NEW ORLEANS — Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana (VOASELA) held a grand opening ceremony on Nov. 18 for Canal Pointe, New Orleans’ only family-centered residential treatment and recovery support facility.
Located at 1801 Canal St., the new center uses VOASELA’s evidence-based opioid and substance use disorder treatment model designed specifically for pregnant and parenting women and their children. The approach allows families to remain together throughout treatment — a key focus of the organization’s trauma-informed programming.
“This is a monumental day for our organization,” said Voris Vigee, CEO and president of VOASELA. “The Canal Pointe facility will allow for holistic family focused recovery that keeps families together, combining behavioral health services, case management, parenting support, recovery coaching, life-skills training and stabilization services all under one roof.”
Filling a Longstanding Treatment Gap
While VOASELA said the opening is a major step for maternal behavioral health in the region, the organization’s leadership also the project addresses a long-documented service gap.
“This center fills a critical, long-standing gap: the absence of family-centered residential care that treats maternal behavioral health and substance use disorders without separating mothers and children,” said Nick Albares, VOASELA’s vice president of strategic development and public policy. “Canal Pointe integrates treatment, housing, maternal wellness, parenting, life skills, and child services in one location, the only program of its kind in New Orleans.”
The facility includes 31 private rooms where mothers and children can remain together. Shared amenities include three family community rooms, a computer lab, learning kitchen, outdoor courtyard and infant quiet room. VOASELA projects Canal Pointe will serve approximately 150 to 200 mothers and children per year, providing what the organization describes as sustainable pathways to recovery, stability and independence.
Meeting Complex Daily Needs
Opening a program built around whole-family care required navigating challenges unique to residential treatment for mothers.
“Designing a program that treats both the mother’s clinical needs and the family’s daily living needs is complex, requiring specialized staff, child watch capacity, and strong safety structures,” Albares said. “But these challenges are worth it, because families heal more successfully when they heal together, not apart.”
Strengthening Workforce Reentry
A key component of Canal Pointe’s model is its focus on helping women stabilize their lives in ways that support long-term employment and economic mobility. Substance use can pose a major barrier to maintaining steady work, Albares said, and the residential model aims to reduce those barriers.
“By providing residential treatment where families stay together, women can focus on healing, stability, and rebuilding their lives,” he said. “With wraparound supports and a comprehensive aftercare component led by Peer Recovery Coaches, women leaving residential treatment will be positioned to secure a job, attain better jobs, and start a career path.”
He added that keeping families intact throughout treatment improves outcomes that ultimately influence Louisiana’s long-term economic future.
“When mothers can stay with their children, treatment success rates are higher, relapse rates decrease, and families remain intact,” Albares said. “This strengthens Louisiana’s future workforce by breaking cycles of trauma and generational substance use, improving child developmental outcomes, and supporting mothers as they rebuild stability and career readiness.”
Partnerships Supporting Health and Economic Outcomes
VOASELA leaders say the program was designed with partnership at its core — not only with health providers but with insurers, employers, and entities that influence long-term stability.
“These partnerships ensure women have comprehensive support before, during, and after treatment — from prenatal care to job placement to long-term health coverage,” Albares said. “They help stabilize reimbursement, expand access to services, and create employment pathways.”
He noted that Humana has been “a key partner on this initiative from the beginning,” and that VOASELA is working with the insurer to develop “a value-based reimbursement model that can pay for success and ensure longstanding sustainability of this treatment model.”
VOASELA also partnered with DePaul Community Health Centers to provide Medication Assisted Treatment on site. Dr. Smita Prasad, a Tulane-affiliated physician, serves as medical director.
A Health-Economy Impact
Albares said Canal Pointe will contribute directly to the region’s growing health-economy ecosystem by linking maternal health, behavioral health, housing and employment supports in one place.
“Canal Pointe serves as a hub connecting behavioral health, maternal health, housing, and wraparound supports under one roof,” he said. “By reducing NICU utilization for newborns, improving maternal outcomes, and supporting employment, it greatly contributes to our mission of healthy communities for all people.”
Role of Philanthropy and Corporate Support
VOASELA leaders say that sustaining and eventually expanding this model will require a mix of philanthropy and corporate backing.
“Philanthropy and corporate partners are critical to the long-term sustainability of this program,” Albares said. “We see Canal Pointe as a place for the community to embrace this group of women for many years to come.”
Mission and Impact
VOASELA provides health and human services to thousands of vulnerable individuals and families across Southeast Louisiana, with Canal Pointe now serving as one of its most comprehensive behavioral health programs. The facility is expected to reach hundreds of families yearly, providing treatment, stability and economic opportunity in a setting built to keep parents and children together.
