Supporting Recovery: Awareness, Access and Affirmation

Arbor Circle delivers culturally responsive, women-focused behavioral health care that meets people where they are—at home, in the community, and in the clinic. With a special emphasis on pregnant and parenting individuals, the program pairs evidence-based counseling with comprehensive case management to remove real-world barriers (transportation, housing, childcare, benefits) and build “recovery capital.” Services include assessment, treatment planning, individual counseling, peer recovery supports, and linkage to resources; care is offered primarily in person, with telehealth/phone options for flexibility. Outreach is intentionally directed to high-need Muskegon zip codes 49442 and 49444 to engage residents who are often disconnected from services.

Arbor Circle’s team coordinates closely with county behavioral health, courts, perinatal/maternal-health partners, recovery housing, harm-reduction providers, and primary care/psychiatry to create a wraparound plan that supports both the woman and her family. Early results are strong: 90% of participants report a positive therapeutic alliance, 88% are satisfied with care, 97% show progress on treatment goals, and 96% increase recovery capital (on average by ~2 points) by discharge. United Way support also helps operationalize Arbor Circle’s Women’s Specialty Services designation in Muskegon, expanding access county-wide.

Why United Way supports it
This program squarely advances our Healthy Families / Mental Health priority by closing access gaps, especially for ALICE households and pregnant/parenting women in neighborhoods with concentrated poverty. Our investment funds the non-reimbursable supports that make recovery stick—assertive outreach, flexible engagement, and hands-on case management that stabilize families and strengthen long-term wellbeing.