develop trust with others during this very difficult task.”

💬 What recovery means to her:
“Recovery gives those detoured by substance abuse a path towards fulfillment and meaning through important work, relationships, resilience to survive the speed bumps, and access to the potential to savor life.”

✨ Fun facts:
Vanessa loves puzzles, games, Legos, escape rooms, stage acting, experimenting in the kitchen, music, yoga, artistic expression, and learning new things. She also once spent an entire summer skydiving over 25 times.

We’re grateful to have Vanessa as part of the ATCC team and for the compassion, insight, and encouragement she brings to our participants every day.

👇 Drop a comment below to show Vanessa some love!

05/30/2026

🌊☀️ ATCC Participant Spotlight: Community Leadership in Action ☀️🌊

We would like to give a special shout-out to ATCC participants Cassie Jones and Brett Kelly for their leadership in organizing and hosting the Walk to Recovery Kids Water Day.

The event was a tremendous success, bringing children, families, and community members together for a day of fun, connection, and recovery-friendly fellowship. This is exactly the type of positive community involvement we hope to see from our participants as they build meaningful lives in recovery and give back to others.

A special thank you to the Cooper’s Fire Department firefighters who came out to support the event, providing water safety education and helping make the day both fun and educational for the children in attendance. We appreciate your willingness to serve our community and invest in our youth.

We would also like to recognize community member Joey Allen for generously donating the use of his generator. Without his support, the kids would not have been able to enjoy the water slide, which was one of the highlights of the day. Thank you, Joey, for helping make this event possible!

Thank you as well to Kimberly Eskew, one of our treatment providers, for coming out to support the event, and to Allison Hughes, Case Manager and Community Outreach Liaison, for helping promote and support this community effort.

We are also proud of the many ATCC participants who came out to support the event, volunteer, and participate, including Jody Quinn, Jesse Collins, Joey Harrison, Kelli Jackson, Tracey Parham, Joshua Smith, and Randy Bates. We would also like to recognize ATCC graduate Vicky Grimsley for her support and willingness to give back, along with the many other participants, family members, and community supporters who helped make the event a success.

At ATCC, we love seeing participants and graduates take recovery beyond the courtroom and into the community. Events like this demonstrate leadership, service, fellowship, and the positive impact recovery can have on individuals, families, and our community as a whole.

💜 Fun was had by all, and the smiles on the kids’ faces said it all!

Congratulations to Cassie, Brett, and everyone who helped make this event possible. We are proud to see participants and graduates leading by example and showing what recovery in action truly looks like.

💜

05/30/2026

05/28/2026

Today our North participants completed Narcan training thanks to Cathy Beddow and Walton Empowers Addiction Recovery Support Center. ❤️

Participants received education on overdose awareness, how to recognize the signs of an overdose, and how to properly administer Narcan in an emergency situation. Trainings like this help save lives, reduce stigma, and empower our participants to respond confidently in a crisis.

We appreciate Cathy and Walton Empowers for taking the time to invest in our participants and our recovery community. Partnerships like these make a real difference.

Supporting recovery also means promoting safety and awareness. 💜

05/25/2026

05/23/2026

🌿 PATH is OPEN today! 🌿
Saturday | 10 AM – 4 PM

Need support, connection, or just a safe place to come hang out? Stop by PATH today and connect with a Certified Peer Specialist for:

✔️ Peer support
✔️ Resource connection
✔️ Recovery support & encouragement
✔️ Community and fellowship

🫶 PATH All Recovery Meeting at 1 PM
All pathways of recovery are welcome.

🍕 Stay after the meeting for pizza, fellowship, and connection. Watch a movie, relax, or just spend time with people who understand.

You do not have to do recovery alone. Come see us today. 💚

05/21/2026

05/19/2026

🌟 ATCC Team Spotlight 🌟

This week, we’re highlighting Christian Forde, one of our treatment counselors at ATCC.

Christian earned her Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Augusta University in 2019 and has over five years of experience providing trauma informed care to individuals facing mental health, trauma, and substance use challenges. Before transitioning into counseling, she began her professional career as a teacher and later worked with children, adolescents, veterans, and individuals with co-occurring disorders.

Since joining the Ocmulgee Adult Treatment Court Collaborative in 2024, Christian has provided psychotherapy and trauma focused services to participants involved in mental health and drug court. She is trained in EMDR and DeTUR, specialized approaches used in trauma and addiction treatment.

💬 Why ATCC matters to her:
“I wanted to help combat the drug epidemic in our community in a meaningful way. Often, people with substance abuse problems have experienced trauma and lack the support needed to be sober.”

💬 What she enjoys most:
“I love helping my clients overcome trauma and uncover the beautiful things about themselves that the addiction hid.”

💬 What recovery means to her:
“Recovery is having a second chance to live a happy life. The most beautiful people are the ones that have gone through adversity and come through the other side even stronger.”

✨ Fun fact:
Penguins are her favorite animal 🐧

We’re grateful to have Christian as part of the ATCC team and the impact she continues to make.

👇 Drop a comment below to show Christian some love!

05/14/2026

Mental health doesn’t discriminate.
It can impact anyone at any time.

At least 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health crisis over the span of their lifetime and that’s why awareness, support, and real conversations matter.

This month and every month, let’s continue to show up for one another, check in, and remind people that recovery is real.