Comprehensive program will provide local access to crucial residential support for men recovering from substance abuse

August 18, 2009 – The Dimock Center, a recognized leader in the integrated delivery of comprehensive healthcare and human services for Boston’s urban community, announced the opening of the Askia Academy at Dimock today.

The Askia Academy at Dimock will offer addiction recovery support based upon the model pioneered by Nathaniel Hakim Askia.  The Academy is an Afro-centric program with a focus on addressing healthcare disparities for men, re-building family relationships, relapse prevention and employment preparation.  The Askia Academy at Dimock will provide support services for as many as 25 residents.

“Dimock is proud to serve as the new home for this important program,” commented Ruth Ellen Fitch, The Dimock Center’s President and CEO.  “Between the John Flowers Recovery Home and the Askia Academy, Dimock now has increased its housing capacity to 46 residents, who will have access to a full spectrum of services, offering a holistic approach to men’s healthcare and recovery.”

The Askia Academy at Dimock represents a critical community resource, providing much needed support services to the neighborhoods served by The Dimock Center.  With its location on Dimock’s main campus, the Academy offers program participants a continuum of integrated care and ready access to top-flight health, dental and eye care, in addition to addiction recovery services.  

The Academy’s convenient location at The Dimock Center also allows Boston neighborhood residents to access quality care and remain connected with family and other local support that can be so critical to a resident’s successful recovery from addiction.

Funding for the Askia Academy at Dimock is provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.

About Dimock:  Originally founded in 1862 as the New England Hospital for Women and Children, The Dimock Center is nationally recognized as a model for the integrated delivery of comprehensive health and human services in an urban community.  From its historic nine-acre campus in Roxbury, and satellite locations throughout Boston, The Dimock Center provides vital services and programs to thousands of Boston residents and families.  The Center’s programs cover a range of services that include adult & pediatric medicine, eye & dental care, HIV/AIDS services, child & family development, Head Start programs, Early Head Start programs, behavioral health, and adult basic education.  For more information about The Dimock Center, please visit www.dimock.org or follow us on Twitter, @thedimockcenter.