Celebrating Our Expansion: Santa Maria Austin Is Licensed

We are pleased to announce that Santa Maria has officially received its license to operate as chemical dependency treatment facility at our new campus in Austin.

This achievement reflects years of careful planning, community engagement, and an unwavering commitment to our mission of healing, hope, and generational change.

With this license in hand, families in Travis County will soon have access to the same comprehensive addiction treatment and recovery services that have helped more than 12,000 Houston families rebuild their lives in 2024.

This milestone would not have been possible without the investment of our donors, the dedication of our volunteers, and the encouragement of our partners. We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed time, resources, and expertise to make this expansion possible. Whether you have supported Santa Maria for many years or recently joined our community, your partnership is integral to our continued success.

We look forward to sharing further updates as we finalize our Austin campus and begin this next chapter of service.

Kodiak Brings Heart, Muscle, and Mission-Driven Impact to Santa Maria

Last Thursday, June 12, Santa Maria was energized by the presence of 56  incredible volunteers from Kodiak, who joined us from across Texas for a meaningful day of service.

Despite heavy rain throughout the day, the Kodiak team showed up ready to work and they delivered in a big way.

From the moment they arrived at 8:30 a.m. to the time their day wrapped up at 1:30 p.m., Kodiak’s volunteers brought enthusiasm, teamwork, and care to every corner of our campus. Their projects included:

They didn’t just bring tools, they brought interns, smiles, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference, rain or shine. The pouring rain didn’t stop them, and it certainly didn’t slow them down.

During the lunch break, we had the pleasure of sitting down for a Q&A session with the group. It was a wonderful opportunity to share more about our mission and let them hear firsthand how their volunteerism and support directly impact the lives of the women and families in our programs.

Watch the video below to see them in action.

This visit was just the latest example of Kodiak’s extraordinary partnership with Santa Maria. They are responsive, generous, mission-aligned, and deeply invested in long-term impact. In fact, we were proud to honor them this past May as our 2025 Community Partner of the Year at our Annual RISE Luncheon.

Santa Maria Partners with UTA School of Social Work and UTHealth Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Virtual Reality Study for Substance Use Disorders

Santa Maria is proud to collaborate with the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work and the UTHealth Center for Neurobehavioral Research on an innovative research initiative aimed at advancing treatment options for individuals with opioid and stimulant use disorders. 

This spring, Santa Maria was selected as a participating site for a pioneering study examining the use of Virtual Reality-based Cue Exposure (VRCE) as an adjunctive therapy in early recovery.

This innovative therapy uses virtual environments to safely expose participants to potential triggers, while clinicians guide them through mindfulness based coping strategies. The goal is to reduce cravings and help individuals build emotional resilience. Early studies of this approach have shown promising results.

Clients at our Jacquelyn residential site have been selected to participate in this study, receiving support for early recovery and prevention of Virtual Reality-based Cue Exposure (VRCE). Our clinical team at the Jacquelyn residential program works closely with the researcher team to identify participants and ensure privacy and safety, following all IRB protocols.

Substance use disorders, particularly opioid and stimulant misuse, are chronic and recurring conditions that pose major public health challenges We are grateful to be part of this innovative work and excited to see its impact on the development of new effective tools for recovery. 

Interim Development Support

To maintain momentum on our fundraising and communications goals, we are pleased to welcome Charly Weldon to the team. 

Charly brings extensive nonprofit development experience, including successful grant writing, donor cultivation, and strategic partnership building. Charly joined our team part time on June 2nd. She will focus on advancing our grant pipeline and providing vital development support while we continue our search for a permanent CDCO.

Please join us in thanking Charly for stepping into this role and supporting Santa Maria’s mission during this period of transition. We look forward to her contributions as we work together to secure the resources that empower women and families on their recovery journeys.

Contact Charly