A History of Recovery in Texas

Texas ratified the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, repealing prohibition. Statewide “dry laws” were lifted; alcohol became more accessible.

Fort Worth opened a “narcotic farm”, a co-ed institution that housed convicted drug offenders with people voluntarily seeking treatment.

Alcoholics Anonymous came to Houston in 1940 with Larry Jewell, a writer from Cleveland, Ohio, who was shipped to Houston in a last-ditch effort to save his life.

George McL. is credited with starting the first AA group in Fort Worth. An old correspondence with the General Service Office details an initial meeting with seven attendees.

Ester E., friend of AA co-founder Bill W., got sober in Houston and introduced AA to Dallas in 1943.

Mrs. Marty Mann, the first woman to achieve long-term recovery in AA, founded NCADD (known then as NCEA, and later NCA) to educate the public on the disease of alcoholism.

The Rev. Everett H. Jones invited a member of Houston AA to teach a group of drinkers about sobriety at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, kicking off the area’s first AA…

The first AA meeting in Austin formed after a doctor familiar with alcoholism introduced 5 suffering alcoholics to each other.

A non-profit organization was established to provide resources and support to community members impacted by addiction.

Governor Shivers created a committee to study alcoholism as a disease and make recommendations for treating it accordingly.

A residential treatment program for men opened, built around the principles and 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Soul’s Harbor was initially established as a men’s shelter. It was designed to help unhoused, struggling, and addicted men heal.

SACADA was formed to provide early intervention, prevention, and educational resources on harmful substance use to the greater Bexar-area community.

Now known as the Council on Drug + Alcohol Abuse (COADA), this organization has provided recovery resources to alcohol-impacted areas of Coastal Bend for over 60 years.

The Recovery Council was formed in response to a community need for information on addiction and affordable chemical dependency treatment services.

Originally formed in response to a growing concern over alcoholism, the Council’s reach has expanded to encompass drug and tobacco use with a prevent, educate, treat approach.

Cenikor focused on a structured and supportive community environment where peers, staff, and residents collaborated to reinforce personal growth and meaningful change.

Clear Creek Club was founded by a small group of AA members seeking a dedicated space for meetings and fellowship in the area.

Now known as the Williams House, the Halfway House of San Angelo was established to provide alcohol- and drug-free housing for men in recovery.

PDAP was one of the first organizations with peers serving addiction-impacted youth. It continues to be a rich resource for young people seeking recovery and their families.

The Texas Association of Addiction Professionals (TAAP) bylaws were originally adopted by a vote of TAAC members at the first State Conference, December 7, 1974, Austin, Texas.

According to the Narcotics Anonymous historical archive, the First NA World Convention to take place outside of California was held in Houston.

ADACCV’s Center opened to meet the growing need for local detoxification services. Originally limited to treating alcoholism, it soon folded in treatment of drug withdrawals.

ADAC was established to prevent, treat, and support people touched by chronic and progressive addictions. It continues to provide community education and parental support.

The Center for Collegiate Recovery Communities (CCRC) at Texas Tech was the first collegiate recovery program in the State of Texas, offering affected students a safe haven on campus.

Three people formed a coalition and held meetings with citizens, law enforcement officers, school administrators, and city officials to address addiction in the community.

The TNCP, administered by the Office of the Governor, was established to provide funding and administrative support for case disposition analysis for all TNCP arrests.

An Oxford House in Austin with loans from the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, a piece of legislature that required all states to provide start-up funds for sober living environments.

The Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) credential was established as the result of a law that passed in the 80th Session of the Texas Legislator. At the time, there were…

SAFPF detailed the procedures for rehabilitating felony offenders through treatment, a nod to the State’s commitment to integrating recovery support into the criminal justice system.

Local officers, the DEA, and the FBI joined forces in an attempt to contain and respond to an alarming increase in the incidences of heroin overdoses.

The first Recovery Community Organization (RCO) in Texas provided support for individuals with mental health disorders, substance use challenges, or co-occurrence of the two.

This organization was formed to offer services to the community like recovery coaching, sober housing, and peer services, plus social and recreational activities.

Any students that successfully completed a recognized treatment program and wanted to earn a Texas high school diploma were welcomed by Serenity High School.

SAMHSA’s early-2000s grants provided some much-needed funding for some of Texas’ earliest RCOs, spread across El Paso, Dallas, Houston, and Austin.

Now the largest recovery high school in the country, Archway Academy was created to offer a recovery-focused educational experience for students dealing with substance use disorders.

House Bill 2292 abolished TCADA, directing the new Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to absorb its powers, duties, functions, programs, and activities.

Created as part of the national Recovery Month observance, Texas’ rally celebrates recovery from substance use disorder and reduces the stigma associated with addiction.

HRI was formed as recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC), providing services that support individuals, families, and communities in achieving health and wellness.

CTRC was opened to treat opiate addiction. As a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) operation, it became one of the earlier facilities to embrace harm reduction.

Trained to work within the framework of state and federal opiate treatment guidelines, staff at the Lighthouse treat people on MAT or working toward total abstinence.

TROHN, a founding state affiliate of NARR, was formed to certify recovery housing in Texas in accordance with National Standards (under a RecoveryPeople fiscal sponsorship).

Life’s Second Chance opened to provide outpatients treatment for opioid addiction, offering both methadone and suboxone (types of Medication-Assisted Treatment, or MAT).

Austin’s first sober high school was made for students in recovery. Its model includes 12-step programming, wrap-around emotional support, and peer-to-peer support.

The Texas Department of State Health Services made a significant investment in recovery when it funded 22 pilot RSS programs at RCOs and substance use treatment programs.

HB 1486 made peer recovery services in Texas Medicaid billable, making room for HHSC to create a Planning and Policy department within the behavioral health infrastructure.

The certification created a professional opportunity for formerly incarcerated individuals to use their lived experience to help others and reduce recidivism.

Established as an alternative to jail or emergency rooms for publicly intoxicated individuals, the Sobering Center can also serve as a bridge to further interventions or recovery.

UT Health Science Center at Houston was awarded funding for Project HOMES, a statewide initiative to provide recovery housing to people in Medication Assisted Recovery (MAR).

Also known as the Jessica Sosa Act, this important piece of legislation protects bystanders in possession of drugs or paraphernalia who call for help during an emergency.

TTOR contracted with UTHSCSA to provide peer support, access to recovery housing, employment support, and guidance for reentry from criminal justice and rehabilitative settings.

This bill established a voluntary accreditation program for recovery housing. Recovery houses in Texas must be accredited by September 2025 to receiving state funding.

In celebration of Recovery Month, RecoveryPeople launched A History of Recovery in Texas timeline on September 1, 2024. The purpose of the project is to: Empower Today and Inspire the…